Roussanne
roo-SAHN · Vitis vinifera ‘Roussanne’
A white Rhône grape named for the russet color of its ripe berries — apricot, pear, and honeysuckle over a full, waxy texture, and unusually built to age. Finicky in the vineyard, rewarding in the glass, and increasingly a serious Texas white.
/ What it tastes like /
Pear and apricot with a lift of honeysuckle and something like herbal tea, carried on a full, almost waxy texture that fills the mouth more than most whites. The acidity is moderate rather than sharp, so it comes across round and soft on the finish. At Solaro the cold-soak method pulled out extra peach, apricot, and roundness — softer at the end than the Trebbiano poured beside it. And unusually for a white, good Roussanne ages, turning richer and more honeyed with a few years.
/ Why it works in Texas /
Roussanne ripens late and likes heat and wind — its russet, thick-ish skins take the sun, and it holds its texture and aromatics where thinner whites go flat. That makes it one of the whites best suited to carry Texas past Viognier, and the High Plains is already growing it: sixteen acres of estate fruit sit behind the Sandy Road program alone.
/ What to eat with it /
It has the body to stand up to real food: roast chicken, pork, a creamy pasta, richer fish like salmon, or a soft, washed-rind cheese. Where a lighter, crisper white would get steamrolled, Roussanne’s weight and texture meet the plate halfway.
/ From our visits /