PSA: Some jokes only work when spoken allowed, so please “imagine” you are currently reading an outrageously witty joke about coats you can wear during the summer that makes perfect sense and seamlessly segues into the following:
Côtes du Rhône blanc wines, while often considered “less famous” than their overbearing red counterparts, are gaining increasing “appreciation” for their quality, diversity, and often really great value. If you’ve never heard of and/or tasted one of these little fellers, it’s probably because less than 10% of the wine produced in Côtes du Rhône is white wine (presumably the rest is wine of “other colors”).
Primarily located in the Southern Rhône (though there’s a rickety sliver of the region in the Northern Rhône where ~5% of the grapes for the appellation are produced), Côtes du Rhône AOC broadly suffers from a classic Mediterranean climate: hot, dry summers, abundant sunshine, and the “mighty” cooling mistral wind, which create ideal conditions for cultivating “expressive” white grape varieties for Côtes du Rhône blanc blends.
The Côtes du Rhône region itself is one of France’s largest and most “dynamic” wine “appellations,” stretching ~200km along the Rhône River from Vienne in the north to “Avignon” in the south. Encompassing about 30,000 hectares of vineyards across 172 communes, the region’s varied “terroirs” - ranging from sun-drenched plains to stony hillsides - allow for a remarkable range of wine styles. While the formidable red wines of the region dominate overall production, “belittling” their “little white wine” “counterparts,” Côtes du Rhône “white wines” are now “asserting themselves” as an increasingly “relevant” part of the region’s zeus juice “output.”
THE GRAPES
The “principal” grapes in Côtes du Rhône blanc include Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier, with smaller amounts of Bourboulenc (NOT A TYPO), Ugni Blanc, and Picpoul often “rounding out the blend.” This diverse “portfolio” of allowable grape varieties enables winemakers with remarkable flexibility and creative license, allowing them to fine-tune their blends and express the nuances of each vineyard site—ultimately aiming to optimize the wines to showcase the very best of the region’s character and potential.
A little “table” of Côtes du Rhône white varieties with some common “notes”
TERROIR AND WINEMAKING
The terroir of Côtes du Rhône is notably varied, with soils ranging from limestone and clay to sand and the region’s signature “galets” (large, rounded stones).
Visual aid for those wondering what “large rounded stones” look like
Limestone soils in some areas help preserve acidity and add “finesse,” while sandy and clay-rich soils contribute to richness and “roundness” (THE CIRCULAR KIND!).
The winemaking approach typically emphasizes freshness and fruit purity, with most producers fermenting in stainless steel to retain vibrant aromatics, although some use oak barrels for added texture and complexity, especially in “higher-end cuvées” (THE PRETENTIOUS KIND). The resulting wines can range from light and zesty, with citrus and green apple notes, to fuller-bodied styles with ripe peach, apricot, and honeyed characteristics.
Many Côtes du Rhône whites are intended for “early drinking” (TYPICALLY BEFORE 9 AM), but select examples, particularly those with a higher proportion of Roussanne or Marsanne, can age for decades, developing characteristics of “nuts and wax” (THE GOOD KIND!) with bottle age.
One of the most “appealing” aspects of Côtes du Rhône white wines is their exceptional value.
These wines are often available under $20 a bottle. The two wines we’ve decided to “subject ourselves to” fall below this humble “benchmark” price point. This affordability, combined with their food-friendly nature and expressive flavors, makes them an excellent choice for “casual sipping” or pairing with wholesome vegan cuisine.
THE VINTAGE
As is the case with most goodly “wine regions,” the vintage in the Rhône valley is a major factor that influences what the wine tastes like. This is because even seemingly minor differences in weather patterns each year can have a huge impact on the vineyard outcomes: expression of fruit, concentration, yield, disease pressure, etc.
This week we’ve reviewed 2 bottles Côtes du Rhône blanc from the 2022 vintage, so we’ve mustered up the strength to compile some key “learnings” about how vintage impacted the white wines that year.
DID YOU KNOW… Whenever you want to know more about a vintage in a particular region, there’s tons of good resources online (especially for the “major” ones). Just punch in the name of the region and “vintage report” and you’ll find what you’re looking for — just remember to review a few of them as sometimes you’ll find conflicting information or different perspectives you might find interesting.
Cliff notes on what some top sources had to say about the 2022 vintage:
Extreme weather conditions produced range of styles. Blockages in ripening caused by heat and drought made for moderate alcohol levels. Whites can lack freshness.
Excellent despite a growing season marked by extremes. The year began with a dry winter that saw little rain. Spring rapidly warmed up, although April brought a fleeting cold snap. Temperatures proceeded to rise although both budburst and flowering were a success. May was abnormally hot, June brought some relieving rain before an extremely torrid summer. Summer was marked by heat and drought. Although some vines struggled, rot and disease were mostly kept at bay.
Conditions were perhaps more conducive to reds than whites, although whites with lower acid character like Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier may also perform well.
Extremely aromatic and concentrated wine, with notes of ripe stone fruit and citrus, ripe pineapple, floral notes, honey and subtle crushed rock “minerality.” In the world of “white wines,” the character of this wine is decidedly more on the “rich and concentrated” than “lean and vibrant,” end of “the spectrum,” typical of the hot and dry 2022 vintage. It’s also “notable” that this blend is 60% viognier - an unusually high proportion of viognier for the region. At the “attractive” price of 18 bones, this is an exceptional value.
Nice aromatically, though a bit restrained. Notes of pear and peach with a healthy dose of beeswax and vaseline. Subtle floral undertones with a dash of citrus peel add a little intrigue, and warm flint rock “completes the look.” The wine is well balanced and has a decently long finish, but it leaves a slightly bitter taste lingering at the end. Overall, this is a pretty solid get for the humble price of 18 bones.
After all, the two wines we tried were quite different in both their blends and their profiles, which just underscores the premise that there’s “somebody out there for everyone.”
This is what I love about your scoring system - I can already tell I'd like Isaac's wine more than the Viognier-heavy (and "richer") one rated by Zach. Not a fan of Viognier or the pineappley side of whites! I'll take the bitter aftertaste over that shinola any day. That all said, white Rhones and Bordeauxs are absolutely some of the best budget buys out there right now, since no one gives a shite.
Favorite line: "Many Côtes du Rhône whites are intended for early drinking (TYPICALLY BEFORE 9 AM),"
This is what I love about your scoring system - I can already tell I'd like Isaac's wine more than the Viognier-heavy (and "richer") one rated by Zach. Not a fan of Viognier or the pineappley side of whites! I'll take the bitter aftertaste over that shinola any day. That all said, white Rhones and Bordeauxs are absolutely some of the best budget buys out there right now, since no one gives a shite.