Every so often a bottle of white Rhône sneaks up on my palate and completely blows me away. While white Graves always loiters with intent, never really hitting the high notes cleanly, and top Alsatians impress once every blue moon, it is the Rhônes that stick in my mind and make me wish I had bought a case and not a bottle.
I am not sure why marsanne and roussanne, in the right hands, have the ability to confound the senses. I handed a 19/20 score the other day to my featured wine. I had just tasted the always excellent 2017 Guigal Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc (£13.50, noblegreenwines.co.uk; £12, selected Tesco), which, on reflection, is the finest possible support act to my hero headliner.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
I once saw The Pogues support Manic Street Preachers at the Clapham Grand, and I reflect about this gig more than any other. These two wines are the vinous equivalent of that gig – they are that good!
The delicate, relatively inexpensive blend of 60% viognier, 15% roussanne, 10% marsanne, 8% clairette, 5% bourboulenc and 2% grenache blanc readied my senses for the main act.
There is no oak involved in the CdR and so when Lieu-Dit careened into my taste buds, wearing 50% new barrels (drums in my laboured analogy) and sporting a massive riff of 95% marsanne on lead guitar and 5% roussanne on bass, I found myself in a cacophony of awesome flavour. This wine is a genuine “design for life”.
2018 Saint-Joseph Blanc, Lieu-Dit, E. Guigal, Northern Rhône, France – £39, noblegreenwines.co.uk; £35.95, farehamwinecellar.co.uk; £39.50, Fenwick Newcastle, 0800-783 1783.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (matthewjukes.com)
This article was originally published in MoneyWeek
-
Critics’ choice: Watering holes for gourmandsFeature An endless selection of Mexican spirits, a Dublin-inspired bar, and an upscale Baltimore pub
-
Argentinian beef is at the center of American farmers’ woesThe Explainer ‘It feels like a slap in the face to rural America,’ said one farmer
-
‘Businesses that lose money and are uncompetitive won’t survive’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
The best sherries to try this autumnThe Week Recommends The warming tipple from sunny Spain is an underrated cold-weather staple
-
The rise of English sparkling wineThe Week Recommends As UK-based brands give champagne a run for its money, here’s everything you need to know about choosing the right bottle
-
Rosorange: the chic 'love child' of orange wine and roséThe Week Recommends Peachy to look at and crisp to drink, here's to the wine of the summer
-
Friendship: 'bromance' comedy starring Paul Rudd and Tim RobinsonThe Week Recommends 'Lampooning and embracing' middle-aged male loneliness, this film is 'enjoyable and funny'
-
The best rosé wines to try this summerThe Week Recommends Warm weather means it's pink wine's moment in the sun
-
The jalapeño wine trend taking TikTok by stormThe Week Recommends Scatter a few chilli slices into your sauvignon blanc for a subtle and refreshing kick
-
Wine-tasting in TuscanyThe Week Recommends From biodynamic vineyards to historic cellars, the picturesque region is a wine lover's dream
-
A wine-themed tour of beautiful UruguayThe Week Recommends Secret paradise in South America boasts beautiful vineyards
