2021 Thomas Farge Les Jardins de Chavagnac IGP Collines Rhodaniennes

The great white grapes of the Northern Rhône, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier, make some of France's most coveted and expensive whites in places like Condrieu and Hermitage. Thomas Farge grows all three on old vines and bottles them as humble "IGP." That's the gift here.

Farge's family has farmed the steep granite hills of the Northern Rhône for four generations. After ten years learning his craft in South America, Thomas came home in 2018, took the reins, went organic, and worked biodynamically by the phases of the moon, learning along the way from some of the region's greatest names, including the legendary Jean-Louis Chave.

This white comes from roughly fifty-year-old vines on a granite site at 400 meters, near Saint-Joseph, and Thomas ages it more than eighteen months to build real depth. The result is a serious, textural white: white flowers, almond, orange zest, and juicy lychee and pear, with a gently oily, enveloping mouthfeel held in line by a clean, mineral backbone. It's rich and fresh at once, and built to drink now or hold.

There's very little of it, and the somms have already found it. Don't wait.