Wine of the week: the most memorable gig in the wine world
Every so often a bottle of white Rhône sneaks up on my palate and completely blows me away.
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.
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.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
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. 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”.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (matthewjukes.com)
-
The UK areas which saw biggest jump in asking prices in 2025 – is yours on the list?We look at the UK areas where asking prices rose the most last year.
-
‘Sandwich generation’ carers losing £6,000 a year to support elderly relativesMiddle-aged adults are often caught between caring for children or grandchildren and their elderly parents, leaving them taking time out of the workforce and facing a huge hit to wages while they are still trying to save for retirement. We look at the true cost of caring.
-
Should you invest in rum?Analysis Old rum could be worth thousands of pounds. Is it worth auctioning off?
-
10 cheapest countries to visitTravel We look at the cheapest countries to visit where your money will stretch the furthest without compromising on quality
-
The best credit cards for cashbackThe best credit cards for cashback can help you earn rewards on everyday spending. We list some of the top deals on the market
-
A South African adventureReviews From buzzy Johannesburg to big game drives, South Africa has it all, says Katie Monk
-
Villa Gaia Rock: perfect harmony in CorfuReviews Blend in with your surroundings at the new Villa Gaia Rock in Corfu.
-
Holiday reading: five books to make sense of the 1970s – and the 2020sReviews With raging inflation, booms, busts and political crises, the 1970s has a reputation as a relentlessly awful decade. But things aren’t that simple, says Merryn Somerset Webb. Here, she picks five books to put it all in context.
-
Indulge your wild side with a safari in deepest KentReviews Get up close to the animals at Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve, says Matthew Partridge
-
Two stunning Sicilian villasReviews There is so much to see in Sicily, says Chris Carter. Villa stays allow you to take it all in.
