Organic White Wines from Rhône Valley Vineyards with pairings
Chardonnay is arguably the most popular white wine in the world, and we celebrate it on the Thursday before the final weekend in May. Sauvignon blanc comes in second, and it has its day in late April (sometimes early May). In June, Sue and I attended a Rhône In White event at Redbird in LA where we all dressed in white while we tasted a range of wines and styles with a focus on finding organic and biodynamic examples. So we decided for White Wine Day, we’d go Rhône, and further explore the three styles of Rhône Valley white wines: fresh and lively, fruity and round, rich and complex today plus ones from California tomorrow all paired with a summery menu of spicy deviled eggs, garlicky caesar salad with anchovy fritters, fresh black cod with capers, and lemon pasta with zuccini. Pictured below are a few of the wines we found notable plus details on three wines we sampled and paired at my house.
Rhône In White cocktails too!
“Fresh and lively” Rhône Valley wines include these grape varieties: grenache blanc, bourboulenc, piquepoul, ugni blanc, carignan blanc, viognier, muscat petits grains, roussanne, rolle, clairette and marsanne grown in relatively cooler climatic conditions from altitude and exposure on clay soils without pebbles to retain freshness that are harvested early for varietal aromas of citrus and white fruit and for higher acidity, lower sugar levels and lower potential alcohol. These wines are great for apéritif or pairing with summer salads and goat cheeses.
Rhône In White: Fruity and Round; some of the wines we tasted are looking for importers to the US or CA
“Fruity and round” Rhône Valley wines include these grapes: grenache blanc, clairette, bourboulenc, marsanne, roussanne, rolle, viognier and muscat petits grains grown in terroirs with cooler sites only for viognier, marsanne and roussanne that are harvested at maturity and made avoiding oxidation which leads to premature ageing and loss of freshness. These wines offer aromas of tropical fruits and stone fruits like peach and apricot with a round and fleshy texture on the palate plus plenty of acidity for balance to pair well with fish-based meals, white meats, and cheeses. An example is Domaine Lumian Les Pins Cotes du Rhône 2022 Vin Bio; read more about it below.
Rhône In White
“Rich and complex” Rhône Valley wines include these grape varieties: Grenache Blanc, clairette, bourboulenc, viognier, roussanne, marsanne, white carignan (old vines) and clairette rose grown on all terroirs with generally cooler sites only for viognier, marsanne, roussanne. Grapes are harvested “overripe” then aged longer in oak cask or barrique to produce aromas of fruit, spices and minerality with oaky notes, toast, or honey and varietal aromas combining with secondary aromas from winemaking and notes from ageing. For example, see Chateau Mourgues de Gres Capitelle 2021 Demeter Certified, Vin Bio below.
Rhône In White
Also, the Rhône In White event concluded with a Speakeasy with cocktails made using Rhône wines! What a fun way to end the evening!
Rhône In White cocktails!
Organic White Wines from Rhône Valley Vineyards
- Domaine A Berthet Raynes Cotes du Rhône 2022 Vin Bio
- Domaine Lumian Les Pins Cotes du Rhône 2022 Vin Bio
- Chateau Mourgues de Gres Capitelle 2021 Demeter Certified, Vin Bio
Organic White Wines from Rhône Valley Vineyards with pairings
Menu for White Wines from Rhône Valley Vineyards
- chipotle deviled smoked eggs (try adding caviar!)
- anchovy fritter Caesar salad
- California black cod with capers, lemon, butter, white wine
- organic Italian lemon Torchietti pasta with lemon, capers and organic zucchini
Domaine A Berthet Raynes Cotes du Rhône 2022 Vin Bio
Domaine A Berthet Raynes Cotes du Rhône 2022 Vin Bio
ABV: 13.8%
SRP: $19
Grapes: organic Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc
Importer: Elite Wines Imports
sample for my review
This fifth generation family winery located in the village of Cairanne in the Rhone Valley moved from organic to biodynamic practices in 2021. Read more: DOMAINE A. BERTHET RAYNE CÔTES DU RHONE blanc
Appearance: Pale lemon, platinum
Aroma: Summer’s day, a walk in the meadow, floral, chamomile, white flower, grass, creekside, baby powder,
Palate: Apricot, nectarine, black licorice, chamomile, clean and refreshing, long lasting finish
Pairing: The herbal elements in the wine were enhanced by the black cod dish, the wine loved the capers and the richness of the meal, because the lemon is so prevalent in the pasta dish it brings out spot on lemon richness in both the food and the wine, the salad is amazingly perfect with the wine, the anchovy fritters work alright, but it is all about the fresh romaine and the salad dressing which makes this a great pairing, the deviled eggs worked very nicely it was all about the smokiness that was highlighted by the wine.
Domaine Lumian Les Pins Cotes du Rhône 2022 Vin Bio
Domaine Lumian Les Pins Cotes du Rhône 2022 Vin Bio
ABV: 12.5%
SRP:
Grapes: organic Grenache blanc 40%, Clairette 20%, Viognier 15%, Marsanne 15%, Bourboulenc 8%, Roussanne 8% is the blend for the 2023 vintage but the 2022 leads with Viognier
Importer: ?
sample for my review
Appearance: Very pretty lemon yellow, platinum rim, crystal clear
Aroma: French minerality, ocean breeze, rose geranium, salinity, sea grass,
Palate: Punch of lemon, lime, white stone fruit, a lot of salinity, good acidity
Pairing: Beautiful with the deviled eggs loving the creamy richness, with the pasta there is a lemon meets lemon loveliness, so perfect together, the ceasar salad dressing is so fantastic with the wine making the wine so sweet fruity and rich, good with the fritter as well, the rich peachy goodness is enhanced in the wine and a beautiful pepper quality is forefront in the fritters, rich and creamy and peachy when the black cod is paired with the wine.
Chateau Mourgues de Gres Capitelle 2021 Demeter Certified, Vin Bio
Chateau Mourgues de Gres Capitelle 2021 Demeter Certified, Vin Bio
ABV: 14%
SRP: $15
Grapes: Demeter certified Biodynamic Grenache Blanc, Vermentino
Importer: ?
sample for my review
These grapes have been certified as Organic Agriculture grapes since the 2015 vintage.
A small, igloo-shaped hut made out of dry stones (no mortar) called a Capitelle where farmers and wine sought shelter or stored tools inspired inspired the name and the direction of this wine: “our wine finds its
place in history; like its walls shaped with precision, we search for the harmony of a delicate yet structured wine.
Our ageing cellar, constructed with the same Beaucaire stone, shelters the barrels underground, under vaulted ceilings that keep them cool and allow them to age in peace. The result of this cuvee is concentration and elegance.” Sure makes me want to visit and taste their wines in person!
I can’t believe that this wine is only $15– wow, what a deal!
Appearance: Pale lemon, platinum rim, quite clear in the glass
Aroma: Chamomile, rose geranium, mint, yellow stone fruit, honeysuckle, creekside, apricot
Palate: Lemon balm, nectarine, fresh and clean, drying, structured tannins, tart Eureka lemon, fennel, tropical fruits on the finish, lovely and complex with a fascinating mouthfeel.
Pairing: The fish and the capers in the fish dish bring out beautiful herbal elements in the wine on the palate and the nose, lemon meets lemon in both the food and the pasta dish. These two are perfect companions and even better when the juices from the fish run through the bright pasta dish. The Caesar salad and the wine were just “Wow!” together– such an umami richness in the salad dressing that is enhanced by the wine. The deviled eggs were also beautiful with the wine.
Their website offers a number of delicious looking recipes! Check them out!
Happy White Wine Day! What’s in your glass?
Rhône In White– organic!
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 