2020 Yves Cuilleron, Condrieu, Lieu-dit Verlieu, $68

Background: Condrieu (along with Château-Grillet) is the most famous white wine appellation in France’s northern Rhône.

Both are tiny and both produce sensual, textured, aromatic white wines exclusively from Viognier. Viognier is rare in France, and Condrieu has only about 270 acres planted to the grape. In fact, in the early 1980s the grape almost disappeared from the region, with only a handful of acres left planted. Today Yves Cuilleron is one of the top producers in the region. His family estate, founded in 1920 in the town of Chavanay, now has about 30 acres of vineyards in Condrieu from which he makes three cuvées and two site-specific wines, one of which is this wine from the lieu-dit (named site), Verlieu.

Wine details: 100% Viognier grown on southeast-facing terraced slopes with muscovite granite soils. It is fermented with indigenous yeasts in small, used barrels, and the wine goes through malolactic fermentation then ages about 12 months in barrels and large tuns.

Flavor Profile: Wonderfully rich, aromatic, and seductive, with expressive notes of flowers and yellow fruit and beautiful texture.

Recommendation: Enjoy now or over the next few years. It would be delicious with ham, roast chicken, poultry risotto with porcini mushrooms, or perhaps Cantonese dishes.

Background: This estate in Germany’s Pfalz region was formerly known as Dr. Deinhard and dates back to 1849. Much more recently, it was bought and split in two, with the basic wines continuing under the original name, and the prestige line under the von Winning label (named after a former proprietor). The winery is now overseen by Stephan Attmann, who brings experience and influence from working in Burgundy to his winemaking. They have some of the oldest parcels of Grosses Gewächs vineyards (a term indicating the finest vineyard sties, somewhat like France’s “Grand Cru”) in the region, and they farm with organic and sustainable practices. Fermentation occurs naturally and spontaneously and they ferment in large French oak barrels.

Wine details: 100% Pinot Noir (aka Spätburgunder in German) sourced from two vineyards, Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker and Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad, with diverse soils of red sandstone, sandy clay, and chalk. Aged 18 months in French barrique, one third new.

Flavor Profile: This is an elegant, silky, and juicy Pinot, with layered flavors of ripe red fruit, spice, forest floor, and subtle notes of toast from the oak aging. With silky texture and inviting depth.

Recommendation: They suggest enjoying this Pinot slightly chilled, between 55 and 60 degrees, perhaps paired with duck breast. Enjoy anytime up to around 2028.