Don's Gillette's Wine Blog
Musings from our store's resident wine guru
Don has over thirty years experience in the wine industry. For the last eighteen years his attention has been focused on the growing local industry. Don has a large following of customers who search out his opinions (never in short supply!) on new releases and on what's currently most distinctive on our shelves. Others seek his insights on wineries and trends that are still under the radar. Read Don's full bio...
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A Delicate, but Rewarding, Balance
California's vintners are getting a lot better at making those tricky white Rhone-style blends. In the past our local versions of Hermitage Blanc, Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, etc., were often flavorful, but just as often seemed flat, heavy, or bizarrely mismatched in flavor.
Over the last twelve to eighteen months or so however, I have encountered many truly appealing examples. Winemakers seem to be both learning their trade and making use of new resources. In the not so distant past, the only available grapes for such blends were Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. Todays blender may also be using Grenache Blanc and Piquepol Blanc and may well be blending any of the above with Chardonnay or some other locally available grape.
Viognier is typically the most flavorful Rhone white grape, and it certainly is the most aromatic. Its more intense versions will dominate any blend. It is a grape to be judicious with, unless you want Viognier. Roussanne and Marsanne are natural soul-mates. The rather broadly earthy, subtly tropical character and softly rich texture of California Marsanne can, when things are right, gain structure, zest and focus from the firmness and citron-honey-mineral influence of Roussanne. This is also a mix that tends to grow in harmony with cellaring.
We are just now discovering the effects of California terroir on the newer grapes. Grenache Blanc has shown a tight, minerally personality in bottlings such as Fred Brander's Uno Mas (blended with 30% Sauvignon Blanc). While some barrel tastings have revealed a more expressive strawberry-creaminess. I suspect that Grenache Blanc is responsible for the nectarine and Marashino cherry notes in the 2007 Robert Hall Blanc de Robles, but detected no such personality in the 2006 Tablas Creek Cotes de Tablas (which has only 6% Grenache Blanc).
Tablas Creek made the first California Piquepol Blanc I enjoyed. It was delicious all by itself, showing a vividly fresh citric note, some minerality, lovely tropical notes and a persistent finish. I suspect it is responsible for the preserved lemon note I found in the '07 Robert Hall. It is a grape that could turn out to have an even broader utility in California than in France, and other vintners are clearly anxious to use it.
The finest new Rhone-esque blends offer both an exploration into an emerging genre of very appealing wines and an education in the vintners art. There is still plenty for growers and winemakers to learn however. It is a delicate balancing act to make these bottlings both expressive and elegant, but they are getting better every day.
Some other recent successes, should you wish to explore, include: Denner's 2006 Theresa (73% Roussanne & 27% Viognier); Pelerin's 2006 Les Tournesols (63% Roussanne, 27% Chardonnay & 10% Viognier); The 2006 Black Bart's Bride (42% Marsanne, 38% Viognier & 20% Chardonnay); The 2007 Robert Hall Blanc de Robles ( 46% Roussanne, 41% Grenache Blanc & 13% Piquepol Blanc); Atrea's 2006 The Choir (76% Roussanne & 24% Viognier); and a 2007 vintage blend of 50% Marsanne & 50% Roussanne, to be called L'Amante. Watch out for the September release of the L'Amante, it is a beauty!