The Good Wine Guru » citrus

Foris Gewurztraminer 2008

George — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:00:18 +0000

Varietal: 100% Gewurztraminer
Region: Rogue Valley – Oregon – USA
Cost: $14.50

Winemaker’s Notes: Citrus blossom, orange peel, wildflower honey, and a hint of nutmeg are aromatically enticing. Beautifully balanced flavors of pineapple, guava, nectarine, and a trace of ginger spice are rich yet restrained, opulent, but not over the top.

My Review: I don’t think it’s any surprise by this point when I say I’m always cautious when picking a Gewurztraminer. As an Army brat I spent a good bit of time in Germany where I was exposed to bottles of it that I’m pretty sure could have been used as syrup on pancakes and waffles. That being said, it is a historically good pairing with Thanksgiving dinner, so I had grabbed a bottle from my local wine shop and took it with me last month for the feast. The bottle, however, didn’t get opened, so I brought it back home with me and opened it this past weekend with my wife.

In the glass the wine was medium light in color – not completely clear, but certainly not a rich golden color either. On the nose I got hints of honey and a touch of citrus with a roundness that spoke of spice that I just wasn’t getting personally. In the mouth the wine was subtly sweet, with good citrus notes and a bit of body on the finish. Paired with a lunch of baked brie that was drizzled with a balsamic reduction and some candied pecans the wine did a nice job of cutting through some of the richness of the brie without adding too much sweetness.

I’m not going to go out and say that this is the greatest, or driest Gewurztraminer that ever was, but if you’re as gun-shy around the grape as I am it’s not a bad choice to try and ease your way back into it until you get to the really dry choices that you won’t believe are Gewurztraminer.

If you can’t find the bottle at your local wine shop you can simply follow this link and have it shipped directly to your home or office: http://www.winezap.com/search/searchResults.cfm?r=181364

Martin Codax Albarino 2010

George — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:00:51 +0000

Varietal: 100% Albarino
Region: Rias Baixas – Spain
Cost: $15 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: A highly aromatic wine opening with a nose of tropical fruit and apple, along with a subtle herbal nuance. Led by pear and passion fruit notes, this dry, full-bodied wine boasts a fruit-forward profile, finishing with a round mouthfeel. Pairs well with seasonal shellfish and other seafood fare.

My Review: I had received this wine, along with a bottle of Torrontes, as samples for the holiday season, and as the bottle of Torrontes made its way up to Northern Virginia with me to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving, I’d been looking for a good opportunity to open this bottle. Finally one presented itself this past weekend.

I should start by saying that I probably picked the wrong food to pair this wine with. That being said, it performed admirably given the handicap I gave it. In the glass the wine was very light, nearly clear really, and on the nose I got light citrus and tropical fruit notes. In the mouth the citrus continued on and while I was expecting a hint of honey or other subtle sweetness at the end it never materialized…and that was ok.

My wife and I paired the wine with a dinner of her deconstructed chicken pot pie, and the nice acid, as compared to the subtle sweetness I was expecting, did a nice job of cutting through the creaminess of the food. Now, to be fair it still wasn’t the best pairing, and I enjoyed the wine more after the food was gone, but in a bad situation it did ok.

As a general rule I’m hit or miss on Albarino, and while I’d hesitate to call this a favorite, I did appreciate that it was something different from what I expected, and that’s often enough to give me a favorable opinion of a wine – doing something unexpected.

If you can’t find the 2010 Martin Codax Albarino in your local store (which shouldn’t be a problem), you can order it online by clicking on this link: http://www.winezap.com/search/searchResults.cfm?r=181364 .

Biltmore Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma County 2010

George — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:00:27 +0000

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Sonoma County – California – USA
Cost: $20 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Straw, yellow-green in color with aromas of crisp coconut, pear, and citrus. Richly expressive with great mouth-feel, good acidity, and a touch of butter. Pairs well with Lobster ala creme, seafood lasagna, braised chicken, gnocchi with brown butter, Fontina cheese.

My Review: It was a helluva weekend around my house, and while I won’t go into details, suffice it to say that Saturday called for some wine. So when my wife and I decided that our dinner would be a mix of some cheese, crackers, and somosas, a crisp white wine sounded like a great idea. Fortunately we happened to have one chilled in the fridge.

The wine was very light in the glass, with hints of green running through it, and on the nose it was crisp with notes of citrus and pear. In the mouth I got apple mostly, with nice crisp acid all the way through, which did a nice job of cutting through the slight heat on the samosas and of course went just fine with some sharp cheddar and crackers. Despite the “Reserve” label, this wine is in fact un-oaked.

I’d be lying if I said this was some revolutionary wine, but around this time of year I suspect most people are more in the market for a serviceable white and red that they can serve at holiday parties, and this certainly fits that bill. It certainly won’t make anybody stand up and take notice, but it also probably won’t make them turn up their nose and search for a glass of something else.

Biltmore Chardonnay Sur Lies NV American

George — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:00:43 +0000

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.

Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay 2010

George — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:00:09 +0000

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Santa Lucia Highlands – Monterey – California
Cost: $17

Winemaker’s Notes: Mineral driven nose with citrus shining through. Cement tank fermentation and aging bring out aromas remindful of the first rain of the season or a wet rock. Soft and round entry with an acid backbone informs you these grapes are grown in a cooler climate. Mid palate reveals ripe fruit such as lemons, gooseberry, and grapefruit. Finishes dry while the acid comes and goes in a balanced fashion. Laser sharp minerality carries through from start to finish on both palate and aroma.

My Review: I’m going to be completely honest – my wife and bought this wine purely because the bottle was interesting and the wheels of the review were turning in my head the second I saw it. Before I get to the point I really want to make, let’s briefly talk about the wine.

The wine was, to be honest, really unremarkable. There was nothing distinctly wrong with it, but neither was there anything that really made me stand up and take notice, which is a shame given the unique bottle they chose. The chardonnay is unoaked and while the citrus notes on the palate and on the nose weren’t surprising, they weren’t anything to brag about either. I’m not always in search of something that will rock my world so long as it doesn’t present a let down either, and yet somehow this wine manages to fit that bill without really inspiring me to want to buy another bottle at the same time.

Now, on to the point I really want to make. Despite the wine not being anything I’d concern myself with in the future, I was in love with the bottle. In spite of ho-hum wine, this vineyard just got themselves a sale because of a choice of unique packaging. The old adage that we eat with our eyes doesn’t really apply to wine because the packaging limits our ability to see the wine until we’ve already purchased and poured. Because of that, the packaging becomes more important.

I know there are plenty of other wine bloggers that rail against unique and interesting labels because they claim that good wines don’t need it. That’s great when you’re talking about those of us that follow vineyard reports and regularly meet with winemakers and so know exactly what’s going on with the wine before it ever even makes it into the bottle. For the average consumer, that’s just not an option.

A bottle on the shelf that grabs the attention and at least gets the shopper to pick up the bottle and read the description gives them a better than even chance of selling that bottle versus every other bottle on the shelf. There’s NOTHING wrong with taking enough pride in your wine to want to put a little effort into the way it’s presented to customers at a store. I appreciate vineyards and wineries that go the extra mile with their labeling and it’s certainly lead me to grab some bottles that if not amazing, were certainly interesting talking points later down the line.

I’m not saying that an interesting label or bottle design can make or break a wine, but there’s certainly no reason to think that just because a wine is in a bottle with a unique design or label that it’s somehow inferior for that reason.

Bolla Soave Classico DOC 2010

George — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:00:42 +0000

Varietal: 90% Garganega; 10% Trebbiano di Soave
Region: Soave – Italy
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Pale straw in color with aromas of flowers and pear. Medium-bodied, harmonious, and balanced with hints of lemon and acacia honey. Pair with antipasto, risottos, seafood, and pizza.

My Review: Having already tried the first Soave that was sent to me, I didn’t want to wait too long before trying the other so that I could see the difference in them, so when my wife and I recently put together a dinner of calamari and sauteed shrimp, opening up the bottle sounded like a good idea.

Middle of the road is probably the best way to describe this wine. There aren’t a lot of aromas, though some floral notes came through. In the mouth it’s not particularly full bodied, but neither is it particularly big on the acid and citrus, though it was good and crisp. If I was making a wine for somebody that wanted something less rounded than a Chardonnay but wanted less citrus than a Sauvignon Blanc, this is probably the wine I would make.

The wine paired well enough with the food, but it didn’t exactly enhance, nor was enhanced, by the food. As a crisp white wine to sip on while sitting on a deck in warm weather when you’re looking for something refreshing that you don’t have to think too much about you’ll do well with this wine.

Compared to the 2009 Fattori Soave Classico DOC “Runcaris” I enjoyed this one better. That being said, it didn’t blow me away, though I would give it another look in the summer when I’m out on the deck with a book.

Big House “The Birdman” Pinot Grigio 2010

George — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:13 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: California – USA
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: It was another long and cool year in California and we were forced to wait patiently until these grapes were ready to pick. All this has guaranteed that The Birdman is once again a plump avian, round and full and quite unlike his Italian kin. Its depth shown through a long and full nose of citrus fruits, a round, soft palate replete with grapefruit, honeydew, and melon and a touch of acidity on the finish that leaves one quenched. Pairs well with goat cheese pancetta and arugula pizza, Thai chicken with basil, smoked trout, estoufee, grilled jumbo shrimp, spaghetti and clam sauce, or sunny afternoons.

My Review: It’s unfair to start any review of the current line-up of Big House wines by not pointing out how much I appreciate them having fun with their marketing and labels. With food we eat with our eyes before our mouths, but with wine sometimes an interesting label can make the difference between a purchase and a pass. Enough with the marketing talk, how about that wine?

On the nose of the wine I got citrus and melon, which was to be expected, and in the mouth the flavors carried through with the citrus leading into a soft, almost banana finish that was actually quite enjoyable. The wine was crisp, refreshing, and approachable, something that I’ve come to appreciate from the Big House wines. With our dinner it was another story.

My wife and I made a dinner of wheat pasta with chicken and a sun-dried tomato cream sauce. The dinner was tasty if simple. The wine did not compliment the food. It should be said that before and after, we loved the wine, and that this is more an issue of our pairing selection than the wines, but that’s part of life, and I would be remiss not to warn anybody buying this wine (which you should) to avoid a similar pairing as it was just a bit off, the flavors of the wine and the food clashing in a way that wasn’t enjoyable.

All that being said, we simply avoided drinking the wine while we finished up our dinner and then simply took the bottle into the other room to enjoy while watching some evening television, which is sometimes better than a food-pairing anyways.

Naked Grape Pinot Grigio

George — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:00:21 +0000

Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Region: California – USA
Cost: $6

Winemaker’s Notes: Light-bodied, crisp white wine with aromas of pear, lemon, and honey.

My Review: While doing some grocery shopping with my wife recently, we walked down the wine aisle at our local store, as we are wont to do, and the line of Naked Grape wines caught my eye. Priced under $10, I thought I would give it a try if for no other reason than to see what the newest sub $10 wine tasted like

On the nose I picked up a little citrus and pear, while in the mouth I got citrus flavors of lemon on the front of the wine, with a hint of honey on the finish. My wife and I didn’t pair the wine with anything, simply opening the bottle to sip at one evening as we relaxed, but the hint of honey at the finish would definitely make something with some spice an interesting option.

As to whether it’s worth buying – you can do better for not much money, but to be honest you can do a lot worse. I don’t know that I can recommend rushing out to pick up a bottle, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive, simple wine, there are probably better options at your store for maybe only a dollar or two more.

Fattori Soave Classico DOC “Runcaris” 2009

George — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:00:22 +0000

Varietal: 100% Gargenega
Region: Soave – Italy
Cost: $13 (SRP)

My Review: When I was first approached about reviewing a pair of wines from the Soave region of Italy I jumped at the chance, in part because it was a region that I was fairly unfamiliar with and I’m always looking to try something new, and also because Italian wines were what first got me into wine, so the country as a whole as always had a spot in my heart.

I had a rough idea of what to expect from the wine just from looking up descriptions of both the grape (Gargenega), and the wines from the region. The wine was light and crisp both on the nose and in the mouth with notes of citrus.

In the mouth the wine had a touch of minerality and the finish featured both a note of petrol and a hint of sweetness that was different and seemed to both fight and compliment each other at the same time, cutting each from being too prominent.

We paired the dinner with a meal of chicken breasts stuffed with a mixture of ranch, blue cheese, and celery that was then breaded and cooked to crispiness and then drizzled with a buffalo sauce (it was really good), the wine did a good job of cutting through the heat and creaminess of the meal, offering a crisp, refreshing note against the chicken.

I’d be lying if I said I was totally in love with this wine, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued by it. I have another bottle from another producer that I’m looking forward to trying and seeing how it compares to the first one, so check back soon as it’s high on my list to sample.

Hedges Family Estate CMS Sauvignon Blanc 2009

George — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:12 +0000

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.