With a series of world-class whites, this French region is turning heads, but remains a haven for good-value wines
APART from running naked through the appellation, vignerons in the Rhône must be wondering what they have to do to grab the attention of the international fine-wine market. Admittedly, the region as a whole is experiencing an upward trend, with expor
ts and prices rising on the back of an astonishing run of very high-quality vintages. But compared with their cousins in Bordeaux and Burgundy, prices here have remained relatively modest and there is a sense that, commercially, they are still playing catch-up.
This is excellent news for the consumer, of course, for while the Mercedes count remains low, the Rhône valley remains a haven for interesting, good-value wines.
The region splits cleanly into two halves. The northern Rhône produces inky-black, powerful, spicy reds made from the syrah grape. The hotter, flatter southern Rhône produces lighter, more herbal, blended wine mainly based on grenache, although as many as 23 different grape varieties can be used. The southern Rhône is also home to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. At its best, it is a dark, full-bodied, spicy and richly alcoholic wine. It is also pleasantly low in acidity and tends to mature quickly, which gives it a delicious jammy fruit.
But it's the growing number of exotic, head-turning, really world-class white wines that have caught my attention. Two years ago the Washington Post asked whether viognier, grown mainly in the northern Rhône, would become the new chardonnay. I'm not sure it has that grape's easy-to-understand appeal and versatility, but it is certainly not far away.
Pale gold-coloured, viognier sits in the glass exuding a heady, floral aroma. It can often appear sweet, with its flowery nose reminiscent of peaches, honeysuckle, may blossom and, in some cases, even rose petals. Heavily perfumed in the mouth, there is a tart, zesty, apricot flavour that surprises and delights. A sip of a great viognier is one of wine's most surprising and intense experiences.
Viognier used to be produced fairly widely among the farmlands south of Lyon. But, difficult to grow, it went out of fashion and was limited to a few plots among the fruit trees of Condrieu, its most famous appellation. Today, though, the grape is grown much further south in the Rhône, as well as in small pockets of California and Australia.
I recently tasted through Paul Jaboulet's portfolio and was stuck by the cleanness and freshness of the whites. But what most interested me was their relative value. Le Petit Jaboulet Viognier Vin de Pays 2007 was a case in point. At £7.99 a bottle, it has a youthful, clean, zesty freshness as well as the complexities of the viognier grape described above.
The Hermitage Mule Blanche is admittedly almost twice the price but, my word, this reminded me of the great white burgundies that sell for £40 a bottle. A blend of Marsanne and Roussanne, it has a mind-blowing, creamy nose and a wonderful palate of hawthorn and acacia. There was also an attractive dryness to the rosé – a perfect barbecue wine.
Other Rhône wine producers to look out for include Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Château de Beaucastel, Château d'Ampuis, Domaine Jamet, Michel Chapoutier and André Perret.
2006 Paul Jaboulet, Crozes Hermitage Blanc Mule Blanche, France, £14.99This is serious wine territory reserved for those extremely special moments. It will not disappoint, with a delicate, subtle nose of white flowers, hawthorn and acacia overlapped with a soft, creamy, oaky character.
2006 Le Petit Jaboulet Grenache Rosé, France, £6.99A vibrant, fresh, energetic rosé bursting with petals, raspberries and strawberries. With an exceptionally dry finish, this is a big, concentrated wine that will not disappoint.
2007 Le Petit Jaboulet, Viognier Vin de Pays, France, £7.99Produced from selected grapes in the Ventoux region of the northern Rhône, where the long, sunny days and cooler nights encourage the aromatic qualities of the grapes to develop. A lively wine, it has a zesty, clean character with a perfumed nose of white peach and flowers.
Stockists Oddbins; Majestic; Woodwinters, Bridge of Allan (01786 834 894); Luvians of Fife (01334 654 820)
The full article contains 732 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
