Clos de la Bonnette

France, Rhône

A new (ish) find, having tasted at trade shows and fairs in France, we were then thrilled that Matt Walls went so far as to list the 'Legende Bonnetta' cuvée as his top Condrieu from the 2019 vintage - a strong field with some fairly serious contenders! Husband and wife team Isabelle & Henri are fully certified organic, they had been farming fruit and vegetables in the region since the 1970s but since 2009 have focused solely on the vine. They make some very compelling wines from a tiny 5 hectare estate, split between Condrieu and two sites in Côte Rôtie. Tasting these in London turned us into wide-eyed children – the wines are truly magical and surpassed our already elevated expectations. The Côte Rôtie and Condrieu are gorgeous – so sleek and polished, with a nose that you just want to dive into. We were also hugely impressed with the IGP Syrah – made with 35-45 year old vines, this was a delight.