I will usually resolve to do more exercising and less indulging when the new year hits — and this year is no exception. But, one of my “wine resolutions” is to drink more white wine. I very infrequently have white wine in our cellar at home — and by cellar I mean the 60-bottle fridge that’s usually empty. You see, we’re on a just-in-time inventory system here, lest we over indulge. One of my absolute favorite white varietals is Roussanne. The grape itself originates in the Rhone Valley of France, and is generally a “blending” grape. That is, it’s more of a character actor and less of a leading man. Think Joe Pesci vs. Robert De Niro. The conventional wisdom on this is that Roussanne is a honeyed wine that needs the acidity and minerality of another grape to balance the act. That other grape is typically Marsanne in the northern Rhone, and Grenache Blanc in the southern Rhone. We are lucky in California to have a number of single varietal Roussanne bottlings which have all of the requisite flavors, textures, acids and minerality all on their own. One of the best regions for the grape is the Central Coast. This region includes a number of vineyards planted to Roussanne, including acres in Santa Barbara County and Paso Robles. In fact, Tablas Creek Winery in Paso Robles was really the first to import genuine Roussanne clippings from the Rhone Valley and is the main nursery in the state selling the rootstock to others. Before this, many grapes thought to be Roussanne here in California were actually Viognier grapes. Roussanne is a rich and complex wine. It almost has the texture of Gewurztraminer, but flavors and aromas more reminiscent of Viognier. I would pair it with a tangy dish — like a General Tso’s chicken. The flavors and lush texture will perfectly complement the spicy and tangy properties of the dish. It also makes a great pairing with any Meg Ryan movie. Sadly, I resolve to watch less of those this year. — Mike Kallay and his wife, Stephanie, own the Cask Room, a wine bar in East Village. www.caskroom.com