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Old-World purists, avert your eyes. While most of the familiar multi-variety white cuvées are traditional blend styles from regions like Rhône Valley, Rioja, Tuscany, or Bordeaux, a handful around the globe—and especially from the New World—combine varieties that would infuriate traditionalists. Examples include California’s Restricted Proprietary White Blend, made with Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Roussanne, Albariño, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Blanc, and Clif Family x Reyna Noriega White Wine, a 50-50 blend of Chardonnay and Viognier. While many would argue that these do not even belong in the same region, let alone the same bottle, the result of these carefully thought-out blends is a delicious and complex glass of wine that demonstrates the advantages of creativity in the winemaking process.
In many cases, the wines are the result of successful planting experiments that caused winemakers to look for non-traditional combinations of the grapes they had growing in their vineyards. “We’ve planted a handful of less common varieties at this site, driven by curiosity and a desire to see how they translate in a different environment,” winemaker Gianna Ghilarducci says about the Russian River Valley Marsanne in her Restricted Proprietary White Blend. “In this case, the cooler conditions shape Marsanne into something restrained, lower in alcohol, and defined by a leaner structure with a beautiful textural layer. It brings a quiet depth to the blend while also offering an ageing potential that may surprise people.”
