Stephen Brook: Lush, opulent, apricot nose, still showing primary fruit, as well as the power of Condrieu. Broad, velvety, and, indeed, a touch soft, suggesting it may have been better a year or two ago. Undoubtedly has richness, but I could do with more flair and zest. It’s heavy-handed, and the finish is fairly short and warm. With few exceptions, Condrieu should be drunk young and rarely benefits from bottle age. This wine, for all its rich fruit, seems to confirm that view. 15.5

Alison Buchanan: Rich golden/pale amber; this has rather an exotic interpretation of the classic stonefruit style. Rosewater, fresh herbs, and spice all complement peach and apricot aromatics. The palate is very pure, with no rough edges; silky and rather fine, floral and stone-fruit aromas suffused with vanillin and hinting at warm pastry. Aging gracefully, this is a good ambassador for variety, terroir, and, indeed, the vintage. 16.5

Anthony Rose: Yellow-gold, this is intensely floral, with dried apricot on the nose, while the palate, too, is extremely concentrated and rich and full of the voluptuous Viognier delights of peach and apricot richness underscored by floral notes and integrated spicy oak. It’s a big, powerful, rich dry white whose five years of age have brought secondary aromas and flavors of real complexity. And despite that richness and intensity of flavor, there’s still plenty of life and freshness to insure further aging in bottle 18