Not All Rhônes are Red

I love red Rhône blends. They're zesty, spicy, and offer great value. Even wines from well-known appellations like Châteauneuf-du-Pape are relatively inexpensive when judged by the standards of Bordeaux and Burgundy.

Most wine drinkers are not as well-acquainted with the delicious white blends that are made with Rhône varietals such as Grenache Blanc, Viognier, and Marsanne. These whites are classy, elegant, and provide a welcome break from the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc you might be drinking.

Rhône whites can be a bit pricey, in part because three quarters of the grapes grown in the region are red. But Rhône varietals are also grown in the US and in other parts of the world and can provide a good starting point if you want to learn more about these wines.

One great example of a Rhône white blend, for instance, is the 2008 Eberle Cotes-du-Robles Blanc from Paso Robles (suggested retail $24; available in the market for $20-$29). This delicious blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Viognier has aromas and flavors that are reminiscent of a summer day, with lots of pear, Golden Delicious apples, and even a touch of apricot. Rhône whites typically have herbal notes as well, and in this case I was reminded of the grassy and floral flavor profile of chamomile tea. Even though the price of the wine is slightly more than $20, it represents excellent QPR.

Like most wines made with Rhône grapes, the white blends are excellent food wines, too. I especially like Rhône white blends when I'm making a dish that uses lots of herbs and spices, where the aromatics in the wine enhance the food. We had this with amazing Salsa Verde Chicken with Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings from Pam Anderson's Perfect One-Dish Dinners. This is an easy-to-prepare yet impressively tasty dish that has tomatillo and herb salsa--not the easiest thing to pair with a wine. Yet it was delicious with the white blend from Eberle.

If you are interested in learning more about check out the resources on the Hospice du Rhône website. And enjoy your adventures into the world of white wine made with Rhône grapes.

Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for review.

Hospice du Rhone--Some Images

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the 2009 Hospice du Rhone event in Paso Robles.

It was a wonderful experience--full of great wine, great conversation, and great food. I'll have a full story on Friday on Serious Eats, but until then I thought you might enjoy seeing some images from the event. Stay tuned for more both here and on Serious Grape, my weekly column on Serious Eats.

Hospice du Rhone Coverage--Friday and Saturday

Tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday I'll be at the Hospice du Rhone event in Paso Robles. (photo courtesy of Mel Hill/Hospice du Rhone)

If you'd like to follow periodic updates from the event, head on over to my feed on Twitter, where I'll be posting news throughout the day. If you're already on twitter, you can follow me @drdebs (how's that for creative?) Don't worry--there won't be a string of notes all day. I can't multitask that well! Instead, I'll take a break now and again to give you some of the highlights.

Expect more fulsome coverage in the days and weeks to come. Meanwhile I hope you'll all enjoy these sips of Hospice du Rhone.