Ep 419: The Grape Miniseries -- Roussanne

<p>Although one of the most prestigious white grapes of the Rhône Valley, Roussanne is relatively unknown given its penchant for making aromatic, complex, full yet acidic wines. Often used as a blending partner with Marsanne or even with Syrah in its native northern Rhône, the grape shines alone in certain versions from Châteauneuf du Pape, California, Australia, and a handful of other places around the world. In this show we examine the majesty of this grape, which makes extraordinary wines that you should be drinking!</p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/256px-Roussanne_-_Geshem_winery.jpeg" alt="" width="215" height="382" /></p> <p class="mw-mmv-filename-li" style="text-align: center;"> <em><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Photo credit: <span class= "mw-mmv-filename">Roussanne - Geshem winery.jpg,</span> <a href= "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY-SA 4.0</a></span></em></p> <p> </p> <p>Here are the show notes</p> <ul> <li>Roussanne was named for “roux”, the French word for “russet” – which describes the grapes’ reddish golden color when they are fully ripe</li> <li>Likely native to the northern Rhône, Roussanne is related to Marsanne, its blending partner for the famed northern Rhône whites in Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph</li> <li>Although it has verged on extinction a few times because it is so challenging in the vineyard, Roussanne continues to be an important part of whites (and reds) in the northern Rhône and elsewhere because few grapes can rival the combination of structure and aromatics</li> </ul> <p class="mw-mmv-filename-li" style="text-align: center;">  </p> <p><strong>Roussanne Flavors</strong></p> <ul> <li>Roussanne has aromas and flavors of pear, honey, and herbal tea (Chamomile or lemon verbena). It can be like jasmine, iris, honeysuckle and other white flowers. The wine is distinctly minerally with green herb notes and some are more like aprico