Beyond Viognier, California Rhone-style whites
on 02/11/10 at 10:25 am
WineAs Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio remain stuck in monotone, it’s a pleasure to see an ever-expanding roster of West Coast wineries producing Rhone-style efforts – beyond the once-and-again fortunes of Viognier (which we taste separately).
In part, it might be because more fruit is available; nearly twice as much Grenache Blanc was crushed in 2009 as in the previous year. But it’s also a matter of vintners exploring more interesting corners of the white-wine realm with grapes that are often well suited to California sun.