2016 Saint-Joseph Blanc, Lieu-Dit, E. Guigal, Northern Rhône, France. £48, Laithwaites, 020-7407 6378.
A complex blend, with viognier leading the way, this is an ethereal treat that brings a completely new flavour palette into play for the adventurous wine drinker. It has mild exoticism and dramatic acidity in equal measure.
Subscribe to 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.
Job done? Not so, because the very next wine completely blew my palate away. One step above Marcel Guigal’s standard St-Jo Blanc is his monumental Lieu-Dit creation. Using old-vine marsanne, from the former Grippat estate that Guigal now owns, augmented with dramatic roussanne, this is a wine with extraordinarily lofty ambitions. It is fermented in both new and one-year-old barrels and this brings a stunning, faint gingerbread note to the already luscious, pear and quince-smooched fruit. I am certain that this is the finest St-Jo Blanc I have ever encountered.
Superficially, the label and stunning etched bottle add immeasurably to this wine’s class – trumpeting its glory long before you satiate your palate with its sumptuous flavours. It has only just arrived in the country and the only merchant is Laithwaites, so do not delay. This is a game-changer for this oft-ignored appellation.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (MatthewJukes.com).
-
Critics' choice: Outstanding new Japanese restaurantsFeature An all-women sushi team, a 15-seat listening bar, and more
-
Why do Dana White and Donald Trump keep pushing for a White House UFC match?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The president and the sports mogul each have their own reasons for wanting a White House spectacle
-
'Quiet vacationing': a secret revolt against workplace cultureThe explainer You can be in two places at once
-
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
-
Organic wines that won't cost the EarthThe Week Recommends From a 'zippy' muscadet to a 'dangerously drinkable' malbec
-
Mulled white wine: a 'quirky' Christmas hit?The Week Recommends Retailers are hoping to tempt shoppers with a 'lighter' version of the classic festive tipple
