Paul Jaboulet Aîné Incognito ‘H’ Blanc 2013 Côtes du Rhône, Rhône, France 75cl

Paul Jaboulet Aîné is one of the northern Rhône’s founding names, established in Tain-l’Hermitage in 1834 and famous above all for Hermitage La Chapelle. The Incognito range is the house at play, taking fruit of a quality well above its stated appellation and releasing it, quietly, as Côtes du Rhône.

This is the white in that range. It is built on the classic white grapes of the northern Rhône, Marsanne and Roussanne, and the ‘H’ in the name points knowingly towards Hermitage. The idea is simple: a wine made to over-deliver for its label, for drinkers who know where to look.

The 2013 growing season in the Rhône was cool and late, a year that rewarded patience and favoured freshness. Whites from the vintage tend towards tension and aromatic lift rather than sheer weight, which suits this restrained, savoury style well and helps it carry a few years in bottle.

Expect aromas of honey, white peach and citrus, with a waxy, textured palate that fills out slowly in the glass. There is real presence here at 14% alcohol, yet it stays balanced by a fresh line of acidity that carries a long, gently mineral finish. It drinks beautifully now alongside roast poultry, creamy fish dishes, a herby risotto or a plate of soft cheeses.

For anyone who loves the white wines of the northern Rhône but would rather not pay Hermitage prices, this is a characterful, grown-up bottle that punches above its Côtes du Rhône billing. Serve it well chilled but not icy, around ten degrees, and give it a moment to open. It is a quietly clever wine to pour for guests who think they have the Rhône worked out.