Roussanne

Marsanne's aromatic blending partner; pear and herb.

Roussanne is the more aromatic of the two Northern Rhône whites — the name reflects its russet-tinged ripe berries — and traditionally blends with Marsanne for white Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. Solo bottlings show pear, herbal tea, and a distinctive honeyed edge with more acid than Marsanne. The grape is finicky in the vineyard, prone to mildew and inconsistent yields. Quality plantings in California's Paso Robles and Washington have yielded credible New World Roussanne in recent decades.