Winemaker Notes
The crisp and refreshing style of the Côtes-du-Rôbles Blanc makes it a perfect pairing partner to almost anything with shellfish, from linguine and clams to steamed lobster dripping with melted butter. This wine is also a nice accompaniment with fresh summer salads and aged cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This blend of 55% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne and 15% Viognier starts with aromas of peach, mango and tuberose. The palate sizzles on citrus at first, then comes a richer nectarine flavor, with a finish full of savory salt.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Eberle Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc is an attractive blend of white Rhône grape varieties. TASTING NOTES: This wine is bright, flavorful, and shows a nice bite in the aftertaste. Enjoy its ripe apple and earth flavors with a savory chicken stew over al dente noodles. (Tasted: May 1, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.