Varietal:  Chardonnay with a touch of Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc
Region:  71% California; 29% North Carolina
Cost:  $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Yellow/green in color with aromas of tropical fruit, pineapple, peach, persimmon, and mint. In the mouth the wine is fresh and fruity with a touch of butter; a smooth wine with a medium body. Pairs well with seafood, chicken, pasta, and light dishes.

My Review:  I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this bottle. Not only did I not know what the percentages on the blend were (though I’d make a rough guess that the Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc account for less than 10% of the wine), but blending two grapes not just from different regions in a state, but from different states, seemed odd to me.

The wine was rather dark in the glass, a nice robust yellow and on the nose I got the typical Chardonnay notes of tropical fruit and pineapple. In the mouth I got more of the tropical notes with just a hint of citrus that I’ll chalk up to the “touch” of Sauvignon Blanc in the wine. Some of the wine had seen barrels, but I was pleased by how soft the finish on the wine was, especially given my wife’s distaste for oaked Chardonnay.

Paired with a dinner of grilled chicken that had been liberally seasoned and some asparagus the overall crispness of the wine did a nice job of cutting through the bit of heat on the chicken. After the food was gone it was enjoyable enough to sip on. All in all the wine wasn’t a total disappointment, though I’ll also say it didn’t really grab my attention. I think my wife summed it up best when she described the wine as “not bad” with a shrug.

If you want to give the Biltmore Chardonnay Sur Lies a try and can’t find it in your local store, you can follow this link and order it online.

Related posts:

1. Cupcake Vineyards Chardonnay 2009
2. CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
3. Biltmore Reserve Viognier 2010

Well, the end of summer isn’t that far away, so when I was recently sent a mixed case of summer white wines, it seemed a shame to sit on them and try to go through them each individually as I would have quickly run out of summer by the time I was able to get to them all. With that in mind I invited some friends over, opened up all the wines, and tasted them all at once, because let’s be honest, that’s what summer’s really all about. Here’s what I thought.

The first one I tasted was the 2010 La Fiera Pinot Grigio (SRP $8). I got mostly apples on both the nose and the palate with a nice lingering finish with just the right amount of acid. There was a slight hint of sweetness to my palate, but for being the first one I tried, it was a good start and it’s a good value for these kinds of parties.

Next up were two from Tiamo. First was the Tiamo Prosecco (SRP $15) which had a hint of citrus on the nose with medium sized bubbles and a slight bit of yeast on the palate and a mix of crisp fruit. This was definitely not a super-dry Prosecco and it was quickly consumed by my friends.

The other was the 2010 Tiamo Pinot Grigio (SRP $12) which I found to have some citrus on the nose and apple and lime in the mouth. It was nice and crisp with just a hint of effervescence to me, a trait I find I enjoy this time of year.

From Argentina I had some Santa Julia wines, starting with the 2010 Santa Julia Pinot Grigio (SRP $10), which had notes of tropical fruit and banana, which I think added a hint of sweetness on the finish of the wine.

Next was the 2010 Santa Julia Innovacion Torrontes Pinot Grigio (SRP $11). This was actually a 1L bottle and is a Whole Foods Exclusive “Summer Top 10 Wine” and was certainly one I was interested to try given my growing enjoyment of Torrontes. I got notes of orange peel on the nose and floral notes in the mouth with a slight almost petrol note. For the price this is a good value and an interesting combination (90% Torrontes/10% Pinot Grigio) that I think I’d like to see more of.

Finally from Santa Julia was the 2011 Santa Julia Organica Chardonnay (SRP $11), which is made from 100% organically grown Chardonnay grapes. On the nose I got green apple and pineapple, with the pineapple carrying through to the palate. There was a nice finish to it that was at once both crisp and long tasting. This is a stainless steel wine for those that have an aversion to oaked Chardonnay (you know who you are).

The first of three Rieslings that I had was the 2009 Dr. H. Thanisch Riesling Classic (SRP $18) which had a nice minerality with peaches, grapefruit, and a nice crisp, dry finish. There was a subtle sweetness to this one, which at least to my palate was the driest of the three and one I’d be interested to pair with some spicy Thai food.

Next was the 2009 Heinz Eifel “Shine” Riesling (SRP $10) which was slightly sweeter than the previous Riesling and had flavors of green apple. I could still probably drink this one with the right meal, but again I’d want some kind of spicy Asian cuisine to go with it and cut through the sweetness.

The final Riesling was the 2010 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Noble House Riesling (SRP $12). With an aroma of apple and honeysuckle, petrol, and some minerality in the mouth it was also the sweetest of the Rieslings and featured a lemon/sour note that wasn’t off-putting, but neither was it great.

Up next was the 2010 Biohof Pratsch Gruner Veltliner (SRP $14). This was probably my favorite wine of the night and is a great value considering the bottle was 1L. Made from organic grapes, there was apple on the nose and a fresh, tangy dry minerality in the mouth with just a touch of white pepper. I kept going back to this one all night and was sad to see it gone.

The 2010 Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $12) was one I had actually seen in stores a few times but never picked up. Might have to now. Aromas of gooseberry an herbal note were nice, but on the palate I was really intrigued with this wine that was nice a dry with flavors of stone fruit and what was debated as being either nettles, tomato vines, or just “green”. Either way, I really liked this one.

The final wine of the night was the 2010 Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $16). Like the Fire Road, it was from New Zealand, and like the previous bottle it featured similar aromas with some grapefruit coming into the mix and some of the nettle/tomato vine/green. A touch of a mineral note on the palate was welcome as well.

All in all this was a great selection of wines. The Rieslings weren’t terrible, even though when I first received the wines I’ll admit I cringed at the sight of three German Rieslings – my memories of growing up in Germany tasting sickly sweet German Rieslings are hard to get over.

I really enjoyed the Gruner Veltliner, this being my first real experience with it, and the two New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs had intriguing aromas and flavors that make me want to see if this is something about that particular vintage in the region or just something those winemakers were doing.

There’s not a single one of these wines that I would tell somebody to avoid like the plague, but if I had to pick one to buy it would be the Gruner Veltliner with the two Sauvignon Blancs closely following.

Related posts:

1. Whole Foods Market Offering Summer Wine Deals
2. Graffigna Centenario Pinot Grigio Reserve 2010
3. Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2010

If you were paying attention during the 2011 North American Wine Bloggers Conference (and if you weren’t I’m deeply hurt), you’d have noticed that I did do a small tasting during one of the speed tastings of the CalNaturale Chardonnay. I was intrigued by it, especially being that it’s a boxed wine, so when they reached out to me after the conference and asked if I’d like full-sized samples I jumped at the opportunity.

First, a few things about the wines before I launch into my usual reviews. These wines are about as organic as you can get, with the grapes being grown organically and the tetra-packs used to ship them in reducing costs and being far more green than a bottle holding the same amount of juice. I know that “boxed wines” have this bad reputation, but I think both myself and a lot of other bloggers are starting to see the value in them, and the winemakers are starting to make really good, quality wines and packing them in non-traditional ways, so it’s good to see another non-bottled wine on the market.

Ok, now to the reviews.

CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon

Varietal:  95% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Viognier
Region:  California – USA
Cost:  $13 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:   The initial release of CalNaturale Caberenet Sauvignon shows very rich, ripe fruit with flavors of ripe plum, cherries, cassis, and a hint of toasty oak. This classic wine is full-bodied, yet very approachable, with solid structure and ample tannins.

My Review:  I’m always tentative going into a California Cabernet Sauvignon, just because I don’t know how much fruit to expect and at a certain point, enough is enough. The CalNaturale did have good ripe flavors of plum and cherry, and while I don’t know that I would call it full-bodied, it also wasn’t quite medium-bodied either. Husky-bodied maybe? My wife and I tried this wine with a few different things, including pasta (which is was a nice pairing for), just out on the deck one evening, and I even turned some into Sangria for my wife, which it actually performed admirably as.

There’s quickly becoming a preponderance of quality California Cabernet Sauvignon in boxes, and part of what I liked about the CalNaturale is that they offer 500ml and 1L instead of the usual 3L option, which is perfect for smaller groups or for travel. For the price it’s a great value, and I liked that it was a bit more versatile than I was expecting.

CalNaturale Chardonnay

Varietal:  95% Chardonnay; 5% Viognier
Region:  California – USA
Cost:  $13 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:   This refreshing Chardonnay shows clear and vibrant fruit with a hint of vanilla from lightly toasted oak. It has medium acidity with good length and shows fruit to the very end. Ideal with or without food; well balanced with aromas and taste of ripe apples, pear, and a hint of citrus.

My Review:  I had gotten a brief taste of this at the conference, so I was very interested to spend more time with it as my notes seemed to indicate that I had enjoyed it (all blurs together at a certain point). I liked this one more than my wife, as there was too much oak on it for her taste, whereas I liked how there was some oak, but not so much that I couldn’t enjoy it without food.

Again, we paired this with several foods, including some fish and chicken, as well as just out on the deck one evening. I liked that the acid was there, but not overwhelming, and the nice apple and pear flavors blending into the soft oak finish with a touch of vanilla.

Of the two this was my favorite, in part because the warmer weather here in Virginia makes a good white wine a must have. It’s a great value and one I’d recommend checking out, especially if you’re looking to stay organic as much as possible.

Related posts:

1. Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
2. Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
3. FlipFlop Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Varietal:  77% Sauvignon Blanc; 20% Chardonnay; 3% Marsanne
Region:  Columbia Valley – Washington – USA
Cost:  $14

Winemaker’s Notes:  Bright, lively aromas of ripe pear, grapefruit peel, caramel apple, and orange blossom. The palate is lean, angular, and well defined, emphasizing the virtues of structure and elegance.

My Review:  I don’t think I’ve made any secret to my enjoyment of Sauvignon Blanc over the past few years, which is why when I received a box of samples from Hedges Family Estate, I was happy to see a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, especially since I couldn’t remember having one from the state of Washington. I’m always looking to try new things.

In the glass the wine was somewhere between golden and straw – not really a dark yellow, but not really a light yellow either. On the nose I got light citrus and the orange blossom that was advertised, or at least I associate the aroma I got, a sort of floral citrus note, with orange blossom.

In the mouth the flavors were subtle and, for lack of a better term, lean. Maybe I’ve become too accustomed to South American Sauvignon Blanc, especially those from Chile, but while there was some citrus, I didn’t get that punch of lemon, lime, and grapefruit that I’m used to. Instead I got more of the orange blossom and a bit of the Chardonnay came through both my wife and I in what seemed like an oaked flavor, even though the bottle says it hasn’t been oaked (and I believe them).

Paired with a dinner of seasoned tilapia and some scalloped cheddar potatoes the wine did a good enough job of cutting through the heat of the seasoning we put on the fish. Now, as to the million dollar question of whether or not I would recommend it.

I personally like the big citrus punch I get from South American Sauvignon Blanc. I don’t know if the lack of that hit in this wine was indicative of how the grape grows in Washington, was a result of the blending, or was something else. I didn’t categorically dislike the wine, but it wasn’t my favorite. Now, that being said, if you don’t like the citrus hit of Sauvignon Blanc but are still in the market for a light wine that’s good for the last bit of heat we’ll see this summer, this wine may in fact be what you’re looking for, and at $14 it’s certainly not going to break the bank to give it a try.

Related posts:

1. Franciscan Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2009
2. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2009
3. Charity Case Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Varietal:  98% Chardonnay; 1% Muscat Canelli; 1% Malvasia Bianca
Region:  California, USA
Cost:  $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  The nose reveals lemon blossom, pineapple, and peach aromas with smoky oak nuances along with enticing vanilla spice and toasty brown sugar flavors. The creamy, mouthfilling palate creates a lush impression and is balanced by a rich, lingering finish. Enjoy this delicious wine with rich seafood, poultry, pork dishes, white-sauce pastas – like fettuccini Alfredo, or flavorful, softripening cheeses.

My Review:  I’m always wary when a Chardonnay sample shows up at my house as my wife has a distaste for oaked chardonnay, whereas I enjoy them – it makes buying Chardonnay tricky in the house. While she’s willing to try pretty much anything I pour into a glass for her, I prefer to give her things I know she’ll enjoy, so with her out of town, I took the opportunity to open the bottle of 2010 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay since I knew it had spent time in oak and didn’t want to trouble my wife with it.

The wine was a nice deep golden color in the glass, and I got primarily pineapple aromas from the wine, which I expected given the varietal. In the mouth I got some tropical flavors, but it was the soft creaminess of the wine that I found enjoyable.

There was no denying that this wine had spent time in oak, but it wasn’t this overwhelming sensation of oak, and I for one found it very appealing and approachable. I paired the wine with a dinner of grilled pork chops that I brushed with a lemon-mustard concoction and the acid in the wine did a nice job of pairing with what I think were the most perfectly cooked pork chops in the history of pork chops.

This is a great value wine, and definitely one to check out if you’re looking for a Chardonnay that’s spent time in oak but won’t beat you over the head with it. It will go with a wide range of meals and could easily turn up as a table wine in just about any home.

Related posts:

1. Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2010
2. Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Grigio 2010
3. Robert Mondavi Chardonnay 2008

White Hall Vineyards

We started out our tasting at White Hall, partly because of the area we were looking to go tasting in, they were the first one open, but also because I we hadn’t actually been out to the tasting room in many years. On the Saturday morning we stopped in they were pouring 9 different wines and my wife and I were happy to sample them all.

We started out with two Chardonnays, the 2008 Chardonnay ($15) and the 2008 Chardonnay Reserve ($24). The stainless steel Chardonnay featured all the usual citrus and pear notes I would have expected, but had a smoother finish than I anticipated, though certainly not “oaky”. The 2008 Reserve featured a bit of oaky nuttiness on the nose and while it had the “oaked” finish I would expect, it was subtle and even my wife, who doesn’t usually care for oaked Chardonnay, preferred it to the stainless steel.

Next up was the 2009 Viognier ($17) which offered a good floral nose with rose and honeysuckle in the mouth with just a hint of sweetness on the finish. This is a great summer wine and my wife and I did actually bring a bottle of it home with us. Following the Viognier was the 2008 Pinot Gris ($17) which didn’t have much nose to it but was a nice dry wine with a good minerality on the finish. Our final white was the 2008 Petit Manseng ($16) which like the Viognier had a floral nose with tropical notes in the mouth. The best way to describe this wine is as a less floral and more sweet Viognier. A good dessert wine though.

Moving on to the reds. We started with the 2008 Merlot ($15) which had a smoky nose but was lighter in the palate with raspberry flavors. I really enjoyed this one and we made sure to grab a bottle to bring home. Following that was the 2009 Touriga ($18) with a jammy nose and soft tannins. The 2008 Petit Verdot ($20) was a stand-out for me. It was a dark reddish-purple in the glass with smoke and pepper on the nose that carried through to the palate to mix with raspberry and a nice soft tannic finish. This was arguably my favorite wine of the tasting and we made sure to grab a bottle to bring home.

We finished up the tasting with the 2007 Soliterre ($17), a dessert wine with floral and apricot notes on the nose and candied fruit on the palate. With 6% residual sugar you had better make sure to pair it with something, but I will say that had I not known how much residual sugar was in the wine I might have guessed less as it certainly wasn’t syrupy.

Our tasting complete and some wines purchased we moved on to our next stop.

Mountfair Vineyards

I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that Mountfair was a big reason we headed out to do some wine tasting. Everybody in Virginia that’s been there has nothing but good things to say about it, and what’s not to love about a vineyard that specializes in small-batch red wines?

We started off our tasting with a few sparkling wines from Thibaut-Janisson, the Blanc de Chardonnay and the Virginia FIZZ. Mountfair sells these wines for them as they don’t have their own tasting room. They were both enjoyable, one a champagne style and the other a prosecco style.

As for the actual Mountfair wines, we started off with the 2009 Merlot ($20) which is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. With a peppery nose I expected more of it in the palate, but the Merlot does a good job of smoothing it out and makes this a great wine for just sipping on. We grabbed a bottle of this as well, bringing our Merlot total up to 2 in as many vineyards. Next was the other of their single varietals, the 2009 Cabernet Franc ($20) which is the opposite of the Merlot at 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. The wine was heavier in the mouth than I expected with a subtle pepper and smoke finish with good cherry notes leading the way in. We didn’t buy this one, but mostly because it lost the coin toss against the Merlot.

Next was the 2008 Indigenous ($25) a blend of 50/50 Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc with a velvety pepper nose and a tart finish that I attributed to the Cabernet Franc. Finally we sampled the 2009 Engagement ($25) a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a great wine for grilled food with a lot of the Cabernet Franc notes coming through, but with more body thanks to the Petite Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

I really enjoyed Mountfair and before we left my wife and I even signed up for their wine club so that we’ll get shipments of their wine as their released. If you visit Mountfair or have at least tasted their wines I certainly recommend it as it’s a great value and a good way to get their signature wine, the Wooloomooloo, which pretty much sells out as soon as it’s released.

Pollak Vineyards

My wife and I had visited Pollak a few years back just after they opened their new tasting room (which is beautiful and has a patio and deck area perfect for a picnic lunch), but wanted to head back now that the new vintages were out, especially since I enjoyed what of them I was able to taste back in February at the Virginia Wine Expo. We started out with the 2009 Chardonnay ($19) which had a creamy nose with citrus and vanilla notes on the palate and a soft, light oak hint on the finish.

Next was the 2010 Viognier ($20) with a nose of honey and peach and floral notes on the palate. This was a light wine that will be good on a hot day. Next was the 2010 Pinot Gris ($18) which was so light in the glass as to be nearly clear. This was a medium dry wine and the only thing I can really say about it is that it was so-so, and nothing to get too excited about. Next was the 2009 Durant White ($16) a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Viognier, and 10% Pinot Gris. With a subtle floral nose and good tropical flavors this was easily my favorite white of the tasting and the only reason I didn’t grab a bottle to bring home is that I already have one.

Moving on to the reds we started with the 2009 Durant Red ($12) which is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Light red in the glass with pepper and a “meaty”, smoky aroma and a tart finish this is a good value wine, especially for those big cookouts that come up this time of year. Our next wine was the 2008 Cabernet Franc ($20) with a nose of pepper and generic red fruit with cherry on the palate.

Next was the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24) with a nose full of dark fruit and a juicy palate with soft tannins on the finish. This wine is just begging for a grilled steak and I bought a bottle to take home for just that reason. Our final sample was the 2008 Meritage ($25) a blend of 44% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, and 13% Petit Verdot that has a lot of dark fruit on both the nose and the palate with a nice smooth finish. It’s very “petit verdot-y” (according to my notes) and another great steak wine that we only didn’t buy because we decided to go with the Cab Sauv.

After staying at Pollak for a bit to eat some lunch on their deck area, it was on to our final stop.

Veritas Vineyards & Winery

Behind the Veritas tasting bar

I always have a soft spot in my heart for Veritas as my wife’s brother got married there and we had, quite frankly, one helluva time. Veritas lets you select either a white tasting or a red tasting, but since my wife and I were both there, we picked one of each and shared, starting off with the whites.

First was the Scintilla ($30) a French style brut sparkling wine with apple on the nose, big bubbles and a nice dry finish. Next was the 2010 “Saddleback” Chardonnay ($18) which is done in the Chablis style and has lots of tropical notes as well as some vanilla and apple. Following up that was the 2009 “Harlequin” Chardonnay ($25) which has spent 6 months in French oak. With a buttery/oak nose I was almost surprised at how much acid I found on the palate, though it certainly wasn’t a lot. That being said both my wife and I liked the “Harlequin” much better than the “Saddleback”.

Next we tasted the 2010 Viognier ($20). Floral and honeysuckle notes on the nose with peach on the palate and a slight hint of sweetness on the finish (.7% residual sugar) made this a very typical, but very enjoyable, Virginia Viognier. The 2009 Petit Manseng ($25) had kiwi on the nose and even with 10% residual sugar was sweet without being syrupy. The 2009 Kenmar ($35) is an ice wine style made from Traminette and offering rose aromas on the nose with honey and rose water on the palate. This is a very sweet wine, but a good dessert wine if paired correctly with something like pound cake.

Moving on to the reds, we sampled the Mousseux ($30) a sparkling wine using Merlot grapes with notes of strawberry and a tartness that I actually found rather refreshing. The 2010 Rose’ ($14) is made with 46% Cabernet Franc and 54% Merlot and features .5% residual sugar. A medium-light pink in color with a strawberry nose and a dry, slight pepper/spice note on the finish that makes this a good summer wine for pairing with something like grilled chicken.

The Red Star ($18) is a blend of 37% Cabernet Franc, 37% Merlot, and 26% Chambourcin. A nose of dark fruit and pepper and a palate of smoke and cherry make this a good wine to pair with burgers. The 2009 Claret ($18) is a blend of 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Petit Verdot. The petit verdot really came through on this wine, with a nice juiciness to the wine and aromas of smoke and pepper that will make this another great wine for drinking with some gourmet burgers off the grill – which is why my wife and I grabbed a bottle.

Finally, the 2009 Vintner’s Reserve ($25) a blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in mostly new French oak barrels. A smoky aroma with tons of dark fruit notes on the palate a nice soft tannic finish makes this a great wine to pair with a steak.

My wife and I had a great time tasting all these wines, and everybody that we dealt with at the vineyards was incredibly pleasant, knowledgeable, and friendly. If you have the chance to visit any of these vineyards I highly recommend it, and I’m already looking forward to another trip out to Virginia Wine Country to visit some other vineyards and taste some more wines.

Related posts:

1. Virginia Wine Country Day 2
2. Virginia Wine Country Day 1
3. California Wine Country Day 1 – Napa Valley

Varietal: Blended White Wine (Chardonnay, Viognier, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc)
Region: California – Rutherford
Cost: $17

Winemaker’s Notes: Floral bouquet on the nose with a dominance of honeysuckle. Honey, herbs, and floral notes on the palate. Pairs well with swordfish, chicken, and cheese & crackers.

My Review: So, in case you don’t remember, I had some Conundrum back in October when I attended a media dinner at Fleming’s Steakhouse. Because I enjoyed it so much, when I came across it at my local Costco while doing some shopping, I couldn’t resist grabbing a bottle of it. I should have grabbed more.

After a terrible experience with the Lucky Duck Sauvignon Blanc, my wife and I wanted something good to pair with a dinner of broiled herb chicken and butter noodles. The 2009 Conundrum was a great pairing. While the winemaker’s keep the exact blend a secret, it’s easy to pick out the notes of Viognier, Chardonnay, Muscat, and Sauvignon Blanc, even if you can’t guess at the actual percentages.

Being a Virginia resident I get to drink a lot of Viognier, and because of that I appreciate the floral notes it brings to a white wine, and the 2009 Conundrum was no exception to that. The floral, slightly sweet honey flavors and aromas were a great pairing with the seasoning I placed on the chicken, and made the wine great to drink after the food was gone.

The Chardonnay in the blend brings just enough body to the wine to help it hold up against more robust dishes, without making it so heavy that it will overwhelm the lighter ones. It may actually be the perfect wine blend, and one I plan to buy several more bottles of the next time I’m at the store.

If you can’t find the 2009 Conundrum at your local store, then you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you. This is definitely a wine I recommend and was a welcome recovery from a bad bottle of wine.

Related posts:

1. Menage a Trois White Table Wine
2. Saude Creek White 2009
3. Cupcake Vineyards Chardonnay 2009

Last night I had the opportunity to participate in a Twitter tasting of several bottles of Virginia wine, which I was rather excited about, given as how I live in Virginia and am always looking to both sample new wines from my home state and to help promote wines from my home state to those that don’t happen to live here.  A selection of five bottles was chosen, 2 whites and 3 reds, and myself and several other tasters in person and many more online all worked our way through, sharing our thoughts.  Here are mine.

2009 Tarara Nevaeh White

Just in case you were wondering “nevaeh” is heaven backwards.  Yeah, that’s what I thought too.  A blend of 70% Viognier and 30% Chardonnay, with all the Viognier on the nose and nothing but Chardonnay in the mouth.  Crisp flavors of honeysuckle and pineapple with a slight oaky creaminess on the finish.  It’s not a bad wine, and would go well with grilled chicken, but I have hard time recommending it at the $30 price point.  It’s not enough of a game changer for the price point.

2009 Notaviva Ottantotto Viognier

Very light in color and with a very subtle nose that came out the more I let the wine open up, but was never very bold.  Light and crisp with nice acid and a hint of sweetness on the finish that was anything from bubble gum and cotton candy to banana flavored Now n Laters.  The consensus of the people I was tasting in person was that it wasn’t very “viognier-y”.  Of the two whites, I liked the Tarara better, but would could justify the $20 for the Notaviva more.

2008 8 Chains North Dry Red Wine

A deep purple/red color.  The wine is a blend of 33% Malbec; 30% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Petit Verdot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 2% Merlot.  Later in the evening, when I was finishing this bottle, the cabernet franc really started to come out (not a bad thing), but at the tasting flavors and aromas of smoke, berry, tobacco, and a jamminess made it a great wine to want to pair with a steak.  For $22 this is a great value and one I certainly plan to pick up again.

2007 Breaux Vineyards Cabernet Franc

I would love to use this wine in a blind tasting to screw with people.  It doesn’t taste like a cabernet franc at all, and certainly not one from Virginia.  A deep dark red with jammy notes of berry, smoke, and pepper with dark chocolate on the finish.  Even with 16.4% alc/volume there was not aroma or flavor of alcohol, which I was incredibly impressed with.  Even at $32, this wine is a great wine and one I just wanted to pair with a steak and a cigar.

2008 North Gate Petit Verdot

I felt bad for the North Gate because we tasted it after the Breaux.  That’s not to say it wasn’t good, with a dark purple color and jamminess on both the nose and palate.  But the bright flavors and subtle tannins of this Petit Verdot should have come before the bold, dark flavors of the Cabernet Franc.  That being said, this is another great value wine at $24.

I want to thank John Witherspoon of The Wine Cellar for hosting us for the tasting, and thank the hosts of the wine tasting for organizing the event and putting together a great selection of Virginia Wine.  I really did enjoy them all, and while the reds were our clear favorites last night, there’s not a single bottle that I would be ashamed to have in my wine cellar.

Related posts:

1. Virginia Wine Country Day 2
2. Virginia Wine Country Day 1
3. Wines of Chile: Blended Reds Blogger Tasting

Varietal: Viognier (53%); Chardonnay (43%)
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $20

Tropical fruit and pineapple on the nose with  citrus and floral notes in the mouth.  Pairs well with appetizers before dinner or with seafood, grilled white meat, or spicy food.

Recommendations: The more Viognier I drink, the more I like it, especially when blended with Chardonnay.  Because of that, when my wife and I visited several Virginia vineyards back in March, our stop at the King Family Vineyards offered up a great combination of just those two wines.

The Roseland offers up just enough floral notes from the Viognier to make it a nice sipping wine for a hot day, but has enough body from the Chardonnay to make it a great wine to pair with dinner.  It short, it’s a very versatile white wine. We paired ours with a dinner of salmon and parmesan risotto and the acid of the Chardonnay cut the fat of the fish nicely, while the floral flavors of the Viognier helped to balance the heavily seasoned salmon.

I can’t say with any certainty that this is the best Viognier/Chardonnay blend out there, but I can say that it’s one that I enjoyed and certainly one that I would recommend you try if you pay a visit to King Family Vineyards (which I highly recommend).

Related posts:

1. Ingleside Vineyards Blue Crab Blanc
2. Veritas “Estate Bottled” Chardonnay 2008
3. White Hall Viognier 2008

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.

When paired with a dinner of oven-cooked chicken topped with a cajun seasoning, the crispness of the wine did a great job of cutting the slight heat of the food, creating a nice pairing.  What I like most about this wine is that it pairs the food versatility of Chardonnay with the ease of drinking a Viognier.

If you’re looking for a white that will go well with just about any meal or out on the deck, the Veritas Estate Bottled Chardonnay is a good one to go for.  The mix of Chardonnay and Viognier is a winner and one I hope they continue to produce.

Related posts:

1. White Hall Viognier 2008
2. Gray Ghost Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay
3. Ingleside Vineyards Blue Crab Blanc