Another +1 on the Tercero. I just finished two bottles of the 2013 in the past week. Suggestion: it shows best when near/at room temp - drinks more like a red wine. Very intriguing nose with lots going on with the palate too.
First of all, the TCV Esprit is a really good wine and ages very well. '09 is just entering prime drinking now.
Kinero makes a very good Roussanne from James Berry fruit. The latest was made in concrete and no oak.
Chester’s Anvil as mentioned is also really good.
Good call on the cool or room temp vs cold. I like it best when it’s had a chance to warm a bit from the fridge.
Scott
H
Absolutely.
Many helpful suggestions here. Thanks. Just wish that any of them were available locally.
Raymond Usseglio makes a Roussane Pur.
Qupe’s is also mighty tasty.
From CA, definitely agree on the Qupe Hillside Estate Bien Nacido
From WA, a couple interesting ones from small producers – Southard and Two Vintners (probably not widely distributed)
From the Southern Rhone, a great little VDP that punches way about its weight (on the shelf at under $20), and has had decent distribution, at least in Seattle: Domaine Daniel et Denis Alary Vin de Pays de la Principauté d’Orange La Grange Daniel
A store in a neighboring city has a few bottles of 2009 Stolpman L’Avion priced at $20. Would this be past prime?
That’s a great price Jeff. And no, 6 years on that wine is definitively not past prime.
As other have said, Qupe, Stolpman, ZM for wines on a budget & easily available. Of course, SQN’s white’s for anyone not on a budget are in a different universe.
Beaucastel VV is the pinnacle for me , but I distribute one from Costieres de Nimes here in Houston that’s pretty damn good for a small fraction of the cost of Beaucastel
Campesino Cellars (a BerserkerDay discovery for me) has a wine called Alina, which is 50/50 Marsanne Roussanne. It’s $28 on their site, and it’s outstanding.
I agree wholeheartedly with Alan on Peay’s Rousanne/Marsone (sp)
Does the Stolpman age at all? I’ve got some 2005 in Bay Area storage(I live in Hawaii) and won’t be able to get to it till January of next year?
Though different from their Rhone and Central Coast brethren, I recommend you try a bottle of Chignin-Bergeron (Bergeron is the local name for Roussanne in Savoie). These high elevation Roussanne possess high acidity and herbaceous qualities (and they work really well with food).
Best of all, these are very affordable (~20 bucks or so in California wine shops).
I’ve rarely met a Stolpman , Qupe, Alban, Tablas Creek, or Copan Roussanne that did NOT age well.
Over the past few months, I have enjoyed an 05 Tablas, an 06 Alban, and an 04 Copain James Berry (IIRC), and all were singing, especially at room temp and especially after being open either a few hours or in day 2.
I would be surprised if the Stolpman acted any differently - but I’ll be curious to hear from you upon opening!
Cheers
The Beaucastel VV is a grand wine, but I also think the basic Beaucastel CDP Blanc deserves mention. It ages quite beautifully as well. Not surprisingly, similar cepage to the Tablas Esprit.
David,
I would agree entirely - but in the case of the non-VV, you’ll be paying over $70 for the current vintage, and over $100 for the VV here in the US.
Plenty of options available here for a fraction of that. This is NOT to imply we are comparing apples to apples - just stating what I’m seeing.
Cheers.
Larry,
No argument from me on the availability of some fine USA Roussannes, many of which are listed here. I absolutely agree about it being under-appreciated here. I did not mean to hijack the thread to Europe. I just wanted to point out that the basic Beaucastel Blanc is probably closer kin to the Tablas than the VV. There are also off-shore Roussannes at a better price point, the Domaine du Tunnel from St. Peray has been on its game for a number of years now. Also, the Texier Brezeme CdR Blanc is quite good for half the price of the Domaine du Tunnel.
Cheers!
David,
Love the suggestions - gotta start looking for some of these sooner rather than later!
Cheers