WBW #46: Rhone Whites

Jun 10, 2008 |  WineBratSF (7) |  Wine Tasting |  5 comments

We had a bit of a taste-a-thon this month, thanks to Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 for inspiring us to be creative with Wine Blogging Wednesday.

We were really all over the map for this one, and had several misses but a few gems with great value.

Our Favorite

2006 McManis Vineyards Viognier

Avg rating 90
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This wine comes from the River Junction appellation, which is just south of Lodi, California. With an average rating of 90 points, this bottle was purchased at BevMo for $11.99 and tasted like a jar of spices fell in a bottle of nectarines that were soaking in a mellow white wine. This was quite a luscious white. With 13.5% alcohol, it was the last wine we tasted before getting a little crazy and we all enjoyed it.

3-way Tie For 2nd

2006 La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon

Avg rating 87
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The 2006 La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon was also purchased from BevMo, for $7.99. This dry white blend is made from several Rhone varietals: Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Roussanne and Ugni Blanc. We found lots of spice and green herbaciousness, with a lot of citrus and lime on the palate. With a mild 12.5% alcohol, it wasn’t terribly exciting and only scored one rating of 87 points.

2006 Gregory Graham Lake County Viognier

Avg rating 87
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The La Vielle tied with the 2006 Gregory Graham Lake County Viognier, produced by a small shop in Lake County, north of Napa. This was the first wine we tasted, and I think the sweetness we perceived made it difficult to evaluate fairly. When the group re-tasted it at the end, we enjoyed it more and gave it an average rating of 87. This bottle was purchased at Mill Valley Market for $20, and we found sweet tropical fruit, nectarines and a floral nose.

2007 Chateau L'ermitage

Avg rating 87
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Finally, the 2007 Chateau L'ermitage also received an average score of 87. This easy drinking French white was also purchased at Mill Valley Market, for $12, but can also be found at The Wine Mine (Oakland) for $9.99. We all really enjoyed this traditionally Rhone white, and its crispness reminded us of a California Sauvignon Blanc, even though it is made from Rousanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc. We found crisp citrus and grapefruit, with a dry mineral finish.

Honorable Mention

2006 Cline Marsanne Rousanne Carneros

Avg rating 86
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I have to give an honorable mention to the 2006 Cline Marsanne Rousanne Carneros blend, since it’s affordable, and easy to find. This bottle was found at BevMo for $11.99. Cline has been making consistent efforts in the Rhone varietal market for a long time. The Marsanne for this blend are estate grown, in the Carneros Region of southern Sonoma, while the Roussane is grown in a Sonoma Coast vineyards. Our average rating was 86 points and we found it to be floral and slightly sweet, with lemon & grapefruit notes followed by a nice crisp finish.

2005 Sainte Croix Viognier

Avg rating 80
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Finally, I would have to say avoid the budget minded 2005 Sainte Croix Viognier, purchased at Trader Joe’s for a whopping $3.99, since it had some strange flavors going on. The average rating was 79.5 points, and we found yeasty butterscotch, cheese, and a lot of acetone like citrus.

Happy drinking!

Wine Tasting

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