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known forgrowingmoreunusualgrapessuchasviognier,
roussanne,mourvedre, grenache, andsyrah, amongoth-
ers.Thereare22grapevarietalsoriginating fromRhone,
which isknownnotonly for its idiosyncraticgrapesbut
also its innovativewayofblending tocreate fruit-forward
winesburstingwithflavors thatgobeautifullywithawide
varietyof foods.Connoisseursknow theFrenchversionsof
thesewinesasCotesduRhones, generally lessexpensive
wines featuringgrapesmostly from thesouthernRhone,
andChateauneuf-du-Pape (CDP), thehighestquality
blendscombininggrenache, syrah, andmourvedre (often
referred toasaGSM), alongwithasmanyas10otherCDP-
approvedgrapes, dependingon thewinemaker.
Someof thesevarietals, suchascarignane, syrah, and
grenache,havebeengrowing insmallquantities innorth-
ernCalifornia foroveracenturywith littlenotice.Often
broughtacross thepond illegally, theywereblended into
jugwines that rarely listed thevarietalsbyname, or they
wereused tocreatesemisweetwines that felloutof favor
withmostAmericans’ tastes in the1970s.However, percep-
tionsbegan tochangeadecade later, andespecially in the
1990swith the formationof theRhoneRangers,anonprofit
groupofAmericanwinemakersdedicated toproducing
award-winningRhone-stylewines. “Thesewerewinemak-
ers justgettingstarted in theircareerswhostartedgoing
toplaces likeKermitLynch’swineshop inBerkeley that is
allaboutFrenchand Italianwines,”explainsCherylQuist,
executivedirectorof theRhoneRangers. “He inspired
someof theearlyRhoneRangers likeGaryEberle [Eberle
Winery]andRandallGrahm [BonnyDoon],whobought
thesewinesand loved themsomuch theystartedgoing to
theRhoneandbringingbackwhatareoftenreferred toas
suitcaseclones—grapecuttingsbroughtover insuitcases.
So itkindofgotstarted inaveryorganicway.”
Back then, ifyouwereanAmericanwinemakerproduc-
inganythingother thanchardonnayorcabernet, youwere
takinganenormousfinancial risk.Byconcentratingon
Rhones,now-establishedwinemakerssuchasBob
Lindquist (Qupé),BillCrawford (McDowellValleyVine-
yards), CraigWilliams (formerlyof JosephPhelps
Vineyards),SteveEdmunds (EdmundsSt. John), and
AdamTolmach (TheOjaiVineyard), amongothers, “were
bucking the trend.Theywerealmost like theLoneRanger
... championsof thegreatergood,”saysQuist, explaining
how theRhoneRangersgot theirname.
WhatmakesRhonewinessoenticing tobothAmerican
winemakersanddrinkersalikeare thesubtleflavorsand
nuances thatenhance, rather thanoverwhelm, the food-
pairingexperience.Somecabernetsandchardonnays, for
instance,havea lotofalcoholorresidual sugars that tend
toclashwithmany foods,whileRhonewinesaremuch
moreversatileandbettersuited toAmericandiets.Take
roussanne, forexample. “It’sa full-bodiedwhitewithwaxy
flavors, a touchofoatmealon thenosewithacreamy tex-
ture, andanicedeparture fromall thoseoakychardon-
nays,”explainsErnstStorm, thewinemakeratLos
Olivos-basedCurtis, theRhone-stylewineryownedby
Brooks&KateFirestone (of theOhio tire family),who
helped introduce thewine industry toSantaBarbara’s
SantaYnezValley in the late1960s.Bycontrast, “syrahs
aredarker,morerustic,withwhite-andblack-peppernotes
thatgowellwithrichermeatsandbarbecue,whilegre-
nacheshowcasesmorehigh-tonered fruit, strawberryfla-
vors thataremoredelicateandworkwellwith lighter
meats, duck, andothergamebirds,”hesays,notinghow
theCaliforniaclimate isperfectlysuited to theRhone
winemakingstyle.Whichdoesn’tmean theyare immune
toothergrowingregions;most recentlyRhonegrapeshave
alsoprovensuccessful instates likeWashington,Oregon,
andVirginia, amongothers.
Oneof thefirst torecognize thepotential forRhone
grapes inCaliforniawasTablasCreek, an influentialPaso
Robles-basedwinery launched in1989byanAmerican
businessman,RobertHaas,working incollaborationwith
theFrenchwineryChâteaudeBeaucastel.Haasboughthis
firstRhonecuttings from theBeaucastelvineyard that
sameyearandentered intoa three-yearUSDAquarantine
program to legally import thegrapes into theUnited
States.By1992hehadenoughcuttings todevelopa
SampletheRhones
These upcoming Rhone Ranger (800-467-0163,
rhonerangers.org) wine-tasting events offer the perfect
opportunity to savor the flavors of the Rhone.
NEWYORK CITY, NOVEMBER 7
Wine tastingwithmore than 30wineries;
in partnershipwithCityWinery. 155 Varick Street
PASOROBLES, CALIFORNIA, FEBRUARY17, 2013
Paso Robles Rhone Rangers Experiencewine tastingwith
more than 40wineries. (805) 239-1231, ext. 26
SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 22-23, 2013
16thAnnualWeekend Celebration of AmericanRhones,
with seminars, winemaker dinner, andwine tasting
featuringmore than 100wineries.
If you join theRhoneRangers as a “Sidekick,” youwill
automatically be notifiedof upcoming events and receive
special discounts on tickets. Visit rhonerangers.org and
click on “Become aMember,” and then click on “Sidekick.”
There is no charge tobecome a Sidekickmember.
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FALL 2012
