In today’s video, Bob Paulinski Master of Wine discusses a region that generally gets lots of coverage on YouTube, but the focus here is on a specific wine from within the region that gets scant mention. The topic is the Rhone Valley, specifically the Cotes du Rhone Blanc. This video will focus on the base level white wines from the southern Rhone, those wines labeled Cotes du Rhone Blanc, some of the best values on the planet. Wines like Hermitage Blanc, Condrieu and Chateauneuf du Pape will be covered later on a separate video. At the end of this video, I’ll taste a sensational value in a Cotes du Rhone Blanc, along with a food pairing.
The Rhone Valley produces around 400M bottles per year. Only Bordeaux produces more wine in France. Within the Rhone Valley, 95% or about 380M comes from the southern Rhone. Currently, 15% is rose’, only 6% is white. InterRhone a governing body of the region has announced intention of doubling the white wine production by the end of the decade. Generally, wines from warmer regions tend to have lower acidity and higher alcohol. For whites, this can result in dull, flat, lifeless wines. And the southern Rhone had that problem years ago. The more modern styles offset the challenge with blending different grape varieties, harvesting earlier and cellar techniques that better retain the freshness of the wines. Winemakers have an advantage with a wide range of grape varieties to play with. There are some single variety wines, like with Viognier in Condrieu, but most are blends, especially in the southern Rhone.
More than two dozen grape varieties throughout the valley, with the broadest range can be found in the Southern Rhone, which is more of a Mediterranean climate.
Grenache Blanc - high alcohol, low acidity, one of the most widely planted grapes in France, offset with early harvesting Viognier – Ripe, opulent, peach/apricot Marsanne - more associated with the N Rhone, often deeper color, nutty, high alcohol
Roussanne – texture and structure, often smells like herbal tea Clairette – high alcohol, low acidity, often blended with Picpoul to lift the acidity
Bourboulenc – valued for acidity
The vintage that’s out in stores today is the 2021. A year with plenty of weather challenges, can be inconsistent for reds, generally much better for the white wines. Brighter acidity, fresher, more lively than the two previous years that were largely drought vintages, higher alcohol, lower acidity. The wine is a Guy Mousset Cotes du Rhone Blanc, made from 80% Grenache Blanc and 20% Clairette. $14 suggested retail (US) While the wine production from the Rhone is huge, it’s split amongst more than 5000 producers. If you have a Total Wine near you, you’ll find this wine. If not, no worries. Look for a current vintage, not more than three years old. The 2021 are ideal. The 2020’s will generally be fuller. Choose a domaine bottled wine, meaning the grape grower also produced the wine. There are a good number of solid co-ops as well, but broadly speaking domaine bottlings are often the better option. Most will be under $15 US.
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