Sometimes the things we overlook astound us when they actually come into focus. Saint-Péray is one of those things. The tiny appellation in France’s northern Rhône bears the burden of Napoleon’s first wine-drinking experience as a young cadet. Back then, the sparkling wines of the region rivaled those from Champagne both in terms of their quality and their reputation. How many bottles of bubbly from Saint-Péray have you had? Needless to say, things have changed over the years. While the sparkling wines are tasty, the French mostly horde them for themselves. These days, the most the appellation gets is a passing reference in wine books thick enough to spare a few lines for “curiosity wines” and weird appellations. This is a very ying and yang phenomenon. On the one hand, the beautiful, dry, still wines from the region are overlooked by countless people who would love them. On the other hand, that keeps pricing under control for those in-the-know.

Jacques Lemenicier is like a ghost in the Rhône. Google the name and you’ll find countless references to his wines, and a few links to the prominent commissions he holds and boards that he belongs to (a testament to his reputation) and even an article or two referring to the French Baroque artist and engineer of the same name who may – or may not – be a relative. What you probably won’t find is a website for the domaine, any marketing hype about his wines, or a personality-construct designed to support his “brand”. Nope, Jacques’ comings and goings in the Rhone are known to a very few only as a result of the totally distinct, delicious wines he bottles. Perhaps the least well-known of which is his Saint-Péray, aptly named Cuvée Elégance.

This blend of mostly Marsanne with a bit of Rousanne is an intense stunner of a wine. The nose is like a banana smashed against some concrete and mixed up with a bit of gravel and lime. On the palette, the wine is viscous and juicy. I was left with the impression of wet stones and velvet, a hint of cedar and caramel from what seems to be the very judicious use of oak, and a long, lingering, spicy finish. With food, a nice peice of grilled skate with capers and sauced with a gastrique or burre-blanc, this would be a revelation. On its own the wine remains powerful. Particularly if you’ve only heard wine geeks refer to minerality and haven’t yet experienced it on your own. A few years in the cellar will pay some dividends with this wine.

Jacques Lemenicier Saint-Péray, 2006 Cuvée Elégance – $23.95