Château Saint-Roch, Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 vs DuMOL, Isobel, Charles Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, California, USA 2023

Château Saint-Roch, Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022

Château de la Gardine is one of the Southern Rhône's most dependable addresses, and their Château Saint-Roch blanc is the kind of wine that makes you wonder why white Côtes du Rhône doesn't get more attention. A blend built around Grenache Blanc and Clairette, with Roussanne and Viognier adding weight and aromatic lift, it has the generous, sun-warmed character you'd expect from this part of France without ever feeling heavy or overblown. There's white peach, almond blossom, and a subtle waxy richness on the mid-palate that gives way to a clean, herb-edged finish.