Delas Frères’ Condrieu Clos Boucher 2022 is a single-vineyard Viognier that aims to show Condrieu with more restraint than the appellation’s most overtly aromatic examples. Sourced from the family’s 2.5-hectare Clos Boucher parcel—next to Château Grillet—the site is split across three exposures and a mix of granite, schist with deep loess, and clay, a combination the estate ties to “rare complexity” and “a constant tension between finesse, depth, and verticality.”

The 2022 growing season was defined by “exceptional drought and early ripening,” yet the estate reports fruit arriving in “outstanding sanitary condition,” with “balanced ripeness, freshness, and precision.” The wine is 100% Viognier and comes in at 14.5% alcohol (Decanter). Viticulture and cellar work are geared toward clarity: grapes are hand-harvested at full maturity and pressed without destemming. Élevage is long for a white Rhône—18 months total—spending 12 months in barrel on lees with bâtonnage through Christmas, then six months in stainless steel on fine lees.

Stylistically, Delas says Clos Boucher is intended to “distance itself from exuberant varietal expression,” emphasizing “precision, tautness, and mineral character” (Delas Frères). Aromatically, the house profile highlights “delicate brioche,” “hawthorn blossom,” white peach, and “hints of exotic fruit,” with oak described as seamlessly integrated and the finish long and persistent (Delas Frères).

Critical commentary is led by an outstanding score cited by the producer: a 98-point review (publication not identified) praising “beautifully pure stone fruits, crushed stone, white peach, and minty flower notes,” alongside a “focused, elegant mouthfeel.” Production is small—8,297 bottles—and the estate suggests a long runway in bottle, estimating up to 15 years of aging potential.