2016 Cotes du Rhone Blanc

(raised half in used barriques and half in stainless steel tanks) Pale gold. Dried pear and lemon zest on the nose; subtle herbal and floral nuances build as the wine opens up. Dry, focused and chewy in texture, offering Meyer lemon and pear nectar flavors that flesh out slowly on the back half. Closes with solid grip, gentle spiciness and good, floral-tinged persistence.

Tasting like a mini-Condrieu, the 2016 Côtes du Rhône Blanc (Marsanne, Viognier, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc) offers lots of orange blossom, honeysuckle, and flower notes as well as a fresh, nicely textured style on the palate. It’s going to shine on the dinner table over the coming year or two. Readers looking for classic, old-school, age-worthy Cote Rotie should look no further than the wines from Jean-Paul and Corinne Jamet. While 2015 is an incredible vintage for this estate, the 2016s are also some of the more impressive in the appellation.

A blend of Marsanne (50%), Viognier (25%), Roussanne (12.5%) and Grenache Blanc (12.5%), the 2016 Cotes du Rhone Blanc was aged in a combination of barrels and tank. It's medium-bodied and refreshing, bursting with bright notes of lime and orange before coming to a long, briny-zesty finish. Drink it over the next few years.