Writer’s Block, Lake County (California) Roussanne 2016

 Roussanne is a grape grown in the Rhône Valley and often, along with Marsanne and Viognier, is used with to make white wines from that region.  Similar to their Syrah, what’s in the bottle is far superior to what’s on the bottle, so don’t be put off by the name.  This Roussanne delivers a lovely stone fruit quality with subtle peachy apricot-y notes buttressed by a bright and fresh bite, a characteristic often lacking in white Rhônes.  It’s a great choice for this summer’s drinking — either as a stand-alone pre-dinner drink or with roasted or grilled pork.