We tried last week some WhiteRhones w/ my BBB group:
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EdmundsSt.John Roussanne TablasCreekVvyd/Paso Robles 2004: Med.dark gold color; bit smokey/waxey some figgy/
honeysuckle/Rouss quite fragrant complex lovely nose; fairly tart figgy/waxy strong honeysuckle/Rouss bit
smokey/pungent light mineral perfumed complex flavor w/ very long/lingering finish; a beautiful/youthful that’s
starting to show some secondary characteristics and no signs of the nutty character of oxidation; a beautiful
Roussanne in a very good place right now.
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DeLille Doyenne Roussanne Red Mountain/WA (WineMakersReserve, 14.1%) 2011: Light gold color; rather stony/chalky/
earthy light floral/honeysuckle/Rouss bit simple nose; quite tart stony/chalky/earthy/mineral light Rouss/
honeysuckle flavor w/ med.long earthy/stony finish; seems to be a tightly wound Rouss that needs some age.
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Jaffurs Viognier SBC 2011: Med.light gold color; strong Viog/pear/peach very perfumed slight waxy/chalky beautiful
aromatic nose; slightly tart spicy/nutmeg strong floral/peachy/pear/Viog slight chalky/waxy flavor w/ a very
long/lingering finish; wonderful aromatics w/o straying into DollyParton territory.
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Darby Le Deuce Stonetree/StillwaterCreek vnyds/Wahluke Slope/WashState (52% Viognier/48% Roussanne) 2012: Light
gold color; light toasty/oak light Viog/pear bit earthy somewhat clunky/ripe rather attractive nose; bit tart/lean
some oak/pencilly/toasty light pear/Viog attractive flavor w/ long tart/lean finish; quite attractive but seems
a bit disjointed & need of age.
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Chave Celeste AC: StJosephBlanc (90% Roussanne) 2010: Med.gold color; rather appley/Marsanne bit earthy/stony
slight waxy/figgy/floral/honey/Rouss quite attractive nose; fairly tart earthy/stony/granitic rather appley/
Marsanne slight floral/honeysuckle/Rouss/figgy/waxy flavor w/ quite long finish; rather lean/austere and needs
age; not the strong aromatics of most Calif Rouss.
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Guigal Lieu Dit AC: StJosephBlanc (90% Marsanne/10% Roussanne) 2010: Light gold color; rather earthy/chalky/
stony quite fragrant/honeysuckle/perfumed/pear lovely aromatic nose; beautiful waxy/figgy very floral/perfumed/
honeysuckle/honeyed/pear blossom some appley/Marsanne/waxy some chalky/earthy/mineral rather Rhonish flavor
w/ very long/lingering fragrant/floral somewhat stony finish; lovely aromatics w/ the stoniness you get in
Rhone whites; a perfumey character you seldom get in Calif Marsanne. $60.00
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Chapoutier Chante Alouette AC: HermitageBlanc (Marsanne; 14%) 2011: Med.gold color; rather chalky/smokey/figgy/
waxy very perfumed/fragrant honeyed/honeysuckle/floral/Rouss-like light pencilly/oak complex quite aromatic
nose; very intense waxy/figgy/floral/honeysuckle/Rouss-like fairly tart light stony/mineral slight herbal very
complex quite Rhonish flavor w/ a long/lingering finish that goes on & on; wonderful/powerful aromatics almost
like a Condrieu yet w/ a structure & balance and not at all over the top; fairly priced at $70.00
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Patterson Roussanne LateHrvst ColumbiaVlly/WashState 2011: Med. gold color; very intense grapey/passito-like
floral/almost muscatty very ripe nose; fairly tart quite sweet intense grapey/passito/floral/muscatty flavor
w/ very long passito finish; no botrytis character nor identifiable Roussanne character; dead ringer for a great
Italian passito wine; an amazing dessert wine.
A wee BloodyPulpit:
- This was a tasting SteveCostigan organized for our BBB group. A pretty amazing collection of Rhone Whites.
The WashState whites I liked quite a lot but they seemed a bit clumsey & clunky & coarse compared to the
Calif & Rhone versions. I guess what struck me most was the perfumey aromatics that were in the Rhone
Marsannes. In Calif, the Marsannes seem to be rather simple/appley in their youth and only become interesting
with some age when they develop that nutty/waxy/toasted hazelnuts/slightly oxidized/honeyed character.
Tom
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