Northern Rhone whites are some of the unheralded stars of the wineworld. There’s a good story to this wine, too. Before around 1995, Jaboulet were one of the top producers in the northern Rhône. Something seemed to go wrong after this with the Jaboulet wines, and in 2006 the family sold to the Freys from Bordeaux.

Nicolas Jaboulet and the Perrin family of Beaucastel formed a joint micro-négociant in 2009 with a view to creating top northern Rhône wines, and they seem to be succeeding. This white Crozes is 100% Marsanne, aged for 10 months in used oak, and it’s lovely.

Nicolas Perrin Crozes Hermitage Blanc 2012 Northen Rhône, France
13% alcohol. Full yellow/gold colour. Broad, creamy, smooth textured white with a lovely soft mouthfeel. Subtle melon and pear fruit with some citrus on the finish, as well as attractive hazelnut notes. There’s a hint of fennel, too, but this is all about the mouthfeel. Such a distinctive wine. 92/100 (UK agent Liberty Wines; £15.62 Slurp)

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