Serve in a Zinfandel Wine Glass
A Rhone varietal blend can be made up from any number of varieties found in France's Rhone Valley. This can be either white or red (some red Rhone blends even contain a small percentage of white grapes) and can be a true Rhone wine or one made in another country, such as the US or Australia.
While most red Rhone blends contain four or five varieties, such as Syrah, Cinsault and Grenache, one famous Rhone blend, Châteauneuf-du-Pape can contain as many as thirteen different varieties! White Rhone blends contain varieties such as Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne.
Producers in several regions of California, such as Paso Robles, Santa Barbara and Sonoma Counties produce excellent Rhone blends (especially white blends in Santa Barbara), while New York State, Washington State and Virginia are also home to vintners that make Rhone blends.
Pair red Rhone blends with spicy, hearty foods such as game and roasts, while the white tend to work best with sushi/sashimi and fusion cuisine.