2022 Pierre Gaillard Saint-Joseph Blanc, Northern Rhone

Even in the Rhône, single-varietal Roussanne is a rare bird. Jean-Baptiste Souillard, a young producer with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the region, recently estimated there are only 10 or so producers who do not blend their Roussanne with Marsanne. Made entirely from Roussanne (and inspired by a tasting of Beaucastel’s Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf early on in Gaillard’s career), this is one of those wines that make you question that logic.
 
The grapes were drawn from several low-yielding sites situated in the far north of the appellation: the relatively cool granite plateau of Malleval at Les Dries; on the slopes of Malleval at Chartres; and finally, from Les Vessettes in Chavanay. The wine spent eight months in used Allier and Nevers barrels sourced from growers in Chassagne and Pouilly-Fuissé.
 
It’s a lovely release pitched between stone-fruited fleshy richness and bright, savoury structure. It’s an intense, creamy-textured wine where herbs and blossom have the upper hand over spicy, yellow plum and nutty lees notes. And there’s a delicious umami thing going on, too. Complex and seductive, this is already drinking deliciously.