Winemaker Notes
This wine has a bouquet of gardenias and white pepper. On the palate, it has ample weight (thanks to the Roussanne), but does not feel heavy or cloying and finishes cleanly with a hint of spice.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
he 2016 Pape Star Blonde is made up of 80% Grenache Blanc and 20% Roussanne. It has a pretty nose with grapefruit and quince hints plus lime peel, saline, white peach and white flowers with a wicked streak of crushed rock minerality. Medium to full-bodied, it has great mineral-driven character with a good core of citrus fruit, zesty acidity and a long, textured finish.
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.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.