Picked this up on a whim, quite inexpensive, from Montsant with 30% Macabeu. Never had a Garnacha blanca in the past that I recall. Fascinating wine, nicely restrained with stoney minerality, pithy citrics and real texture and fineness. Spritely, dry finish. Lovely integrated mouth feel, power without weight. Could become a staple in our house.
Would be curious to try a Spanish grenache blanc. I haven’t been crazy about the Cali expression of the varietal, but I do tend to love Spanish whites of various varieties and blends. Maybe it’s the winemaking style, perhaps the climate, or just the different grapes.
And you know me, I LOVE trying interesting varietals and LOVE seeing US wine growers and winemakers experiment so I still try it repeatedly to see different expressions and evolution of it.
My memories are not super detailed, to be honest, Larry. I do recall having one at Cornell Winery Tasting Room (made by a Central Cal producer) that had a simplistic fruitiness of melon and white grape with a slightly bitter citrus-rind finish that I was not fond of.
Another time, it seemed like an incomplete, imbalanced expression neither as complex and textured as roussanne nor marsanne, nor as crisp and light and clean as a sauv blanc or many italian whites. That leaves it in no mans land for me, with simplistic fruit and weight, and either no real interesting finish or a bitter one. I’ve tried it very chilled, cool, ambient room temp, and verging on lukewarm and in no case have I craved more.
In any case, it hasn’t impressed me yet, nor delighted me. Even when in a blend where it is the main variety, I suaully don’t love it. This is probably why I liked that Tablas Creek’s Cote and Esprit were often made with more Roussanne (Or combined Roussanne/Marsanne) than Grenache Blanc.
But I am always game to continue trying. And I will likely try it again at some point.
For now, Grenache Blanc just doesn’t hold a candle to the dynamics, body, ageability and value Central Cal Roussannes and Marsannes bring at half the price of a white rioja. Yep, I find Central Cal Roussannes and Marsanne remind me of some white riojas (despite varieties being different).
Which is also exactly why I want to see what these Spaniards are doing with Grenache Blanc, since they know it well. I tend to love what they do with white riojas and that’s one of the 9 grapes they can include, if I am not mistaken.
Not sure Larry about Australia - can’t recall ever seeing one. Plenty of Rousanne, Marsanne and even some Picpoul though. One would expect that there would be some planted as it seems like a variety that would do well here.
Kent, have you had a chance to compare Roussanne and Marsanne from France and the US to the Aussie stuff? If so, I’m curious whether you’ve noticed any differences?
Barry, I have never conducted a direct comparison.
Chateau Tahbilk make an excellent Marsanne that is a little one dimensional in its youth but really looks wonderful after a decade or two. It is quite fine when young.
There are some good Marsanne/Roussanne blends, such as John Duval’s from the Barossa, Yeringberg from Yarra Valley and Mitchelton used to make a beauty. Duval’s is a bit of a riper expression, but in general the wines seem to have good richness and weight, with good mouthfeel. However they are not varieties that i am exposed to very often and in a restaurant environment are a hard sell.
Having said that I have just received a case of Yangarra Rousanne from Mclaren Vale that comes with big raps, so I will bust a bottle this week.
Good work Barry.
It is a screaming value. If it is to your liking I would recommend that you buy a couple more and bury them for a decade. You will be amazed at the transformation and additional complexity that the cellaring affords.
I certainly understand where you’re coming from, but I think you might be surprised. Anthony Yount makes a nice one under his Kinero label; Kris Curran is considered the 'queen ’ of the variety and has been working with the variety since 2001 or so; I think Tablas is doing great things with the variety; and I will also throw my hat in the ring. My 2014 has some of the richness of the other varieties you dig but has a higher level of acidity than the other varieties. If you have not tried it, you may want to . . .
As far as age ability of Marsanne and Roussanne, you know where I stand! Drink come over the first few years or laying down for a decade or more.