Roussanne, The Pefect Blending Grape

Roussanne, The Pefect Blending GrapeAuthor: Sarah MartinRoussanne is a white wine grape grown that originated in the Rhône wine region in France, where it is often blended with the Marsanne grape to make quality wines. It is one of the few white varietal grapes that are grown in the highly regulated Northern Rhone regions which are mainly devoted to growing blended wines. Roussanne is blended into white wines but it is also often blended into red wines. The name comes from the word that means russet brown. The grape itself is a golden greenish yellow tinged with color in a way that almost makes it look rusted.

It is a very fragrant but quite delicate grape. The Roussane grape is also cultivated in North America (particularly in Washington and California), in Australia, and in Europe (especially in Spain and Tuscany.) In Australia it is blended with Shiraz (http://www.wineaccess.com/wine/grape/Syrah/Shiraz/) and grown mainly near Victoria. The grape is famous for rounding out the taste of wines so that they are fuller and sweeter tasting. The grapes are a reddish brown color when ripe and the aroma that it creates when made into wine is often reminiscent of pears and honey. Grapes grown in cooler climates also have flowery notes that are detectable on both the tongue and the nose.

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