Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Marsanne (which includes fully 25% Roussanne from the Ibarra-Young and Bien Nacido vineyards) opens in the glass with a lovely bouquet of smoke, lemon rind, candle wax and toasted macadamia nut. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and elegantly textural, with bright acids, lovely purity and a crisp, stony finish. While the bulk of this cuvée was bottled under Stelvin screw cap (as it has been since the 2014 vintage), Qupé continue to bottle a palate of wine under cork for customers that wish to cellar it—which is recommended for those with the patience to wait until the true interest, complexity and texture of Marsanne emerge. It's great value. 91+ points
One of the star whites of the Rhône Valley and ubiquitous throughout southern France, historically vignerons have favored Marsanne for its hardy and productive vines. It can make a fruity and delicious single varietal wine as well as a serious, full-bodied version with amazing aging potential. The best examples of Marsanne come from the northern Rhone appellations where it is also blended with Roussanne. Sommelier Secret—Some of the oldest Marsanne vines in the entire world exist not in France but in Australia, in the Victoria region. Settlers planted it in the mid to late 1800s, calling it “white Hermitage.”
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.