Ever heard the term “unicorn” used for a wine? It refers to a bottle so rare, so special, you might doubt it even exists. Usually, such wines are also punishingly expensive, as befits the rarest gems. Today’s wine doesn’t meet all the criteria for true Unicorn status, but it comes awfully close—and at a bargain price!
Only a few barrels of Etienne Bécheras’ magnificent Saint-Joseph Blanc are produced each year, and even the most expert Rhône wine aficionado would agree it performs like Hermitage Blancs from just across the river costing $200-$300 a bottle. Like most of his Rhône contemporaries, Bécheras’ reputation has been built on the quality of his reds from Syrah—wines which, on the rare occasions we’ve been able to offer them, have been rabidly snatched up by the SommSelect faithful. White wines represent a small fraction of the Rhône’s overall production, so most wine lovers rarely if ever encounter them; but if there’s anyone you can trust to provide a pitch-perfect example of what these wines are capable of, it’s Bécheras. We’ve been obsessed with him for years: He’s the kind of farm-to-table vintner we delight in showcasing, producing wines of incredible depth, dimension, and soul at incredibly reasonable prices. I am often disappointed by Rhône whites, given their tendency to become too rich, tropical, and flabby, but today’s 2018 is a high-energy thrill ride that restores my faith. This Marsanne/Roussanne blend will make you rethink your stereotypes and open your mind to the full potential of the category. Its combination of textural richness, invigorating freshness, and lifted perfume will have you saying, as I did, “I’ve gotta start drinking more white Rhône!”
Bécheras’ property is not a typical vineyard/cellar/tasting room operation; rather, it is a working polycultural farm. The property is spread over 12 hectares of land on the western bank of the Rhône River. On the flatter portion, close to the river, Etienne farms five hectares of organic apricot and cherry trees, while another section is dedicated to livestock which produce award-winning meats, cheeses, and milk for his family. A large stand of ash and acacia trees nurture a bounty of wild mushrooms and truffles while offering a sustainable source of firewood and construction materials. And yes, among these other agricultural elements are four hectares of organically farmed grapevines. It is the harmony of all the elements on Etienne’s property that produce the magic in his wines.
The Bécheras family has been in the town of Arras for generations, as long as anyone in the family can trace. While they have always been farmers and grape growers, for generations they sold their grapes to the local cooperative. It was Etienne who began bottling wines under his own label, quickly earning a reputation as a winemaker of exceptional skill. The four hectares of vineyards are within the appellation of Saint-Joseph and the bulk of them are planted to Syrah. Only 4/10ths of a hectare is planted to white grapes (50% Marsanne, 50% Roussanne) on a parcel of clay and limestone soil called “Garde Poule” (rough translation “chicken guard”). This tiny plot of vineyard yields enough to produce only four to six barrels (1,200 to 1,500 bottles) per year. Bécheras uses almost entirely used 225-liter barriques for the whites, adding a new barrel every few years, for the equivalent of 15%-20% new oak. Once harvested, the grapes are transferred to these barrels and allowed to spontaneously ferment using natural yeasts over a period of 30-60 days. Then the wine is aged in those same barrels for 12 months, with regular lees stirring.
The slow, patient fermentation process yields impressively aromatic results. There is richness and power, along with mesmerizing fragrance and lightness on the nose. In the glass, this wine is a medium golden color with some visible viscosity. The aromas are beautifully perfumed but not cloying, with layers of exotic aromas wafting from the glass: Bergamot oil, orange blossoms, quince, lanolin, honeysuckle, and lemon curd. There is a quiet power in the palate here, with apricot, honey and yellow peach supported with a dense structure that doesn’t allow it to give way to unctuousness. I highly recommend a brief decant of 15-30 minutes to fully engage the aromatics in this wine. If you have them, use your Burgundy stems and serve the wine at 50-55 degrees—the aromatics are too fantastic to risk losing any due to glass shape or temperature. With its roundness and aromatic profile, this wine would shine alongside foods with a bit more spice and flair. I can picture having a glass alongside some more piquant Asian flavors or perhaps some spicy Mediterranean fare. Not to be lost, though, is the pleasure that this wine will give on its own in the glass—however you slice it, you’ll come out a winner, believe me. Don’t pass this one up!
