Michel & Stéphane Ogier’s Condrieu “Les Vieilles Vignes de Jacques Vernay” 2019 is a Northern Rhône white made entirely from Viognier, drawn from a notably small, old-vine holding. The fruit comes from just 30 ares of roughly 60-year-old vines in the southern part of Condrieu at Saint Pierre de Boeuf, planted at a high density of 10,000 vines per hectare on steep, loose granite slopes overlooking the Batalon stream. The parcel was previously owned by Georges Vernay, a detail that helps explain the cuvée’s reputation for concentration and site character.

Winemaking aims for texture without overt wood signature. Reported methods include direct pressing, fermentation with indigenous yeasts in large 350-liter barrels and foudres, then about 10 months aging on fine lees with “very little new oak,” including Stockinger foudres. The alcohol is a substantial 15.5%, which is consistent with the ripe profile typical of Viognier in warm years.

Aromatically, the wine is positioned in Condrieu’s classic spectrum—stone fruit and floral lift—while leaning into ripeness. One technical note describes a broad set of descriptors: “apricot, pineapple, lychee, rose, and fresh honey,” alongside a more savory, smoky edge (“smoked/larded character”), and finishes with a sense of “mineral tension” attributed to the granite site.

Professional review coverage located for this exact wine and vintage is limited, but Wine Spectator characterizes it in strongly positive terms, calling it “a lush and seductive version,” and noting “warm apple” and “peach” (Wine Spectator). The numeric rating is not accessible, but the language is clearly complimentary.

The broader 2019 context in Condrieu is mixed but encouraging for this bottling: lower yields reportedly brought “elegant richness and poise,” though some tasters advised consumers to “buy with care” in the appellation overall. In practice, this wine’s old vines, granitic slope, and restrained oak approach suggest it is built to deliver richness with structure rather than simple opulence.