2010 Roussanne, Vin De Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, Domaine Cuilleron
About this WINE
Roussanne
Roussanne is one of the most important white grape varieties in the Rhône Valley. It is a particularly pernickety grape to cultivate being a notoriously low yielder as well as being highly susceptible to rot. It is difficult to ripen, and seemingly prone to oxidation at every opportunity. Roussanne's name comes from its russet-coloured skin and it produces richly aromatic wines, often with fruit characteristics of lime and blossom.
In the northern Rhône it is typically blended with Marsanne to produce the white wines of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph, and St-Péray. Generally Marsanne is the dominant partner and it lends colour, body and weight to the blend, as well as richly scented fruit, while Roussanne contributes bouquet, delicacy and finesse.
It is grown less extensively in the southern Rhône although it is one of the permitted varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are plantings of Roussanne in the Languedoc and Rousillon and in the last decade the grape have been cultivated with particular success in California, where it is produced both as a single varietal and as a component of Rhône-style blends.
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Description
Yves Cuilleron, has long been seen as the leader of Condrieu's new generation of winemakers, so long in fact that the word ‘new’ is probably somewhat redundant in this description. Be that as it may, he is still a leading light, although, warming to the theme, it seems that the enfant terrible has now grown up.
This is evidenced by less use of new oak and an even more precise delineation of the terroir of his ever-increasing vineyard holdings. Although based at Chavanay, in the south of Condrieu, his vines cover impressive plots in not only Condrieu, but also Côte Rôtie and St Joseph. It is from just outside the delimited area of St Joseph, indeed, just to the south of Chavanay and therefore of Condrieu itself, that this excellent Roussanne has been cultivated.
The grapes have been grown organically on poor granitic soils, then fermented in stainless steel and matured in both tank and (old) barrels for six months. With rich honeysuckle and grapefruit aromas, so typical of this variety, the wine impresses on the palate with its precise acidity buttressing a fruit basket of ripe and seductive flavours.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)
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