As one of the varietals mostly used in jug wine blends, French Colombard is often considered here in the states as a spicy quaff. But Y Rousseau in California’s Russian River Valley is out to change that impression. Considering the owner’s rich French heritage in winemaking, along with access to one of California’s best growing regions, how can they miss?
What makes Rousseau’s French Colombard different from other crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, is a subtle fruity component that’s a little like apricot. This slightly heavier hint of fruit combined with clean mineral (flinty) trace on the bouquet is probably what caught the attention of professional tasters when sampling this wine. Subtleties like this are what move a wine’s ratings up the chart.
However, the biggest benefit of a wine like this is its food pairing potential. Like a nice lemon squeeze on a crispy fish fillet, the bright citrus component in this wine makes it a pairing champ. Bright acidity brings another dimension to seafood that may otherwise be a little on the blah side. A recent pairing with lightly breaded Haddock made this wine really strut its stuff.
Note: When consumed solo, this rendition of French Colombard can be a bit much, even if served super chilled. It’s created to be at the dinner table, and that’s just where it belongs.
The Y Rousseau Colombard is now available at our Phoenix area AJs for under $20. This is a very good price for a wine carrying so many positive remarks from the critics. You may also want to taste it side-by-side with another zippy number such as Grgich Fume Blanc. This will highlight the subtle taste differences between wines that are similar, but not quite identical.
Serve well chilled at 40-60 minutes in the fridge (45-55 degrees). The mineral notes of the bouquet stand up to the chill, but later, the citrus and apricot come out as it warms up.
