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Health & Fitness

There's More to Rhone than Reds

An introduction to the less well known white grape varieties from France's Rhone Valley with examples from around the world.

We all know the great red grapes of the Rhone, Syrah, Grenache and the rest of the gang. But are you familiar with Rousanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc or Viognier? Well try Chateau  de Trignon Rousanne Cotes du Rhones 2010 for a textbook example of Rousanne and find out what you’ve been missing all these years, especially if you are suffering from Chardonnay fatigue.The Chateau  de Trignon Rousanne was wonderful at last Saturday’s tasting, worth the trip through the snow. It showed lovely baked apple and hazelnut on the nose with a contrasting palate that adds strong citrus notes and minerality to the picture, it has a very good fresh finish.

The great grapes of  France have roamed the world and we have a number of  wines made with (white) Rhone grapes, though most of these aren’t French.  The major (white) Rhone grapes are Viognier, Marsanne and Rousanne.  Briefly, Viognier has the flower power. It is very aromatic with aromas of white flower, sometimes honeysuckle, sometimes some tropical fruit or fruit salad aromas. It tends to lack acidity and backbone though.
Marsanne and Rousanne are gutsier, less aroma but more minerality, more citrus and stone fruit flavors. It gives the wine more backbone.

d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier-Marsanne

This is an Aussie wine, much riper and fleshier than its French kin but still a delicious shelfish wine, hence the funny name.

Domaine  Gardies  Cotes du Roussillon Blanc Les Glaciaires
New to the shop, this little gem is imported by our friend Mike Afatato of Rochemere wines. It has powerful, full body and a nice nose of white flowers with flintiness and some citrus notes. It has Rousanne and Grenche Blanc among other things

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Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc- Viognier
Hails from California’s Pine Ridge winery in Napa. It’s a bit varied with the Chenin (a Loire variety) along with the Viognier. The wine is soft and round with lovely peachy, floral aromas and a soft medium bodied mouthfeel.

Treana Mer Soleil Vineyard Viognier-Marsanne

This is rich and deep with some peach melon and citrus qualities.

Being in the wine biz, it's fun to try less familiar wine. I'm sure many of you like to break away from Chardonnay (though I love Chardonnay myself) and wines really widen your experience of white wine, not too mention the all important food compability.

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