I was so impressed by the 2012 Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas Blanc that I am considering purchasing an entire case. However, before pulling the trigger, perhaps you all can suggest other Roussanne based wines that I might find similarly compelling.
Had a Marc Sorel from Hermitage last night. Single site wine. La Rocoules. My goodness it was good. Probably more expensive but I will tell you that it is incredibly special.
Beaucastel makes an old vine (100-year+) Roussanne that is superb if you can find it. Make no mistake, this wine is yuuuuge and unctuous and layered but even my quasi-AWFE self finds it really compelling in its own way.
Consistently good year in, year out. Age worthy.
http://www.jaffurswine.com/our-wines/roussanne/
Cuilleron’s bottlings are really good and good value. The Syrah, Viognier & Marsanne are quite good as well.
Qupe’s Roussanne is excellent as well.
Chester’s Anvil Gretna Green
These were offered at a stupid price on Berserker Day but even at the normal retail it’s a good buy.
Donelan’s Venus is really good.
Two of the best domestic Roussannes hands down:
Stolpman’s L’Avion
Qupe’s Bien Nacido
And Zaca Mesa is not far behind.
As far as Roussanne blends, Andrew Murray makes a nice one; Two Shepherds does too.
Cheers.
This is fine, but much more Marsanne (90%?) than Roussanne, and not cheap …
Maybe the best white CdP (Pegau´s A TEMPO will be a rival), but usually 80+€ here in Europe …
Second reco of Cuilleron. Try his cuvée St Pierre. Also a lovely wine is Christophe Curtat ‘Sous l’amandier’.
Both of these are superb in 2014. Cuilleron in a richer full bodied style, Curtat more mineral and linear
I had quite a good one (2009?) from Three Foxes in South Africa.
I love the Tercero Rousanne. It and the Outlier are two of my favorite CA whites. The Rousanne is quite good but I’m not sure it’s uber waxy like I remember the Tablas being. It has some waxiness and heft but is very refreshing.
Scott
Another vote for Stolpman’s L’Avion.
Had this a couple of weeks ago. Simply the best white wine I have ever had. Spectacular!
It really is a bummer to me that more consumers are not aware of this variety as a stand-alone or in blends. It offers such beautiful textural qualities and can age for decades. The ‘challenge’ is that it’s not always the most aromatic wine as a youngster and that it tends to show some bitterness when young.
It is a great example of a white variety that is best served at or near room temperature to show off its inherent textural qualities - but it better be ‘in balance’ or the oak and/or alcohol will stand out quite a bit in this scenario.
Cheers.
I had the Stolpman L’Avion last Sunday in Los Olivos; very nice. Sorry I missed you Larry. I’d add the Alban Estate; much better than his viognier in my opinion. The Tablas is a blend with a chunk of grenache blanc as I recall; sort of painful to drink young, but they age well. Tablas also makes a rousanne (100 percent?) in most vintages. Jaffurs is good, too.
The domestic wine I have most experience with is Peay, they make a fantastic Marsanne/Roussanne. If anyone is following the Rhone tour thread, we had a lot of whites from these two grapes (various blends). I’ve been a fan for a long time, but I get the sense that most Americans aren’t into these wines (unless the bottle has the “Chave” name on it).
Cowhorn does a Marsanne Roussanne
+1 on the Tercero Roussanne. Terrific wine and a great value for the dollar.
Denner makes a great Roussanne blend Theresa at about the same price as Tablas. Both are very nice