🍇 Roussanne
White grape of the Rhône Valley; 1,352 ha in France in 2009 (VIVC); dry, sparkling and straw wines, often blended with Marsanne.
Roussanne is a white wine grape from the Rhône Valley in France. According to VIVC, the catalogue lists 27 synonyms for it, and its area in France was 1,352 ha in 2009. It goes into dry still and sparkling wines as well as sweet straw wines, and it is often blended with Marsanne.
The name is linked to the French roux, meaning “russet”: ripe berries are a reddish gold. According to Inter Rhône, the variety is permitted in 21 Rhône appellations and makes up 1.39% of the region's vineyards; it suits warm, stony, well-drained soils. It is sensitive to powdery mildew and grey rot.
In the PDO documents for Hermitage and Saint-Péray, Roussanne is described as “more anecdotal” than Marsanne, which dominates the white wines; in Saint-Péray only these two white varieties are allowed. The maximum yield for white wines is 45 hl/ha in Hermitage, and in Saint-Péray 45 hl/ha for still and 52 hl/ha for sparkling wines.
According to Inter Rhône, Roussanne wine is elegant, balanced and structured; a floral aroma of honeysuckle and iris turns with time into dried fruit and honey, and the wines age well. Inter Rhône points to a great ageing potential for such wines.
Why it matters to you. Hermitage or Saint-Péray are names of places and rules, not of grape varieties: Roussanne may be only part of the blend in them. So look at the composition of the blend, not just the name. Alcohol is for adults; drink in moderation.
Facts
| Country | France 1 |
|---|---|
| Region | Rhône Valley: Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Saint-Péray, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 4 |
| Main use | Dry still and sparkling wines, straw wines; often with Marsanne 4 |
| Yield | Hermitage (white) — up to 45 hl/ha; Saint-Péray — 45 and 52 hl/ha 23 |
| Hardiness | Sensitive to powdery mildew and grey rot 4 |
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Roussanne → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ French wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Rhône Valley, 📍 Savoie, 📍 Languedoc, 📍 Northern Rhône
- Main grape in
- 📜 Saint-Péray, 📜 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 📜 Crozes-Hermitage, 📜 Hermitage, 📜 Saint-Joseph
- Related to
- 🍷 Guigal Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc, 🍷 Guigal Hermitage Blanc, 🍷 Guigal Saint-Joseph Lieu-dit Blanc, 🍷 Guigal Saint-Joseph Blanc, 🍷 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, 🍷 Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, 🍷 Guigal Côtes du Rhône Blanc, 🍷 Château de Nalys Blanc
- Wines made from it
- 🍷 Blend
- Similar and different
- 🍇 Marsanne
Frequently asked questions
What is Roussanne?
A white wine grape from the Rhône Valley in France; according to VIVC, its area in France in 2009 was 1,352 ha and it has 27 synonyms.
Where does the name Roussanne come from?
It is linked to the word roux, “russet”: ripe berries are a reddish gold.
What wines are made from Roussanne?
According to Inter Rhône, still dry and sparkling white wines (Saint-Péray) as well as sweet straw wines; they are elegant, floral and age well.
Is it true that Roussanne is the main grape of white Hermitage?
No. The PDO Hermitage document names Marsanne as the main variety of the white wines and Roussanne as the “more anecdotal” one.
How much Roussanne is there in the Rhône Valley?
According to Inter Rhône, 1.39% of the region's vineyards; the variety is permitted in 21 appellations.
What to read next
- 🗺️ French wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
- 📜 Châteauneuf-du-Pape — French PDO for still white and red wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and four other communes of the Vaucluse.
- 🍷 Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc — Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc: white wine by Guigal from the southern Rhône; Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
- 📍 Savoie — An Alpine region in eastern France from Lake Geneva to the Combe de Savoie; AOC Savoie with 56 communes, Jacquère, Altesse and Mondeuse.
- 🍷 Blend — Mixing wines or grape juices of different origins, varieties, vintages or categories; on an EU label the named varieties have to make up 100 %.
Similar
🍇 Marsanne · 🍇 Piquepoul Blanc · 🍇 Bourboulenc · 🍇 Clairette · 🍇 Aubun · 🍇 Clairette Blanche
Sources
- VIVC. Roussanne (passport 10258)
- eAmbrosia (реєстр GI ЄС): PDO «Hermitage», зведений документ
- eAmbrosia: PDO «Saint-Péray», зведений документ
- Inter Rhône. Roussanne grape variety