Domaine Courbis, Saint-Joseph Blanc (Rhône Valley, France) 2023 ($48, Roanoke Valley Wine Company)

Saint-Joseph is renowned for their Syrah but the less-known but equally impressive Blancs are also on my list of favorites. Made from Roussanne and Marsanne, this medium-to-full bodied wine is inviting and lightly creamy. Domaine Courbis’s Blanc is driven by red apple, honeysuckle, and pear notes. Unlike their Syrah cousins, most Saint-Joseph Blancs are usually made to drink young. That said, this example’s balance and weightiness could easily age 5 to 8 years.
94 Vince Simmon