Archive for May, 2010
Varietal: Chardonnay
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $16
Light gold in the glass with aromas of citrus, lemon, lime, green apple, quince, and white peach. A hint of melon on the palate and just a touch of minerality lead into a slightly floral finish. Pairs well with grilled or roasted chicken.
Recommendations: Back in March when my wife and I spent a few days in Virginia Wine Country near Charlottesville, one of the places we stopped on our second day of tastings was Veritas Vineyards. We had been there before as her brother was actually married there a few years earlier, but we hadn’t tasted their wines in some time (having missed them at the 2010 Virginia Wine Expo the month before), and wanted to stop in for a visit.
While several of their wines were enjoyable, our hands down favorite of the whites was the Estate Bottled Chardonnay. Produced solely in steel tanks, it’s crisp with a nice acidity and flavors of melon. What I like most about it is that there’s just a bit of Viognier added to help balance out the finish and add that floral note on the finish that’s indicative of the Viognier grape. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Viognier
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $17
Aromas of ripe peaches, apricots, and honeysuckle with flavors of oranges, grapefruit, and subtle spice. Bright acidity on the finish with a hint of vanilla. Pairs well with spicy foods such as Thai cuisine as well as bolder cheeses.
Recommendations: I had visited White Hall Vineyards some years ago, and I don’t remember liking them this much. During the Virginia Wine Expo my family and I stopped at their booth and sampled their wines, and instantly took a liking to both this Viognier and their 2008 Cabernet Franc (a review for another time).
On the nose I get more of the honeysuckle than anything and the flavors of citrus are there, though I’d call the vanilla more than a hint. The floral finish is what really comes out in this wine and one that I really enjoyed. While I didn’t pair it with a spicy dinner (some grilled pork chops were the dinner of choice), it’s very easy to see how this would pair with a dinner of spiced meat and vegetables. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Garnacha (Grenache)
Region: Spain
Cost: $10.50
Ruby in color with aromas of fresh strawberry and raspberry, with notes of black tea, licorice, and pungent herbs. Red berry flavors linger through till the end. Pairs well with BBQ, chicken, and pasta.
Recommendations: I picked up this bottle after a tasting at The Wine Cellar because a) I’m a fan of Spanish wines, particularly Grenache, and b) it’s a really good value for a really good wine. Good color in the glass, and while I didn’t get the licorice on the nose (which is fine since I don’t like licorice), I did get the notes of strawberry and raspberry.
Red fruit was pervasive throughout the wines flavor, and while I didn’t pair it with anything except a movie and some time with my wife, it was easy to drink by itself, and I could easily see pairing it with some grilled BBQ chicken or pasta. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: France
Cost: $8-$10
Light in the glass with cherry and plum on the palate. Pairs with most food, especially pizza and grilled meats.
Recommendations: This is not the first time I’ve had Pinot Evil, and had admittedly picked up the bottle in the past simply because of the amusing name and label. That being said, I’ve long been a fan of Pinot Noir and of finding wines that are easy on the budget. This one fits both of those bills.
Now, I’d be lying if I said that the Pinot Evil Pinot Noir had anything more to offer than one note of fruity flavor with a slight lingering taste of alcohol that quickly dissipates, but that wouldn’t convey the true beauty of this wine. It’s an $8 Pinot Noir. Read the rest of this entry »
So this past Wednesday I was fortunate enough to get to participate in a virtual blogger tasting of 8 Chilean Sauvignon Blancs. Myself and several other bloggers were all sent tasting kits that included wine that we would taste on the 12th while interacting with the wine makers via webcam and chatroom.
Since they sent us 8 bottles of wine, I did the only wise thing, and invited several friends over to help me taste all the wines and to get their opinions on them as well. If you’re in the Richmond area you can follow them on twitter at: @ptmartinez ; @melrv ; @jkennett ; @akennett ; and @knownhuman.
All of the wines we tasted were the 2009 vintage and all were 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Our first wine was the Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley (SRP $10.99). It featured a good bit of citrus with a bit of an effervescent, tart finish, while remaining crisp. Nice and light this would be a great deck wine and was the favorite of my wife’s friend Marisa (she’s not on Twitter or I’d share her login).
Next up was the Ventisquero Sauvignon Blanc, also from the Casablanca Valley (SRP $17.00). With a bit of pepper on both the nose and the palate – there was debate if it was bell pepper or jalepeno – I found it more enjoyable than the first wine, only because I could see pairing it with food better.
Our third wine of the evening was the Undurraga T.H. Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley (SRP $15.99 – 16.99). A combination of grapefruit and melon on the nose lead into apple flavors, with us debating the type (I settled on Granny Smith, others were saying Gala and Fuji). Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Blended White Wine (85% Chardonnay; 11% Seyval Blanc; 4% Viognier)
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $11
Light in the glass with floral aromas and flavors of apple, lemon and honey. Pairs well with crepes, cream based seafood dishes, crabcakes, and chicken.
Recommendations: Whenever I visit the Virginia Wine Expo I make it a point to swing by Ingleside Vineyards. Not because I think they’re going to come out with some new wine that’s going to blow my mind, but because I want to pick up their Blue Crab Blanc in bulk.
While the Expo is in February, this is the time of year that I make a point of having several bottles of Blue Crab Blanc chilled down. Whether it’s relaxing on the deck or a light lunch on a weekend, this is the perfect summer wine. While predominantly Chardonnay, the floral notes from the Viognier really sing and make this wine perfectly refreshing. Read the rest of this entry »
