92 points
"François Villard’s 2022 vintage of Terraces de Palat is a lovely and quite classic example of Condrieu. Readers may recall that Monsieur Villard barrel-ferments his Condrieu and ages the wine in a quarter new oak each year. This year’s version comes on at 13.5 percent octane and delivers a bight and already very expressive bouquet of pear, fresh mango, honeysuckle, acacia blossoms, a lovely base of soil and a judicious framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and vibrant, with lovely depth of fruit at the core, excellent soil signature, sound framing acids and impeccable balance on the long, complex and zesty finish. The acids here are very good for the mid-term, but not sufficient to carry the wine long-term, so I would opt for drinking this in the first decade of life. It will provide plenty of pleasure over that time."
VFTC
Issue 113