France · Rhône Valley

Marie et Pierre Benetiere

Marie et Pierre Bénétière is a tiny Condrieu producer and one of the most sought-after names in the Northern Rhône appellation. Pierre Bénétière is a passionate small-vigneron who farms just 2 hectares in Condrieu, focusing on a single cuvée: Cordeloux — from old-vine Viognier in the Côte Bonnette and Colombier lieux-dits. Production is extremely limited (approximately 2,500–3,000 bottles annually), and the wines are difficult to source commercially. Bénétière makes Condrieu without chaptalization, using only natural yeast, and ages the wine in a mix of old barrels and stainless steel to preserve the Viognier's aromatic intensity. The result is consistently acclaimed by critics, with the Cordeloux scoring 93–96+ from Jean-Marc Quarin, the Wine Advocate, and Vinous. At auction, prices average $116 per bottle across 120 lots, with the range from $72 to $227. For serious Condrieu enthusiasts, Bénétière is a benchmark reference alongside names like Guigal (La Doriane), Vernay, and Villard.