Roussanne is white grape from France's Rhone Valley; it is used in the production of such white blends as Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage Blanc and St-Joseph Blanc and sometimes even in red Rhone wines (it is permitted in small percentages) such as Hermitage and Cotes-du-Rhone.

Roussanne has exotic aromas of orange, custard, pineapple and even praline in some instances; these perfumes mean that food pairings must be very specific, as with Thai or fusion cuisine.

Roussanne has been popular with a few dozen artisan estates in California for the past two decades. It is also grown in Washington and Oregon as well as part of Southern France, such as Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon. (Wine/Grapes)