Winemaker Notes
Rhone Style White Blend: Viognier, Rousanne, Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 White Wine from Tenshen is made from a blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Chardonnay sourced from sites throughout the Central Coast. Brought up mostly in neutral barrels, with a small part in stainless, it offers rich, full-bodied aromas and flavors of buttered peach, tangerine, honeysuckle and flowers. Richly textured, balanced and with a clean, dry finish, it’s a terrific white Rhône blend readers should check out.
-
Tasting Panel
This collaboration between Winemaker Joey Tensley and wine entrepreneur Alex Guarachi is a multi-layered blend of white Rhone varities Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier - and OK, a hint of Chardonnay. You can imagine the weight just from the heady nose of lemon curd. The flavors include candied apple, Italian herbs, chamomile, and lemon oil. The underlying minerality and a perfectly balanced influence of acidity make this both foodworthy and a great solo sipper.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
One of the best Rhône-style white wines produced in California, the mineral-driven 2016 Tenshen White Wine—a blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Chardonnay—shows chalk, dried citrus, and peach skin flavors. Pair with pan-seared breaded flounder. (Tasted: July 25, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.