Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the most amazing dry whites I have ever tasted is the 2001 Rien Ne Va Plus. Fashioned from 100% Roussanne, and aged on its lees for an extremely long period, my initial image when I tasted it was of the great Barsac, the 2001 Climens. However, the Sine Qua Non wine is bone dry with no sweetness evident. It gains in both stature and aromatic dimension as it sits in the glass. At first, I did not like it as well as the Whisperin’ E or the 2003 Proprietary White, but after 30-45 minutes in a decanter, the Rien Ne Va Plus was a symphony of exotic aromas and flavors. Dense, rich, and full-bodied, with impeccable balance, superb honeyed richness, and wonderfully integrated wood, it is undeniably the greatest New World expression of Roussanne made to date. Another dramatic characteristic, its golden color seemed to lighten as it sat in the glass and sucked up oxygen. This is an amazing achievement! Sadly, production is less than 100 cases.
Full and silky in body but also charmingly crisp, Roussanne is native to the Rhône Valley of France. It is responsible for some of the finest Northern Rhône white wines. Roussanne adds richness and acidity to Marsanne’s soft, fruitiness, making age worthy and highly respected whites. Somm Secret—Roussanne takes its name from the French word, roux, meaning rouge or red because of the berry’s pink glow. In California, virtually all of the 339 acres of Roussanne come from true clones brought over by Tablas Creek and John Alban.
Responsible for the vast majority of American wine production, if California were a country, it would be the world’s fourth largest wine-producing nation. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of red wine styles, and unlike tradition-bound Europe, experimentation is more than welcome here. California wineries range from tiny, family-owned boutiques to massive corporations, and price and production are equally varied. Plenty of inexpensive bulk wine is made in the Central Valley area, while Napa Valley is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious and expensive “cult” wines.
Each American Viticultural Area (AVA) and sub-AVA of has its own distinct personality, allowing California to produce red wine of every fashion: from bone dry to unctuously sweet, still to sparkling, light and fresh to rich and full-bodied. In the Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate vineyard acreage. Sonoma County is best known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé and Zinfandel. The Central Coast has carved out a niche with Rhône Blends based on Grenache and Syrah, while Mendocino has found success with cool climate varieties such as Pinot noir, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. With all the diversity that California wine has to offer, any wine lover will find something to get excited about here.