The Rhône region of France produces exceptional red wines.
They are earthy yet elegant.
Flint but fragrant.
Robust but majestic.
And best of all, many of them are under $15 a bottle, making them some of the best bargains in the world.
But what about white wines from the Rhône region?
How do they taste?
Are they good?
The answer is a resounding yes.
In fact, the more recently I tasted white wines from the Rhône region, the more I wondered why they weren’t as famous as the reds.
The white wines of the Rhône are just as complex and charismatic, just as stony and tasty.
What makes these wines so good?
Like the red wines of the Rhône region, it surely has to do with the soil where the white grapes are grown.
The Rhône region is renowned for its very rocky soils. I will never forget that several years ago I was in a rocky vineyard in Châteauneuf Du Pape, a legendary wine village in the southern Rhône. It was impossible to imagine anything actually growing there. And yet, the vineyards there have been producing exceptional wines for centuries.
Another reason why I think white and red wines from the Rhône region taste so good has to do with the ability of winemakers to skillfully blend different grape varieties to create exceptional wines.
Unlike California or French Burgundy, Rhône winemakers often blend several different grape varieties to create a unique and exceptional wine.
Do not mistake yourself. I love single-varietal wines, especially those from Burgundy. But France’s Rhône and Bordeaux regions have made blending multiple grape varieties an art form to create a single great wine.
So this week, the last unofficial week of summer, I thought I’d highlight three exceptional white wines from the Rhône region.
Let me add that if you can’t find these particular wines or these particular vintages, I highly recommend that you try the white wines from the Rhône region. Most of these wines still taste great year after year.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
RECOMMENDED WINES THIS WEEK
2016 Cellier des Dauphins Cotes Du Rhone White Wine ($9 suggested retail price)
2015 E. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone White Wine ($15 SRP)
2019 E. Guigal Saintes Pierres De Nalys Chateauneuf Du Pape White Wine ($36 SRP)
TASTING NOTES
2016 Cellier des Dauphins Côtes Du Rhône White Wine
Grapes – 65% Grenache Blanc, 15% Marsanne, 10% Viognier, 10% Clairette
Tasting Notes – Many of you may already be familiar with the charming and affordable red wines from Cellier Les Dauphins. Their white wine is equally enjoyable and entertaining. Its flavors are smoother compared to the other two wines recommended this week. These flavors range from notes of melon and green apple to a hint of sea salt and elderflower. Deliciously delicious.
2015 E. Guigal Côtes Du Rhône White Wine
Grapes – 65% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, 8% Marsanne, 8% Clairette, 2% Bourboulenc, 2% Grenache
Tasting Notes – While I absolutely enjoyed all three wines reviewed this week, if I had to pick just one to recommend, it would be this outstanding and affordable one from the consistently excellent E. Guigal winery. Like their reliable red wine (the Côtes Du Rhône which normally costs around $13), this white wine has that robust yet refined finish often found in many Rhône wines. Its other flavors include pronounced notes of pear mixed with lovely notes of honeydew melon and tart apple. But what I particularly like about this wine is its crisp, dry, flinty taste from start to finish. There is also an enchanting earthy quality to the wine. Think fresh potting soil after a regular summer rain. It’s complex and charismatic. I know I’m going a little too far but this wine is really very good.
2019 E. Guigal Saintes Pierres De Nalys Chateauneuf Du Pape White Wine
Grapes – 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Clairette, 20% Bourboulenc, 5% Picpoul, 5% Roussane
Tasting Notes – Expectations have a lot to do with how we appreciate a wine, I think. I wrote briefly about this last week. But I thought it worth repeating here since I wasn’t surprised I loved it this week. The French village of Chateauneuf Du Pape produces some of the best red wines in the world. Unsurprisingly, this exciting white wine hits all the right notes. Like the red wines of this village, this wine has a crisp, flinty and mineral finish. Flavors range from grilled lemon and roasted pears to hints of toasted almonds and dried lemon peel. A truly subtle, refined and sophisticated white wine that perfectly captures the distinctive sense of the Rhône region.
Cheers!
(Wine press by Ken Ross Appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in the weekend section of the Republican every Thursday. Older “wine press” articles can be found here. Follow Ken Ross on Twitter and instagram and Facebook.)
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