When summer weather hit, we expanded our buying horizons to look for interesting values in quality white wines from around the world. The finds included Chenin Blanc from South Africa, Riesling (Germany, Alsace, Australia), Albariño from Spain, and Loire and Rhône wines from France.

On the latter, North Berkeley Imports offered a sampler of four wines, three bottles each, in May. They pitched: “While France’s southern wine regions are mostly known for their bold reds, there is so much to discover in the region’s native white grape varieties, such as Roussanne or Marsanne, Viognier or Grenache Blanc… these wines balance rich fruit with a delightful freshness…”

For quick background, they noted that the wines “…will take you from the high-altitude, stony terraces of Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage in the north to sunny, organic vineyards near Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the south…”

We used AI for additional research to put the regions in sharper perspective.

North to South

The Rhône Valley wine region runs roughly 125–150 miles from Lyon down to the Mediterranean delta, but the vineyard areas themselves are more compact. The Northern Rhône runs about 46 miles, from Vienne to Valence, and the two zones are separated by a gap of roughly 40 miles of orchards and farmland with no vines. The Southern Rhône then continues 52 miles from Montélimar down to Avignon.

Acreage of the Rhône appellations

The Rhône Valley has about 30 different appellations totaling over 72,000 hectares of vineyard — that’s roughly 178,000 acres. For comparison, Bordeaux has some 250,000 acres, and Burgundy has 69,000 acres.

One caveat worth flagging for accuracy’s sake: vineyard acreage figures fluctuate year to year (especially in Bordeaux, which is currently pulling out vines under EU subsidy programs), so treat these as “recent” rather than fixed numbers.

White Wine Rhône Varietals

The white grapes of the Rhône Valley share a generous, sun-warmed character while each brings its own signature to the glass. Using AI to research different sources for expertise, I found some consistent impressions.

Roussanne offers a delicate, floral nose of honeysuckle and herbal tea, with flavors of pear and light honey balanced by a streak of minerality and good acidity, making it one of the more elegant and age-worthy of the bunch. It is important to the blends of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage and appears varietally in Saint-Péray.

Marsanne is its frequent blending partner, fuller-bodied and lower in acid, with notes of almond, honeysuckle, and beeswax that can take on a nutty, almost oily richness with age. It is the main component of the whites of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph.

Viognier is the showiest of the group, aromatic with scents of apricot, peach blossom, and orange rind. Some experts say its lush, oily texture on the palate can verge on tropical (especially in the New World). It stars in the tiny appellation of Condrieu (see the tasting note below).

Grenache Blanc has a softer, more understated profile — crisp green apple, pear, and a faint anise or fennel note — contributing freshness and body to the white blends of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône, and Tavel. Together, these varietals, whether bottled alone or blended, define the food-friendly style that makes southern Rhône whites such satisfying summer drinking.

SUMMER SAMPLER NOTES

Seches 2023 St. Joseph Blanc

  • $24 value summer sipper 2024 Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Blanc Bouquet des Garrigues. Sharp mid-green gold, viscous (14.0 alc.); honey, floral, green fruit, lime nose; low-mid acids; mid depth; round, semi-lush fruity finish. 16/90.
  • Rich $39 Rhone Roussanne 2023 Domaine des Pierres Seches Saint-Joseph Blanc. Dark gold, viscous (14.0 alc.); honey, floral, lime, melon nose; mid+ acids; mid+ depth; long, round, semi-lush honey finish. 16.5/91.
  • White Rhone Marsanne ($29) 2021 Domaine Betton Crozes-Hermitage Elixir. Sharp light-mid straw gold; pineapple, citrus, light mineral nose; low-mid acids; mid body; semi-long round, fat, citrus and mineral finish. 16/90.
  • 2021 Domaine La Bouïssiere Côtes du Rhône Blanc ($36). From Gigondas vineyards. Sharp light straw gold (13.0 alc.); peach, herb, green fruit, mineral nose; mid acids; mid+ depth; long semi-tight, deep, green fruit and mineral finish. 16.5/91.

FRANCE VS. CALIFORNIA BLIND TASTING

Some 40 members of the Carmel Valley Wine Club, San Diego, at its 356th monthly event, enjoyed four bottle pairs of white wines from the Rhône vs. California.  Three flights were single-variety duels; the fourth pair included Rhône-style blends. Prices ranged from $45 to $103, and alcohol levels ran from 12.0% to 14.2%.

The runaway winner was the Condrieu. California took 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.  The three French wines that weren’t the Condrieu, plus both Marsannes, filled the bottom half.  Tasters voted on the country of origin and got 129 right and 145 wrong (close to my 50%)! Here are my notes in order of the wines tasted, which were all of good quality or better:

Blind Tasting Lineup White Rhone Varietals

  • Paso Robles, Calif., 2025 Tablas Creek Marsanne ($45). Light straw gold (12.0 alc.); green fruit, melon, nutty nose; low-mid acids; mid depth; round, fruity, fat finish. 16/90.
  • 2023 M. Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Blanc Les Meysonniers ($45). Sharp mid-gold (12.5 alc.); big floral, apricot, citrus nose; low-mid acids; balanced, semi-long, lush finish. 16.5-17/91-92.
  • 2023 Clos de la Bonnette Condrieu Roc D Ucarisse Condrieu ($90). Light-mid gold; complex fruity, peachy, floral, almond nose; low-mid acids; lush, fruity, herbal finish. 16.5-17/91-92.
  • San Luis Obispo, Calif., 2022 Alban Vineyards Viognier Alban Estate Vineyard ($56). Sharp mid gold, viscous (14.2 alc.); pretty stone fruit, floral, citrus nose; low-mid acids; big depth; long, fat, round stone fruit finish. 17/92.
  • Santa Barbara, Calif., 2022 Lindquist Family Wines Roussanne Bien Nacido Hillside Estate ($60 at blind tasting). Light-mid green/gold, viscous (13.5 alc.); minerals, pear, floral, wine lees nose; mid acids; tight, semi-crisp stone fruit finish. 16.5/91.
  • 2023 Domaine de la Solitude (Lançon Père et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Barberini ($103 at blind tasting). Light-mid straw/gold; green fruit, pineapple, aromatic nose; low-mid acids; mid body; long, balanced, semi-lush honey finish. 16-16.5/90-91.
  • 2024 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc ($45). Pale white, some viscosity (13.5 alc.); smoky, stone fruit, wet slate nose; low-mid acids; mid depth; short mineral finish. 16/90.
  • Paso Robles, Calif., 2023 Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc de Tablas ($80). Light-to-mid straw green-gold; low viscosity (12.5 alc.); ripe stone fruit, citrus, floral nose; low-to-mid acids; long, round, fat stone fruit finish. 16.5/91.