"roussanne" news and stories

Roussanne is a fairly modern grape – to the United States at least. It wasn't until the 1990s that central coast producers in California jumped on the bandwagon and began growing Roussanne, a rich and luscious white grape tracing back to the Rhône region of France. Today, 80 percent of France's Roussanne is grown in Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon and Vaucluse.

The grape's first introduction to America, during the 1870s in Northern California, failed miserably and those vines were all pulled out by 1927. Undeterred, several producers along the Central Coast took new cuttings and planted them in more Southern soil. The results have been phenomenal.

A glass of Roussanne has wonderful floral, herbal and honey notes, much of them clothed in spices. It's a great white wine for the winter months, as its full body and intense flavor can stack up nicely against heavier comfort foods. Here are two California Roussannes that we highly recommend. You can pair either of these – or any Roussanne – with rich cheeses, lobster, grilled fish, mildly spicy foods or creamy sauces, and just about any dish containing rosemary.