Winemaker Notes
Granite terraces and gravelly alluvial plains of the northern Rhône Valley. Viognier sourced from 20-year-old vines just south of Condrieu, and Roussanne from 30-year-old vines near the appellation of St. Joseph
The Viognier offers elegance and aromatic complexity, while the Roussanne brings structure to the wine structure to the wine. Exotic flavors of mangos and apricots are perfectly balanced by a nice acidity. A wine to drink just slightly chilled in order to let the aromas of peaches and honey fully develop.
Professional Ratings
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.