Roussanne wines are often described as more elegant than those of its better known cousin Marsanne.
However in the vineyard the variety is less popular because of its lack of hardiness and susceptibility to powdery mildew.
In his book Grapes & Wines Oz Clarke likens the aromas of Roussanne to those of herbal tea and pears.
With age the floral notes in the aroma are replaced with more complex characters. Like its sister variety Marsanne this variety ages very well, if you give it five or even ten years bottle age.
In Australia this variety is made into varietal wines, but it is more often blended with Marsanne, or occasionally in a three way blend with Viognier.
The historic Yerringberg in the Yarra Valley makes outstanding varietal wine from Roussanne. It needs extended bottle age.
In the Northern Rhone the variety is used in blends with Marsanne to make white Hermitage wines, it is also used as a component of the red wines of Chateauneuf du Pape.
Roussanne is becoming increasingly popular in several other regions of Southern France including Provence and the Languedoc and Roussillon wine regions.
It is also a favourite variety among the 'Rhone Rangers' of California, and there are some plantings in Northern Italy.
Buy some Roussanne at Vinodiversity's wine merchant partner
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These wineries use the Roussanne variety. Some make a varietal Roussanne, others blend it with the other Rhone white varieties Marsanne and/or Viognier
At the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS) in 2019 these wines won medals
See the full list of varieties described on this site
Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz
Roussanne wines are typically moderate to full bodied so can be enjoyed with richer seafood dishes such as crab, lobster and scallops.
You can also try these wines with roast chicken or turkey, just as you would pair a Chardonnay.
An aged Roussanne would be enhanced with a cheese board with some hard cheese, an aromatic soft cheese and a generous dab of quince paste.
You can find many more suggestions for food pairing with Roussanne in Evan Goldstein's Daring Pairings book.
This dozen contains 2 bottles from each of six different producers in several regions. It gives you a broad overview of the styles of Australian Tempranillo.
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