Delas - Condrieu La Galopine | French White Wine

VINEYARDS:
7 communes from three "départements": the Rhône, the Loire and the Ardèche, located on the right bank of the Rhône river.

SOILS:
Granite slopes rising above the river - the lie of the land is too steep to allow any mechanized picking.

CLIMATE:
Moderately continental, hot and dry in summer, regular rainfall during the other seasons.

HISTORY:
The vineyard has often been a victim of the history and almost disappeared on several occasions: during the barbarian invasions, in the days of the "Grandes Compagnies", (in the 17th and 18th centuries) and, more recently, at the end of the 19th century, with the phylloxera infestation. Well before the modern period, the trading port of Condrieu and its river fleet carried the reputation of its wines far and wide.

WINEMAKING:
After hand-picking, the grapes travel to the winery in small boxes. Gentle pressing produces a must that is fermented at low temperatures 61-64°F (16 to 18°C) within temperature-controlled vats in order to make the most of the complex aromas of the Viognier variety. Each year, a variable part of the crop is fermented (20% max.) in new oak casks.