Val des Rois Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc 2022

Aromatic and juicy, the 2022 Val des Rois Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc is a delight to drink now and often. This hard-harvested Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc from organically grown grapes (50% Roussanne, 20% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, 10% Bourboulenc) offers a pure, sensuous bouquet of white flowers, exotic fruits, and jasmine with a refreshing citrus twist. In the mouth, this comely white wine caresses the palate with floral tones and mineral notes infused with exotic fruit flavors. Refreshing acidity imparts great palate appeal and a mouthwatering finish – all of which made us literally beg for more. Enjoy the lovely 2022 Val des Rois Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc now and often moderately chilled (40°-45° F). Anticipated maturity: 2024-2026. A vôtre santé!

The 2022 Val des Rois Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc provides a wonderful accompaniment to seafood, salads, legumes, and white meats. This exceptional Roussanne-based blend offers charm and elegance in its floral flavors and crisp, racy finish to complement Coconut Shrimp, Jerk Tuna Tartar Wraps, and Spicy Chicken and Cheese Flatbreads. White Bean and Sausage dishes and Vietnamese Spring Rolls with thin slices of shrimp, pork, and fennel pair nicely, too. A hearty salad of mixed organic greens, grilled chicken, cashews, and Mandarin orange slices offers a fine complement as well. And, for most of us, a clean glass is all that is needed in the way of accompaniments to this Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc. In a clean, thin glass the 2022 Val des Rois Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc will reveal its ultimate charm and prove to be an aperitif par excellence! Bon appétit.

Romain Bouchard founded Val des Rois in 1965 after emigrating from his family’s ancestral home in Burgundy to cultivate vines in the Southern Rhône village of Valréas. The Bouchard family remains renowned in Burgundy with deep roots in winemaking that date back to the 17th century, but it is in the Southern Rhône that Romain chose to make his mark. Romain was a man of great passion, vision, and determination whose life traversed the 20th century. He is widely acclaimed as a leader in revitalizing the Côtes-du-Rhône. He passed on his legacy and spirit of innovation to his son Emmanuel, a biologist and agricultural manager, who now holds the reins at Val des Rois. Emmanuel was instrumental in converting the estate’s vineyards to organic viticulture. Together, Emmanuel and winemaker Stéphane Vedeau craft exceptional wines with Ecocert Certification at Val de Rois.

Val des Rois, which translates to “Valley of the Kings,” lies nestled in the hills near Valréas in the Southern Rhône Valley. Valréas is one of the few villages in the Southern Rhône to cultivate the rare, mercurial Roussanne grape variety, and Val des Rois fashions an exceptionally fresh, floral Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc (this month’s feature) from the region’s autochthonous grapes, which include Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, and Bourboulenc. Val des Rois also serves as a center of agricultural research where it produces not only outstanding Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc but also several highly regarded red Côtes-du-Rhônes from Grenache and Syrah vines grown on the property’s stony limestone slopes.

Roussanne is a unique white grape variety that derives its name from the russet colored skin of its fully ripened clusters. Its home is the mostly red wine producing appellations of Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, and St. Joseph in the Northern Rhône Valley of France. In fact, Roussanne is the only white grape varietal other than Marsanne that is permitted in those premier appellations. Small amounts of Roussanne can also be found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and in a few select Côtes-du-Rhône vineyards.

Roussanne is a difficult grape to grow and an even harder grape to produce as a varietal. Its yield is low and irregular, and it is quite susceptible to powdery mildew and other viticultural maladies. By natural selection as well as all commercial accounts, Roussanne should be extinct and likely would be if it weren’t for a select group of passionate growers in whose hands Roussanne shines. From its fully ripened clusters flows one of the world’s most intriguing white wines, which often bears the distinct and haunting aromas of wildflowers and herbs. Roussanne can be enjoyed young or after many years of maturation. Unlike most white varietals, it can age for up to ten years or more in the bottle.

Presently, small plantings of Roussanne also exist in Australia, California, South Africa, and Washington State. Approximately 200 acres of Roussanne are presently under cultivation in California and even less acreage in Washington State, making Roussanne one of North America’s rarest and least planted grape varieties.