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Rhone Blend Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to Rhone blend products
About Rhone blends
A Rhone blend is any wine made from grape varieties grown in the Rhone Valley of France. The major Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) of this region is Cotes du Rhone. The region uses 27 different grapes in its winemaking. Some of the most popular include:
- Syrah:Â Syrah grapes contribute to dark, full-bodied red wines. Syrah offers a distinctive aroma of smoke and pepper. The flavoring has notes of blackberry, olives, and bacon. Atop this, it can offer a touch of floral brightness. Syrah grapes are often used alone, but you can also find them in blends, particularly from the Southern Rhone Valley.
- Grenache: Ruby red and beautifully appealing, Grenache often produces a full-bodied wine with flavors of red fruits, baking spices, wild herbs, and milk chocolate. These grapes have a high sugar content, so they're often used in sweet wines.
- Mourvedre:Â Mourvedre grapes are similar to Syrah but with a fruitier flavor. Similarly dark and full-bodied, these grapes offer aromas of dark chocolate and leather. You'll find flavors of truffles, plums, and currants often accompany Rhone blends made with these grapes.
- Viognier: One of the Rhone Valley's best-known white grapes, Viognier is an extremely aromatic variety with notes of honeysuckle, rose petal, apricot, tangerine, and orange blossom. It has citrus and stone fruit flavors and may offer an almond-like finish.
- Roussanne:Â Rousanne offers an aromatic complexity with notes of honeysuckle, pear, herbs, flowers, spices, and white tea. This golden grape provides distinctive flavors of pear, honey, and roasted nuts. Rousanne is often used in a Rhone blend with Marsanne and Grenache Blanc.
- Marsanne:Â Marsanne is another golden-hued grape from the Rhone Valley that has much in common with Rousanne. It has aromatic notes of pears, roasted nuts, spices, and flowers. The primary flavors that emerge from Marsanne are quince, mandarin orange, and apricot. This grape is often featured in a Rhone blend with Roussanne and Viognier.
- Grenache Blanc: This white wine grape produces wines with a high alcohol content and low acidity. It features aromatic notes of baking spices and anise. Its flavor is reminiscent of citrus and green apples.
While some Rhone blend wines do come from the Rhone Valley, others are produced elsewhere and simply feature these particular grape varieties.
Types of Rhone blend
There are over 30 appellations for wines produced in the Rhone Valley. These are divided by region, with distinct appellations for the Northern Rhone Valley and Southern Rhone Valley. You'll also find several American-made Rhone blends. These are typically produced along the central coast of California.Â
One of the best-known Rhone blends is GSM, for the Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre grapes used. Wines that are dubbed Syrahs are also very popular. While these are primarily made from Syrah grapes, they may also feature other Rhone varieties. Rhone blends include both reds and whites, so it's difficult to pin this classification down to any one particular flavor or type of wine.
How to select a Rhone blend
There are so many different types of Rhone blends that you can find a delightful option for almost any type of meal. The grape descriptions above will give you a general idea of what flavors you can expect from different blends.Â
When you're pairing wine and food, it's best to keep a few simple guidelines in mind. Your wine should be sweeter and more acidic than your food. It's best to match flavor intensity as well. Thus, a red Rhone blend will pair best with red meat, while a white Rhone blend goes better with chicken or fish.
Rhone Blend Near Me
Buy your favorite Rhone Blend online with Instacart. Order Rhone Blend from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about Rhone blends
Rhone blends are typically best when aged between 5-12 years. Some varieties can last up to 50 years, but these wines generally start to fade in the bottle after 12 years or so. This is good news if you're looking to purchase a wine from Instacart that you can enjoy right away. There's no need to leave this one on the rack. Rhone blends are delicious on release.
Alcohol content varies by bottle, so you should check the particular wine you're purchasing to determine exactly how much alcohol it has. The basic Cotes du Rhones AOC must have an alcohol content of over 11%. A Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC must have at least 12.5% alcohol. On average, wine has an alcohol content of 11.6%, so these wines are very close to that range.
If you're looking for a delicious and distinctive wine for your evening or event, a Rhone blend may offer just what you're after. Shoppers who are at least 21 years of age can order Rhone blends and other wines easily through Instacart. Just place your order online or through the app for convenient same-day delivery!