Rhône White Wine

While the red wines are better known, the white wines of the Rhône are well worth discovering, not least since they offer singular styles that are not found anywhere else in France – and rarely replicated in other parts of the world. Again, these styles are different in the north and south of the region. In the Northern Rhône, the key white grape is Viognier, celebrated for producing full-bodied, aromatic wines with apricot and peach notes, often marked by an oily texture, especially in Condrieu. Marsanne and Roussanne are the other main varieties, most commonly seen blended in such appellations as Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage to create complex, textured wines with honeyed, nutty nuance. In the Southern Rhône, the whites tend to be fresher and brighter, balancing richness with spiciness and crisp acidity, as in the white blends of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which tend to rely on Grenache Blanc, along with lesser-known varieties such as Clairette.