Americans may associate the grape with white Zinfandel, an off-dry blush wine popular in the 1980s and '90s, but it has since come into its own as a serious red wine.

Donkey & Goat’s 2011 “Stone Crusher” is the rare Roussanne let off the leash. The wine attacks with a rush of acidity but pulls back with a chewy, nectariney finish. How do winemakers Tracey ...