2020 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Crau, France, Rhone, Wine Review

As many times as I have had the red, I am not sure I ever had the white. Tasted blind, I guessed Hermitage. It is a blend of 45% Clairette and 30% Grenache Blanc, with the Roussanne and Bourboulenc. Light golden in color with some green flecks, clear and bright. The nose has lemon, wax, vanilla, oak and spice. With air a slight tropical fruit. Full bodied. Viscous. Nice mouthfeel. On the palate, lemons with almonds turning slightly bitter on the finish. Long finish with some heat. A very nice white Rhone. Young but drinking well. It needs a bit of food to sort out the rough edges. This would work well with a veggie Quiche but also Veal. Drink over the next ten years.

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Vintage:

2020

Current Price:

$75.00USD

America's Best Rhone Style White Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Like many lovers of Rhone style wines from America, we have just returned from the 2008 edition of the annual Rhone Rangers tasting event at Fort Mason in San Francisco (March 18). This was the 11th year that the Rhone Rangers , a group of about 200 American producers of wines using 22 varietals traditional to France’s Rhone Valley, have shown off their wines at this public tasting event. This year, about 138 wineries presented approximately 520 wines. During the tasting, we enthusiastically tasted as many wines as we could within the 5 hours (3 public and 2 trade/media) the event was open. We tasted 30 white wines first, and then we tasted 50 reds. We skipped the rosés, not because we don’t love them, but because we didn’t have time. Kudos to Rhone Rangers for providing eco-friendly paper spit cups instead of the plastic cups so common at other tastings. We divided our attention between wines and producers we have known previously, producers new to us, and specific bottlings we didn’t already know. While we found many wines to admire, we are sure we missed other gems.

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2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

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Grenache Blanc & Picpoul: Less Known White Rhone Varietals Surge in U.S. Popularity

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier are the best known of the white Rhone varietals. But there are two less recognized grapes that really add a “je ne sais quoi” to the overall quality of a white Rhone blend and each produces a zippy single-varietal wine as well. These are Grenache Blanc and Picpoul. Both are newcomers to the United States and are slowly starting to gain popularity.

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2016 Rotem & Mounir Saouma Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Magis, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

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Current Price:

$110.00USD

A very pretty white wine from the Rhone. This is a big, round wine that is unique and outstanding. Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Roussanne. Golden in color. The nose is gorgeous with peaches, minerals, slight lime, toast and a slight waxy/floral quality (not unlike my late Aunt's apartment). On the palate, this is round with a slightly oily texture. very nice acidity. Long finish. In a very good way, this is somewhat like a white Burgundy with a peach candle melted in. Delicious. It would go great with food especially vegetarian grain dishes (couscous, quinoa, etc.).

2019 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes Clairette, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage:

2019

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My first time trying this (available only in Magnum), it was obviously young and needed some time to open. The is made from 100% old vine (80 to 100 years old) Clairette grapes. Very concentrated and unique. The nose shows almonds, limes, some peach and wax. Full bodied. It seemed a bit blowsy. On the palate, almonds and limes come thru along with some wax. It is very concentrated yet also has some volume to it. With every sip my palate adjusted and I enjoyed it more and more.

2020 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Crau, France, Rhone, Wine Review

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America's Best Rhone Style White Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

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2016 Rotem & Mounir Saouma Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Magis, France, Rhone, Wine Review

2019 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes Clairette, France, Rhone, Wine Review