Why White Blends Deserve More Attention (and How Oriana Was Born)

Red blends get most of the attention on the modern shelf, and that has always struck me as a missed opportunity for the whites.

Even in the regions best known for blending, Bordeaux and the southern Rhône, the white blends sit in the shadow of the reds. Red varietal wines like Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah dominate; among whites, single-varietal Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc still set the agenda. White blends rarely break through.

Our Oriana was built specifically to challenge that, and the response from our customers has been the strongest case I can make for the category. Here is the broader picture.

The Classical White Blends

Bordeaux has made white blends from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc for centuries. Smaller amounts of Muscadelle and Sauvignon Gris sometimes round things out. The style ranges from crisp and unoaked to barrel-fermented and creamy.

The southern Rhône works from a longer list: Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, and a handful of others. These wines tend to be richer, with weight and texture coming from Roussanne and Marsanne and lift coming from the lighter partners.

A couple of wines we do not always think of as blends belong in this conversation too. Champagne is usually a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and sometimes Pinot Blanc. Two of those four are technically red varieties, but the wine is white. Sauternes is a Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend with occasional Muscadelle and Sauvignon Gris.

There are quieter traditions too. Rioja makes white blends from Malvasia and Viura. Most European appellations are strict about which varieties can grow where, so the blends in each region have a stable identity built over generations.

The Newer World Has More Latitude

Outside the European regulatory system, the sky is the limit. California's Conundrum is one of the most visible non-traditional white blends, built from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscat, and Viognier. Ménage à Trois works with Chardonnay, Muscat, and Chenin Blanc. Here in Washington, DeLille's Chaleur Blanc is a traditional Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon Bordeaux blend, and one of my long-time favorites is Thurston Wolfe's PGV, a Pinot Gris and Viognier blend.

The point is that just about every white variety has been blended with something, and just about every region tries it eventually. The freedom that comes from working outside a strict appellation system means new blends are still being invented.

How Oriana Came Together

The Oriana story is the same as the one I have told over a thousand times in our tasting room: I set out to make a Rhône-style blend of Viognier and Roussanne. Once I had the two of them in front of me, the wine needed something to lift the acidity and bring the alcohol back into balance. Riesling was the answer.

The final blend gives you peaches and apricots from the Viognier, figs and melon from the Roussanne, and apples and pears from the Riesling. Letting the wine open up in the glass releases all three layers in turn.

Customers ask why we don't make another white blend. The honest answer is that I have not come up with one I like as well as Oriana. Many of our visitors tell me Oriana is their favorite white wine, full stop, and I take that seriously.

Tasting Notes and Pairings

The current vintage of Oriana shows nectarine, apricot, honeydew melon, and pear, with light yeast and anise notes from the lees aging on a portion of the wine. The acidity is bright but never sharp, and the texture has weight without being heavy.

For pairings, the wine works well with:

• Crab and shellfish
• Spicy Asian cuisine, particularly Thai and Vietnamese
• Stone fruit salads
• Fresh goat cheese and burrata
• Halibut, sea bass, or any rich white fish

Pour it cool but not ice cold. Around 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit lets the aromatics open. It is also a wine that benefits from a year or two in the bottle if you have the patience.

Brian Carter, Winemaker