CALIFORNIA RHONES Show Their Range

RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES

- TIM FISH

Rhône-style wines thrive throughout California, from cooler regions such as Santa Barbara and the Sonoma Coast to the warmer environs of Paso Robles. This regional diversity is matched by the range of Rhône varieties and clones at producers’ disposal—starting with Syrah and Grenache, but including a host of other red and white grapes as well—giving winemakers a good deal of freedom in crafting the style they prefer.

Golden State winemakers originally took inspiration from France’s Rhône Valley, where the reds are bold with red and black fruit yet vibrant with acidity, typically showing savory, earthy and often gamy qualities. The success of Syrah in Australia, where it is known as Shiraz, led many winemakers in California—and around the globe—to craft riper, jammier reds that often pack high alcohol levels.

In recent years, however, the leading producers of California Rhônes have been finding their own voices with these wines, tempering the level of ripeness and alcohol while tapping into some of the Old World funk that makes this category so interesting to drink. Yet these changes haven’t limited the number of styles from which consumers can choose. On the contrary, the diversity of the state’s Rhône-style wines is greater than ever. Consider the 2021 and 2022 reds in comparison to the 2023s. The two earlier growing seasons were hot, yielding wines that are generally bolder and riper than usual, while the 2023 vintage was long and cool, which means the reds will have fresher acidity, darker fruit and more secondary earthy characteristics.

That’s my takeaway after reviewing more than 175 Rhône-style reds and whites in blind tastings at our Napa office since my previous report (“California Rhônes Rebound,” Oct. 15, 2023). I give the 2021 reds of Paso Robles and Santa Barbara an overall rating of 94 points on