Made from pure old-vine Marsanne vinfied and matured in one to three-year-old barrels, the medium to full-bodied 2020 Crozes Hermitage Roche Blanche is excellent, with subtle oak shadings, crystalline pineapple and melon fruit, a silky-textured mid-palate and a long-lasting finish, where I picked up a touch of bitterness. If you're less sensitive to that, or even like a bit of that in your white wines, you may consider my rating stingy. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

The 2019 Crozes Hermitage Roche Blanche is another tremendous Marsanne-based effort from the white soils of Larnage. Barrel fermented and aged in one-fourth new oak (the rest goes into second use barrels), it offers up seductive aromas of peaches, pears and melon accented by hints of pencil shavings and crushed stone. Full-bodied and rich on the palate, it remains fresh and lively, buoyed by ample acids, hints of citrus zest and briny notes on the long, lingering finish. As I've said before, these are wines I love in their youth, but if you enjoy aged Rh?ne white wines, you might want to consider holding them up to a decade (or more).

The all-Marsanne 2018 Crozes Hermitage Roche Blanche comes from 70-year-old vines in Larnage, barrel-fermented and aged in 25% new oak (the other 75% goes into second-fill barrels). There's a gentle hint of caramel or honey on the nose, but the bulk of the aromas and flavors are ripe pear, melon and citrus notes. Full-bodied and creamy in texture, it turns briny and zesty on the lingering finish. I adore these wines in their opulent youth, but adventurous souls may want to put a bottle or two away for up to a decade.

Old-vine Marsanne from Larnage. That's the secret to the success of Belle's 2017 Crozes Hermitage Roche Blanche. It's barrel fermented in 25% new oak, resulting in aromas akin to grilled sweet corn, toasted marshmallow and ripe melon. It's full-bodied and broad in the mouth, yet it maintains focus and length on the finish.

The 100% Marsanne 2016 Crozes Hermitage Roche Blanche is the product of 70- to 80-year-old vines near Larnage. It's entirely barrel-fermented in 15% to 20% new oak, imparting subtle grilled notes to hints of toasted marshmallow and pear. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with orange, brine and citrus pith notes on the lingering finish. It should drink well for a few more years.