10 Tempting California Rhône-Style Wines up to 93 Points

California’s Rhone-style wines can be complex to wrap your head around. Grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre grow in numerous regions and climates—from Santa Barbara’s cool, coastal-influenced Sta. Rita Hills to warm, Mediterranean-climate benchlands in Mendocino County—resulting in a myriad of wine styles to explore. This week’s Tasting Highlights represents a good snapshot of the diversity in the category, encompassing red and white wines from across the state, priced between $16 and $45.

An elegant Santa Barbara GSM blend from Frequency Wine Company tops this list. While founder and winemaker Zac Wasserman says the under $40 price point is crucial for maintaining value for the quality, the bulk of the 2023 bottling comes from prime vineyards. The resulting wine is deeply layered with floral, spice, herbal, mineral and wild berry flavors over a savory core. Wasserman’s Blanc, a white blend of Viognier and Grenache Blanc, also makes the list, with its subtly rich but still vibrant mix of floral notes and citrus, tropical and orchard fruit flavors.

This lineup also includes Orin Swift's spirited Abstract California 2023, Covenant's succulent Roussanne Lodi Mensch 2024, which is certified Kosher, and picks from Anaba, Ephiphany, Fess Parker, Hahn, Preson and Villa Creek. Read on to get our scores and full expert tasting notes for all of these outstanding California Rhône-style wines!

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