2023 Domaine René Rostaing, Puech Noble Blanc

 Anyone who is even casually interested in the wines of the Northern Rhône–aka Syrah’s ancient homeland–will have heard the name René Rostaing. To say he’s a legend in these parts is an understatement. Yet even those who’ve had the privilege of enjoying his achingly complex and long lived Côte-Rôties might be surprised to learn that he also makes a very limited white wine from vines he purchased in the Côteaux du Languedoc, three hours south and just a few miles from the Mediterranean coast. What’s not surprising is how perfectly delicious and terroir true it is–featuring the rich texture of Southern French white wine, but with incredible lift, aromatic pizzazz, and a long, mineral finish. It’s a deft performance, made all the more unbelievable but its price tag. Yes, thanks to Puech Noble Blanc we can all afford to taste the work of a master! The idolization of René Rostaing’s wines begins in the 1990s with the inheritance of truly impeccable, cult-status raw material from Marius Gent