Roussanne and Marsanne are the two great white grapes of the northern Rhone. Roussanne carries the more interesting aromatic profile; Marsanne provides the body. We work with a Southern California grower who has planted both, with about four acres of Roussanne on a north-facing hillside that gives the grape the slow ripening it needs.
Why it ages
Most California whites are designed to drink young. Roussanne, in good sites, is one of the few that benefits from cellar time. The wine in year one is fresh, citrus-driven, restrained. The wine in year five develops nutty depth, honey notes, a small honeysuckle lift. The wine in year ten can rival aged white Burgundy, which is the same kind of long evolution but starting from a different aromatic place.
Why the local growers planted it
Slow-ripening sites in Southern California are easier to find than fast-ripening ones, the opposite of the Napa or Sonoma situation. The hillside vineyards with marine-influenced cool mornings give Roussanne the long ripening window it wants. The wines that result have the kind of structure that lets them age.
Tasting note
Pale gold. Pear, white peach, a soft note of beeswax. Substantial body for a Rhone white, the kind that pairs with butter-driven dishes, light cheeses, and richer fish. The wine pours well at fifty-five to fifty-eight degrees, slightly warmer than most whites.