Bone dry, ultra-crisp in acidity, and lean in mineral flavors, this barrel-fermented, lees-aged Roussanne is the opposite of rich. But it’s enormously elegant, and its leanness contains subtle hints of Meyer lemons, grapefruits, toast, yeast and cold, hard steel. A sommelier’s dream for pairing with very complex dishes.——S.H.(9/1/2010)—— 92

Never overwhelming, Zaca Mesa’s Roussanne travels the road of balance and elegance, making it particularly food-friendly. The ’06 shows crisp acids and restrained flavors of pineapples, apricots, buttercream, cashew nut and minerals. It’s a dry, complex wine that calls for creativity on the chef’s part.——S.H.(4/1/2009)—— 90