After our visit to Burgundy (see the posting below), we headed south on the A7 Autoroute on Saturday, October 18th, and turned off north of Macon toward Cluny, where we visited the Abbey which was once the governing body of the Benedictine order. From there, we drove to Morgon in the heart of the Beaujolais countryside where Chateau de Pizay is located, amid the estate's vineyards which are planted to the Gamay grape. There, we spent two nights wining and dining, along with an excursion to climb the Rock of Solutré, overlooking Pouilly-Fuisse. During that stay, we had the Chateau's three cuvées of Morgon.

2013 Chateau de Pizay Morgon - Deep purplish colored, this young Beaujolais showed attractive aromas of raspberry, cherry and cassis, with scents of roses, hyacinth and white incense. The flavors were fresh and vibrant, filling the palate with bright red fruits, along with dustings of cocoa powder and ground minerals. The back picked up kirsch liqueur and creme de cassis, with touches of dried fruits on the velvety, yet vigorous finish. 18.5/20 points.

2010 Chateau de Pizay Morgon, "Les Sybarites" - From selected vineyards around the Chateau, this wine displayed a deep ruby color and rich, intriguing aromas of black cherries, black currants and roasted almonds, with scents of black roses and oriental incense. The dark fruit flavors were intense and direct, marked by notes of licorice, bittersweet chocolate and mocha. The back picked up roasted berries and nuts, kirsch and creme de cassis, along with touches of nougat and dried cherries on the lingering dryish finish. 18.5+/20 points.

2010 Chateau de Pizay Morgon, "Cuvée du Py," From the Chateau's best vineyard, this wine exhibited a deep purplish-ruby color and an intoxicating nose of wild blackberries, black currants, myrtle, black roses and violets. The dark fruit flavors were deep and energetic, intermixed with licorice, cocoa and stony earth minerals. The concentration continued on the back, with pressed berries, creme de cassis and kirsch, and lasted right to the end of the long, dark yet velvety tannin finish. 19/20 points.

On Monday, the 20th, we continued southward, past Lyon, to Condrieu, on the West Bank of the Rhone River. There, we stayed at the Hostellerie Beau Rivage, right by the river. On Tuesday afternoon, we had an appointment at E. Guigal in Ampuis, 8 kilometers north of Condrieu. The property is famed for its full range of Rhone Valley wines, topped by its single vineyard bottlings. After a tour of the cellars, along, coincidentally, with two couples from Whidbey Island, we tasted the following wines.

2013 E. Guigal Saint Joseph Blanc - This Marsanne-Roussane combination showed a brilliant medium gold color and a floral nose of pear, peach, citrus, butternut, white lilac and white incense. The white fruit flavors were vivid and minerally, with notes of peach stone, grape extracts and flint. The back picked up toasted nuts, poire William liqueur and and persistent minerality on the lingering crisp finish. 18.5/20 points.

2013 E. Guidal Condrieu - Brilliant gold colored, this white, made from the Viognier grape, emited intriguing aromas of Asian pear-apple, peach, citrus, honeysuckle, white lilac and spiced white incense. The flavors were lavishly fruited, with touches of cream and honey, pine nuts and stony minerals. The back picked up notes of poire William and peche liqueurs, with piercing, precise fruit acids on the lightly oaked (one-third new) lingering finish. 19/20 points.

2013 E. Guigal Condrieu, "La Doriane" - This is all from estate vineyards and aged 9 months in new oak. Brilliant gold colored, this wine possessed seductive aromas of pear, peach, apple and orange blossoms, white lilac and oriental perfumes. The flavors were enticing as well, with deep, rich, fruits that were intermixed with marzipan, peach stone and rocky minerals. The back revealed sensations of poire William liqueur, toasted hazelnuts and pine nuts, followed by a lingering lightly spiced vanilla oak finish. 19.5/20 points.

2011 E. Guigal Saint Joseph Rouge - This 100% Syrah wine showed a deep crimson color and lovely, perfumed aromas of raspberry, blueberry and cassis, with scents of black roses, mulberry, cedar and incense. The flavors were thick and chewy, imbued with notes of mocha, French roast and licorice, followed by a thick, meaty texture on the back, culminating in a long, toasty (30% new oak) roasted chestnut and spice finish. 19/20 points.

2010 E. Guigal Cote-Rotie, Brune & Blonde - Co-fermented with 5% Viognier and aged 36 months in new oak, this wine exhibited a brilliant ruby color and a lovely nose of wild berries - black and blue - and cassis, with scents of black roses, mulberries and violets. The flavors mirrored the aromatics with deep, supple, feminine flavors that consisted of mouth-caressing dark fruits, with notes of chocolate, mocha, French roast and minerals. The velvety texture continued on the back with sensations of pressed fruits, berry preserves and creme de cassis, followed by a long integrated oak and ripe tannin finish. 19.5/20 points.

2009 E. Guigal Cote-Rotie "Chateau d'Ampuis" - All from estate vineyards, and co-fermented with 7% Viognier, and aged 38 months in new oak, this wine displayed a brilliant crimson-ruby color and intoxicating aromas of wild raspberries, cherries, black currants, attar of rose, bayberry, orange peel, violets and oriental incense. The red/blue fruit favors were equally lavish and seductive, coating the palate with lush, pure Syrah and Viognier, interlayered with licorice, chocolate and mocha. The intensity continued on the back with sensations of pressed fruits and creme de cassis, touches of peche liqueur and creme caramel, followed by a long, long integrated oak and plush tannin finish. 20/20 points.

The next morning, we had an appointment at Domaine Georges Vernay in Condrieu. The Domaine has prime vineyards on the steep slopes of Condrieu, planted with the Viognier grape, as well as choice parcels in the adjoining Cote Rotie Appellation.

2013 Domaine Geroges Vernay Condrieu, "Les Terasses de l'Empire" - From a 35 year-old vineyard and aged in 20% new oak, this Viognier showed a brilliant gold color and floral aromas of pear, peach, honeysuckle, hazelnut, apple blossoms and white incense. On the palate, the white fruit flavors were well extracted, imbued with notes of peach stone and pervasive minerality. The back picked up poire William liqueur, coconut and peche melba on the way to a lingering dry, vigorous finish. 19/20 points.

2012 Domaine Geroges Vernay Condrieu, "Les Chailles de l'Enfer" - From a vineyard planted in 1957, this came on as an intense, deeply fruited white. Brilliant gold colored, it emited exotic aromas of pear, peach, apricot, melon wet stone, white lilac, pear blossoms, acacia flowers and white oriental incense. The white fruit flavors were mouth encompassing, interwoven with notes of peach stone, melon rind and granitic minerals. The back revealed notes of peach custard, roasted hazelnuts, semi dried fruits and creme brulée, counterpointed by bright fruit acids and lemon zest on the lingering, vibrant spice dusted finish. 19.5/20 points.

2012 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu, "Coteau du Vernay" - From another old vineyard, this cuvée showed a brilliant amber color and rich, smoky aromas of pear, peach, grapefruit, apricot, acacia flowers, honeysuckle, toasted nuts and white incense. On the palate, the wine was richly textured with lavish white fruits intermixed with fruit stones, grapeskins, melon rind and flinty minerals. The back revealed sensations of poire William and peche liqueurs, melon and citrus rinds, and touches of marzipan and toasted hazelnuts, followed by a lingering, spice dusted, faintly honeyed yet distinctly dry finish. 19.5/20 points.

2012 Domaine Georges Vernay Cote-Rotie, Blonde du Seigneur" - From the Cote Blonde on the back side of Cote Rotie, this co-fermented 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier displayed a deep, brilliant ruby color and a lovely nose of wild raspberries, cherries, and cassis, with scents of crushed roses, mulberry, sandalwood and violets. The flavors were as enticing as the aromarics, with dark fruits intermixed with cooca, medium roast coffee beans and earthy minerals. The back revealed a chewy texture, enhanced by a graceful suppleness that picked up pressed berries, kirsch and creme de cassis on the way to a lingering, satiny tannin finish. 19+/20 points.

2011 Domaine Georges Vernay Cote-Rotie, "Maison Rouge" - From 60 year-old vines and aged two years in 30% new oak, this wine exhibited a brilliant ruby color and an exotic, perfumed nose of wild raspberries, cherries, black currants, crushed roses, brambles, tobacco, violets and oriental perfumes. The dark fruit flavors were as intriguing as the aromatics, infused with black licorice, bittersweet chocolate, mocha and granitic minerals. The back picked up lightly roasted berries and pine nuts, mocha, kirsch and framboise liqueurs, followed by a burst of ripe juices and roasted chestnuts, prefacing the lingering, exquisitely wrought lingering sweet-dry tannin finish. 19.5/20 points.

The next morning, we ended our memorable trip by driving back north through Givors, and then on N43 to the Lyon-St. Exupery airport where we took off for London, and then to Seattle.

For pictures, see Rand Sealey's Review of Washington Wines on Facebook.