Stefane is also doing an incredible job with Condrieu. His two finest Condrieus to date include the 2010 Condrieu La Combe de Malleval. This fresh white went through full malolactic and is aged on its lees in small foudres. Lively lychee nut, white peach and honeysuckle notes combine with notions of wet rocks and a steely backbone. The result is an extraordinary Condrieu to drink over the next 3-4 years. Ogier's wines just keep getting better and better, so if you haven-t yet jumped on the Ogier bandwagon, it's time to do so. Michel Ogier, and more recently his son, Stephane, are the leading craftsmen in terms of wines from the steep hillsides north of the old Roman town of Vienne. These are still entitled to only a VDP designation, but current vintages are the finest he has yet produced.Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

Ogier’s limited production white wines include the 2009 Condrieu La Combe de Malleval. Aged in old wood, it reveals abundant notes of lychee nuts, white peaches, honeysuckle and rose water, good minerality, medium to full body and a long finish. (Not yet released)One of France’s most brilliant small artisanal wineries is that of the Ogier family in Ampuis, situated about six blocks north of Guigal’s vast network of underground cellars. The value picks are the wines made from the steep hillsides north of the old Roman settlement of Vienne.Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083