Condrieu Invitare 2020

• 75cl bottle

"Invitare" with its notes of white peaches, candied fruit and nice taut acidity, shows us the authentic character of the Condrieu appellation.

Vineyards

The soils are composed of schist and altered granites which come through in the wine as aromatic power and great complexity. This type of soil also gives the wine freshness and minerality. The slopes of this appellation are as steep as those of the Cote-Rotie appellation, meaning hand-harvesting is required. The south and southeast-facing parcels are mainly located in the communes of Condrieu, Chavannay and Limony.

Vintage

2020 will undoubtedly stand out as an atypical year. The winter was mild marked, by a water shortage over the period, although reserves from 2019 helped to alleviate this. Budbreak was 10 days earlier than in previous vintages. Although snow fell after budbreak and frost was a real risk, it only affected a few vines in Beaumont Moneux. June brought plentiful heat and sunshine in the Northern Rhône and some welcome rain in the Southern Rhône. Grenache in the Southern Rhône looked beautiful and Syrah in the north perfectly balanced. Harvest was earlier than usual starting in early September and proceeded calmly and without any weather pressures. Marked by exceptional earliness and scorching mid-summer heat, the 2020 vintage offers us wines full of elegance and pedigree. They have all the markers of great ageing potential thanks to preserved acidity and remarkable phenolic maturity. The elegance of the red wines and the expression of minerality supported by a beautiful acidity on the whites are the hallmarks of this particular vintage that is full of surprises.

Winemaking

After pressing, the must is cold-settling for 48 hours. Alcoholic fermentation occurs at temperatures between 16 and 18°C with a part ageing in oak casks. Short ageing on the lees of around 8 months to preserve freshness and the varietal character of the grape. Ageing is carried out in wood to give the wine complexity and magnitude. 15% of the wine is aged in new barrels to preserve the freshness and minerality of the fruit. The remaining 85% are aged in demi-muids previously used for one to two vintages, which gives the wine consistency, power and aromatic complexity.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted White Meats
• Fish/Shellfish
• Salads and Picnics
• Mild Creamy Cheeses
• Oriental
• Spicy

Soft goat's cheese. Goes perfectly with oriental and Asian food, but is very pleasant on its own too!