2019 DeLille Cellars Roussanne Red Mountain White Wine

This estate made a handful of terrific whites. Their 2019 Roussanne (100% Roussanne) reveals a light gold hue to go with pretty stone fruits, melon, and lemon curd-like aromas and flavors. It's medium-bodied on the palate, with a bright, nicely textured mouthfeel and a classic, dry finish that has some toasty, nutty nuances. This bottle had some trapped CO2, so don't be afraid to give bottles a decant if drinking any time soon. It's going to have a decade of longevity. Delille can always be counted on to deliver classic, impeccably made wines, and they have done exceptionally well in 2018. They also pull from multiple regions, so it’s such a great education tasting through these wines when trying to understand a vintage. Their Red Mountain releases seem to be the stars of the show in 2018, but there are no dogs in this lineup. The icing on the cake is that they’re generally made in decent quantities, especially their D2 release, which is a year-in, year-out terrific Bordeaux blend.

Pale, bright yellow with a peach-skin blush. Savory if subdued scents of pear, apricot, lemongrass and musky herbs. Quite rich, broad and tactile on the palate but classically dry, displaying a softer mouth feel than the Sauvignons but plenty of balancing acidity and alcohol to maintain structure. With air, notes of apple, minerals and citrus zest emerged. A bit more laid-back than the 2018 Roussanne at a similar stage, this bottling does not show the fig note of the earlier vintage.

Made from grapes grown in the Ciel du Cheval vineyard, the 2019 Roussanne has a lifted and mineral nose with elegant aromas of peach and citrus blossoms that shine through in the glass with elements of waxy citrus peel and hints of freshly cut arugula. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is spicy on the palate with a pleasing, waxy mouthfeel and ends with a spiced stone fruit finish. Just over 8,000 bottles were made.