Roussanne

2016 is a great vintage in the southern Rhone which makes it a really great vintage to stock up on Cotes du Rhone.  This is a white wine but should last for at least five years despite its $15 retail price tag.  Light green gold in color.  The nose has nice grapefruit with minerals.  On the palate, there is a nice tart acidity.  More peach than citrus.  Long finish.  Very food friendly.  Great value.  

One of the great white Rhone wines from California.  50% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 10% Vermentino, 10% Picpoul, 10% Marsanne.  Green gold in color.  The nose has slight limes with some citrus and slight wax.  On the palate, this has a wonderful plush texture with great crispness on the wine.  Deep and complex despite its youth, it unwinds in the glass.  Slightly oily.  Long finish.  Works with or without foods.  This will likely age well, but is so good now, I don't think it gets better, just different.  

This is drinking really well right now.  Light golden in color.  The nose is great with minerals, lemons, wax but also plenty of melon and tropical fruit.  On the palate, this has a nice cutting acidity.  Good melon and lemon fruit.  Long finish.  Very food friendly.  While still drinking youthfully, it it open for business.  It will probably start to show more signs of maturity in a few years but is delicious right now.  

This is a white Rhone blend of grapes; Rousanne and Viognier.  Golden in color.  This was served at red wine temperature which for me was ideal.  It really cut down on the acidity and brought out the aromatics.  YMMV.  The nose is really nice with candle wax, slight peach, floral notes and minerals.  On the palate, this is dry and full bodied.  A bit of honey nevertheless along with peach and vanilla.  Lovely texture.  Good finish.  This worked quite well with food.  There is a nice depth to this.  It drinks very "red" like.  

30% Rousanne, 25% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 15% Picpoul, and 10% Vermentino.  This is one of my favorite (mostly) Rhone white wines from Paso Robles.  Light golden in color.  The nose is really nice with peaches, slight canned peaches, a nice minerals streak, some vanilla candle and some lemon peel.  On the palate, this has a great oily texture.  Slightly viscous.  An excellent crispness.  Depth and complexity.  Do not serve this too cold as the complexity really comes out when the wine starts to get over 60F.  Peaches, lemons, and minerals.  Long finish.  Great with food.  

Light copper.gold in color.  The nose is gorgeous with almonds, candle wax and minerals.  With air, slight tangerine notes begin to emerge.  This is showing quite open right now.  Will it shut down for a bit?  Experience says yes, but who knows?  This is a bit riper or more open anyway than the 2012 consumed along with it.  More minerality with an interesting menthol/Eucalyptus note on the finish.  Oily texture.  Long finish.  This is young and tightly packed but has a nice complexity.  

Where to start?  This is one of the great white wines of the world.  Such a fascinating and contemplative wine.  Made from a field blend of 80/20 Marsanne and Roussane.  i was a bit aprhensive about this as Hermitage Blanc at age 6 can often be shut down.  Light/medium gold.  This showed quite well though.  The nose is waxy with some honey and slight white floral notes.  With air, almonds and slight tangerine notes.  Fascinating.  Slightly oily texture.  Full bodied.  Great minerality.  Earthy with almonds and slight citrus.  Long finish.  Warming, not hot on the finish.  Certainly some ups

Light yellow, silvery, gold in color.  Really nice nose with slight waxiness, minerals, citrus and slight dust.  On the palate, this is crisp.  Good citrus.  Deep but tight.  This wine drinks well now, but should improve in a cellar for a decade at least.  Long finish.  Very food friendly.  Pretty wine.  

One of my favorite white Rhones from California. Served a bit too cold, this needed to warm up a bit. Then it was great. Green/gold in color. The nose is lemony with a slight waxy note once warmer. Also a nice mineral streak. On the palate, this is crisp and bright. Lots of energy. Lemons with that mineral streak. Long finish. Worked well with food. Its hard to guess on the ageing trajectory of these wines, but it seems very young now and enjoyable. I will hold at least one to age a bit and see.

Like many white Rhone varietal wines, this has taken some time to really come around but it is drinking beautifully right now.  Pop and pour.  Light golden in color.  The nose is great.  Initially, there is some vanilla but that gives way to tropical fruits (mango) and some citrus.  Also a nice mineral streak and bits of wax.  On the palate, this is oily which is nice.  Citrus (lemon/orange) and mangoes continue.  Deep and layered.  Worked great with a tomato-fennel soup.  Long finish.  Really drank well but plenty of life left.