WHITES OF THE RHONE E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2001, $149. The Rhone rolls majestically from Switzerland and France to the Mediterranean. It's a broad waterway with banks studded with ancient towns and equally venerable vineyards. The reds of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are the most famous wines of the region but it also produces some impressive whites. Domaine Etienne Guigal, founded in 1946, produces some wonderful wines at reasonable prices. The family firm is justly considered one of the icons of the Rhone. This wine is a blend of marsanne and roussanne; it's well-rounded, full-bodied and has a slightly perfumed flavour. Try it with roast chicken. Watson's (tel: 2147 3641) Laurus Cotes du Rhone 2001, $130. The predominant roussanne grape imparts some lovely understated fruit flavours to this wine. There are six grapes in the blend: the roussanne is fermented in oak; all the others in stainless steel. The result is a pleasant balance of oak strength and natural flavours. I enjoyed this at a Cantonese seafood restaurant on a remote Mirs Bay island. The flavour is delicious, with honey and apricot overtones and a big juicy explosion on the palate. City'super (tel: 2917 7215) Paul Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage 2000, $173. Once again, this wine has the compelling and joyous expression of rich honey and apricot. It's a forceful argument for the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) crowd, an exuberance of flavours from an estate renowned for quality. It has a bit of muscle, with good acidity to balance the juicy fruit. Rhone producers struggle to keep down prices so it's a pleasure to find affordable French wines of good quality. Remy Fine Wines (tel: 2523 5904)
