White Rhône Blends: It’s Not All About the Reds

When we think of the Rhône Valley, we think of iconic red wine producing villages such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the classic ‘GSM’ blend that originates in this French region (that’s Grenache blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre). While no one is denying that these deserve all the attention they get, we want to draw your attention to the lesser known wines of this region that often miss out on the limelight. After all, it’s always fun to be let in on a secret, isn’t it…

In this beautiful region of rolling green hills and scenic riverside vineyards, you’ll find many winemakers crafting luxurious wines of the highest quality. A variety of landscapes and microclimates throughout the region offers a diverse palate of aromas and flavours in the wines produced here.

Rhône has always had a reputation of high standards – in fact, it was the birthplace of the wine appellation system we see enforced across France today, which is a set of quality control measures put in place to ensure that wines produced in certain regions are authentic expressions of the area in which they are produced.

Rhône Valley is home to over 6,000 wine growing estates, collectively producing an impressive 105 million gallons of wine annually (and these wines are generally all highly regarded, regardless of which tier in the Rhône wine hierarchy they sit). Only a small volume of this is white wine production, which – in our opinion – makes these relatively under the radar white Rhône blends even more special.

The key white grape varieties used in white Rhône blends are Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Roussanne. Each variety producing lusciously full-bodied, complex and aromatic blends, it’s fair to say that Côtes du Rhône has its own distinct style of white wine, just like it does with its famed red blends.

Roussanne, in particular, is synonymous with the Rhône region as it’s a rare grape variety that not only does well in the Southern French climate but also originates in Rhône. It produces full wines with alluring notes of chamomile, brioche, apricot, beeswax and citrus – a fine example of this being La Becassonne Côtes du Rhône Blanc. New to our site, it’s made from 40 year old Roussanne vines, giving it wonderfully concentrated fruit and floral flavours accompanied by additional hints of spice, minerality and exotic fruit.

Alongside Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier are white grapes that are also native to the Rhône Valley, and the classic style of these native grapes tends to be unoaked, rich and food friendly.

Another great white Rhône blend to try from our range is Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Blanc. Made from fragrant Grenache Blanc, it has a subtle, buttery nose, followed by notes of honeysuckle, orchard fruit and almond. Well balanced and rich, this is certainly a white wine for pairing with food, and is a match made in heaven for all kinds of Mediterranean cuisine, chicken dishes and seafood. Definitely one to grab for your picnic as we enter spring!

The truth is, it may seem as though we’ve let you in on a secret here, but the reality is that white Côtes du Rhône wines are actually just as iconic as their red relatives in France, and a big part of the region’s long and prestigious history. Take Condrieu and Hermitage, for example, which are both wine growing appellations in northern Rhône famously producing some of the finest white blends you’ll find in the Old World.