Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Made from equal parts Roussanne, Viognier and Clairette, the 2016 Côtes du Rhône Samorens is terrific white from a region that's producing more and more high-quality whites. Citrus blossom, brioche, crushed rocks and a touch of white grapefruit fruit emerge from this clean, crisp white that's going to age nicely for 3-4 years, if not longer.
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Wine Spectator
Bright and lively, with racy verbena and honeysuckle notes pulling a core of yellow apple and melon rind flavors along. Shows a flash of lemon curd on the finish. Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Marsanne. Drink now through 2020.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.
The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.