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 Gentaz and Albert Dervieux (only the most avid collectors have stumbled upon old cuvées from Gentaz-Dervieux; vintages like ’91 are about as expensive, cherished, and unicorn-rare as Syrah comes). As you can imagine, René had an immense torch to bear when these prized vines were passed down to him three decades ago. In that time, Domaine Rostaing has risen to an immortalized state of prominence and perfection. But this wasn’t always the case: In 1971 René Rostaing began farming the steep terraces of Côte-Rôtie on a garden-sized scale. Because he could not afford to quit his day job, René would race to his “second home” after work and devote most of his weekend hours to tending vine. During this nascent stage, he was also quietly learning how to produce the most classical, soulfully traditional styles of Syrah under the tutelage of his uncle Marius Gentaz, among the most beloved cult figures in Côte-Rôtie’s rich history.
After many years of patient, methodical learning and piecemeal vineyard expansion, Rostaing married, and his new father-in-law became one Albert Dervieux, yet another legend on this roasted slope. Shortly after, every star in the vinous firmament seemed to align when Dervieux retired and bequeathed to René his treasured parcels of old-vine Syrah. The windfall continued with Gentaz’s retirement a few years later, which brought Rostaing a second inheritance of coveted raw material. The result is best summarized by The Rare Wine Co., Domaine Rostaing’s iconic, longtime importer: “this treasury of vineyards launched René’s estate into the stratosphere.” Given their current exclusivity, endless wine-list placements, soaring prices, and unrivaled cellar appeal…indeed it did! After nearly a half-century of farming and winemaking, René handed the operations down to his son Pierre in 2015, who’d spent the majority of his adult life studying alongside his father. These newer releases have been superbly radiant, expressive, powerful, and loaded with finesse. Absolutely nothing has been sacrificed.
But today, we’re not offering one of Rostaing’s darling Côte-Rôtie collectibles. Instead, we’re heading down and out of the Rhône Valley, 30 miles southwest of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and just 20 from the Mediterranean coast. We’re in the Côteaux du Languedoc, where René and his wife acquired and revived a small property in the late 1990s. The purpose here was to express Syrah through a limestone soil lens, all while maintaining René’s meticulous farming and classical winemaking. Furthermore, their vines are perched 500 feet higher than Châteauneuf, so while these wines tend to exhibit more concentrated power, they are always accompanied by freshness and lift. And yet we’re not even offering his Syrah based blend (though that will be on deck in a few weeks), today all attention is on the super limited Puech Noble Blanc.
An even blend of Grenache Blanc and Rolle (aka Vermentino in Italy), with a tiny pinch of Viognier, the Puech Noble Blanc is one of those rare birds in Southern French white wine that has real freshness, bright acidity, and loads of saline minerals. Much of this is due to its limestone laden terroir on steep, rock slopes that benefit from elevation and cool breezes of the Mediterranean. The rest is due to the enormous talents of René Rostaing and his son Pierre. Serve this radiant, medium bodied white wine at around 50 degrees in an all-purpose glass and you’ll be greeted by aromas of fresh-picked white peaches, honeysuckle, lime cordial, acacia blossoms, wild fennel, crushed rocks, and hints of white pepper. The depth and texture make this a white wine for all seasons, and a versatile pairing option as well. All that for just a hair over $30?!? Now that is some outrageous value, stock up!
