Roussanne

Overview

Roussanne is the aromatic white grape of the Northern Rhone, almost always blended with Marsanne in the white wines of Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Peray. It also appears in white Chateauneuf-du-Pape, where it is blended with Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and Bourboulenc. Named for the russet (roux) color of its ripe berries, Roussanne is the more finicky and lower-yielding of the Marsanne-Roussanne pair, but contributes essential aromatics and acidity to the blend.

Key Regions

• Hermitage — blended at 15-20% with Marsanne in white Hermitage. At Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Roussanne comes from parcels in Rocoules, Peleat, and L’Hermite.
• Saint-Joseph — a minor blending component in whites.
• Chateauneuf-du-Pape — used in white Chateauneuf blends; Chateau de Beaucastel’s white is notably Roussanne-dominant.
• Saint-Peray — typically 20% of the blend with Marsanne; contributes lift and floral notes.

Style Notes

Roussanne contributes what Marsanne alone lacks: floral aromatics (herbal tea, white flowers, pear blossom), higher acidity, and a finer-grained texture. It is more susceptible to disease and lower-yielding than Marsanne, which is why most producers use it as the minority partner. But where Roussanne is given a larger role (as in some Chateauneuf blancs), it brings a nervosity and aromatic complexity that can be stunning.

In the Northern Rhone, the L’Hermite vineyard at Hermitage has historically produced some of the most distinctive Roussanne — Chave has been harvesting this parcel earlier in recent vintages for increased freshness.

Synonyms

• Roussette — sometimes used, though this technically refers to a different grape (Altesse) in Savoie
• Bergeron — a name used in some parts of the Rhone (though more commonly applied to Roussanne in the Savoie region)

My Tastings

Sources

• sources/articles/JLL/Domaine_Jean-Louis_Chave.txt — White Hermitage blending details
• sources/articles/JLL/Domaine_Auguste_Clape.txt — Saint-Peray blending details