Benjamin Darnault Pique Nique Blanc (Magnum) 2023 vs Château Saint-Roch, Lirac Cuvée Confidentielle Blanc 2020

Château Saint-Roch, Lirac Cuvée Confidentielle Blanc 2020

Lirac is one of the southern Rhône's best-kept secrets, and Château Saint Roch's Cuvée Confidentielle Blanc is exactly the sort of wine that makes you wonder why the appellation isn't more famous. Built from a blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne, this 2020 is everything a great southern white should be: generous in texture, precise in its mineral backbone, and altogether more interesting than its modest price tag suggests. We find it in a lovely place right now — the primary fruit is vivid, the waxy, almost lanolin-like richness from the Roussanne is starting to integrate beautifully with the saline mineral edge, and the whole thing finishes with real length. Drink it with something simple and good from the table: a roast chicken, a plate of aged goat's cheese, or nothing at all.