ON THE LIST | Elton Muco

Elton Muco was born and raised in Albania before moving to Italy to pursue a career in hospitality. After 13 years, he moved to London where he qualified as a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and is today the London Club’s Deputy Head Sommelier. He points us towards various renderings of white Rhône blends on the London list worth seeking out 

‘I’m a big fan of the Rhône’s white grape varieties, which to my mind produce some of the most spellbinding white wines in the world – but continue to fly somewhat under the radar. Take somewhere like Hermitage, which is renowned for its classic Syrahs, but also produces a small amount of white wines, generally blends of Marsanne and Rousanne. The famous Guigal is on a mission to raise the profile of Rhône whites, which only account for around 10% of the region’s wines, but 25% of Guigal’s production, and its Ermitage Ex Voto Blanc is worth seeking out on the list in London. Other northern Rhône whites to look out for are Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Péray – keep an eye out for Francois Villard’s Version cuvée of the latter, another Marsanne-Rousanne blend.