Ingleside Vineyards Blue Crab Blanc

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.

On Friday I paired this with a dinner of curry chicken over rice and the slight sweetness (1.2% residual sugar) did a great job of cutting the heat of the meal.  In fact, while this will pair great with just about any seafood dish, I would argue it’s best suited for spicy meals if you’re going to pair it with anything.

If you’re looking for that perfect summer wine, you’re not going to find a better value than Ingleside Vineyards Blue Crab Blanc.  For the price you can justify picking it up by the case instead of the bottle and it will go great with any occasion.  This is my go-to summer wine and I think if you try it you’ll understand why.