2017 Saint Joseph Blanc Guigal

Brought up in equal parts barrel and stainless steel, the 2017 Saint Joseph Blanc is another gem from this estate and comes all from the southern part of the appellation. It boasts a big bouquet of melon, honeysuckle, and pineapple, with obvious minerality developing with time in the glass. Medium-bodied, layered, with good acidity and balance, drink it over the coming 3-5 years.

Sourced from only the southern (granitic) portion of the appellation, the 2017 Saint-Joseph Blanc is medium to full-bodied, with intense, rich flavors of melon and pear focused by citrus notes, hints of pencil shavings and a slightly cool, austere notion of crushed stones that's especially important in elongating the finish. No, it's not quite as good as the Lieu-Dit Saint- Joseph bottling, but it's a high-quality Rhône white at a realistic price.