Seasonal Varietals: August - Random Summer Whites

[Alex]

42 minutes ago, Rebel Rose said:

 

Great write up, thank you! Made my mouth water.

I tend to trust reviews from the Enthusiast more than the Spectator, which may seem odd to geeks, but I think the Enthusiast favors more food-friendly wines with moderate sugars and alohols, and is more in touch with food-and-wine pairings.

A trace of sweetness is not a bad thing, especially if you are pairing the wine with garlic or spices.

Now I'm really fascinated to know more about Left Foot and their source vineyards.

 

Thank you! For anyone who's interested, this is the page about their vineyards.

That was an interesting comment about Enthusiast viz-à-viz Spectator.

Another favorite Old Mission Peninsula winery is 2 Lads. Their Fouch Vineyard Riesling is excellent.

[kayb]

I can testify that Bota Box pinot grigio goes wonderfully with a PBJ, which was dinner tonight because, well, tonight.

 

I ain't ashamed. Much. 

 

 

[kayb]

Last night, I paired Bota Box pinot grigio with a PBJ. Quite excellent.

[blue_dolphin]

I mentioned upthread that in honor of this tasting, I ordered a mixed box of summer whites from Beaune Imports.

Quote

2019 Côtes du Rhône, La Colline, La Cabotte (Rhône)
2016 Rueda Verdejo, Villa Narcisa, Javier Sanz (Rueda, SP)
2019 Soave DOC, Tamellini (Veneto, IT)
2018 Pont Bourceau Chenin, Julien Delrieu (Loire)
2012 Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu, Origine, Haut Bourg (Loire)
2018 Citrine Chardonnay, Enfield Wine Co. (California, USA)

 

They arrived very promptly but I've been turning to the same old rosés from TJ's.  Six wines was just too much choice 🙃.

Yesterday, I received some tinned mussels in escabeche AND remembered that we only have a few more days for this tasting.  Mussels from Spain?  Wine from Spain ✔️  I opened the 2016 Villa Narcisa Verdjo from the Reuda region by winemaker Javier Sanz. 

The notes in my quote above are for the 2019 vintage which Beaune is currently selling for $11/bottle.

 

At first taste, without food, I liked the wine but was not won over.  As you can see from reading the notes, there's a lot of fruit on the nose, nice acidity but also significant grassy and mineral components.  It is bone dry and, at least for this 2016, is not a lightweight but has some body to it. Without food it seemed sort of awkward to me.

I made some crostini with my pickled mussels, setting them on toasts rubbed with garlic and spread with a preserved lemon aioli.  Between the rich, slightly funky mussels and that preserved lemon aioli, there was a mouthful of flavor going on and this wine stood right up to  them.  This was the synergy that @weinoo mentioned above.  I wouldn't really recommend this to be sipped on it's own but it's certainly a great companion for flavorful seafood recipe....crabcakes with remoulade?  Oh, yeah! 

I'm not familiar with the varietal at all.  A little looking tells me that it's recommended where one would serve a Sauvignion Blanc.   I think that's true, though many Sauv Blancs in the price range seem to be little more than lemon water. This stuff had some guts.  I'd certainly consider getting more. 

 

We've  apparently got a few more days before Sept begins so I'd best get to work on a few more bottles!

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

Another wine from my "summer whites" box.  This is the 2018 Citrine Chardonnay from Enfield Wine Co.   Delicious!  and a wine I can actually enjoy with my Chardonnay-loving friends!

 

I'm not a lover of overly oaky, buttery California Chardonnays and don't really consider them "summer wines" so I wasn't terribly enthused about the presence of this one in the box.  However, I'd read an NYT article that featured winemaker John Lockwood (The Art of Winemaking on the Cheap) that made me interested in trying it and the wine info sheet on the Beaune Imports site said that it was similar to Chardonnay from southern Burgundy which was encouraging.  I was pleasantly surprised.  It's very nicely balanced with peachy and floral notes, a slightly creamy mouthfeel (but not the heavy buttery sense I get from some Chards) and a brisk, palate-cleansing acidity.  Lots of flavor but not heavy. 

This was delicious to drink on its own and I enjoyed sipping it both before and after my meal.   Salmon is my go-to dish with chardonnay but my fish peeps were absent from the farmers market this week so I made some crunchy little appetizer-sized salmon croquettes and enjoyed the wine with them.   This is not a fussy wine and would pair well with a range of foods.  Unlike the heavy, oaky Chards, it won't overwhelm a light fish dish but has enough substance to pair with stronger flavors as well.

This bottle is $28 on the winery's website.  For my low-end budget, that's approaching special occasion territory and I'm not sure this is really a special occasion wine.  On the other hand, because of its balance, versatility and easy drinking nature, it could make a table of people very happy with their glasses.   I can buy more from Beaune for $24 and I may just do that. 

[blue_dolphin]

On 8/16/2020 at 2:09 PM, Smithy said:

Wow! I would normally run the other way from anything that describes itself as reminiscent of a Muscat (dry or otherwise)

 

While it's not a huge favorite of mine, I have to come to the defense of the dreaded Muscat and share 2 very summer-appropriate applications.  

 

First up, in Diana Henry's book, How to Eat a Peach, she includes a dessert that's barely a recipe - fresh white peaches sliced into chilled Moscato.  I scoped out the tasting notes on the shelves at Total Wine and picked this Cardinale Lanata Moscato d'Asti . The tasting notes promised flavors of peach and honey and it delivered in spades. This photo is from a couple of years ago but I've purchased the same wine several times and served it this way to friends to good reviews each time. I often get wrinkled noses and, "I don't like sweet wine," but they are usually won over in the end.  It's so easy but looks very elegant and is perfect when people are insisting that they don't want dessert.

 

The other night, I'd fixed myself a little platter of fresh figs, walnuts, blue cheese and crusty bread.  What to Drink with What You Eat recommends a sweet wine with blue cheese. I'd normally go with port but that seemed too heavy on a warm evening.  I've got an assortment of dessert wines that I rarely remember to open so I pulled out this 2008 Muscat Canelli that I'd picked up years ago on a visit to Leoness Cellars down in Temecula.  

It was really delightful with the figs and blue cheese.  

 

[weinoo]

Been drinking a bunch of rosés and light reds recently, but last week we did have white on 2 occasions...

 

 

 

This domaine is right on the south bank of the Loire (the middle Loire), and the wine is lovely with the tart citrusy chenin fruit and minerality that we so like.

 

And then to get a little weirder...

 

 

 

The Pierre Frick practically orange (look at the color on that wine!) Alsatian riesling. Yum! But - not for everybody, that's for sure. Funky.

 

Here's what Chambers St. has to say...

 

Quote

The 2017 Frick Riesling Maceration is produced from two parcels: one with marne/sandstone soils above Grand Cru Vorbourg, the other, at mid-slope near Vorbourg is similar but with more presence of limestone, both with eastern exposure. The grapes underwent a 9-day whole-cluster maceration before pressing. The wine matured on its fine lees for 9 months in old foudre before bottling in July of 2018. Zero added SO2. The wine shows a golden color with orange highlights and intense aromas of yuzu, lemon mint and mandarine. The palate is dry, vibrant and persistent, with a nice touch of tannin and flavors of citrus zest and a long very mineral finish. Seerve with full-flavored fish dishes, fish choucroute, white meats in sauce. 12.5% alc, 0.1 grams/liter RS, no added SO2.

 

 

[chefmd]

I know that August is over.  But only by one day.  So today I had some time during lunch and went to a Russian grocery store. 

 

Its a very aromatic wine, a little on the heavy side.  It will be served with scallops tonight.  Here is the description:

Orgo

GeorgiaKakheti

91 POINTSWine Enthusiast2019

89 POINTSWine & Spirits2018

Sales Tools 

ABOUT WINE

This is a 50%-50% blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes fermented and made in qvevri (large clay jars buried under the ground). This is an Amber or "Orange" wine style, but made in a lighter style with only 1 month of skin contact. It is a perfect introduction to the style.

Dila-o (dee-la-oh) is a new brand from the Teleda/Orgo winery with the ambition to make fantastic Georgian Qvevri wines that can promote traditional Georgian wine techniques among a broad segment of the US market by over delivering on story and quality for the price.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, chefmd said:

I know that August is over.  But only by one day.  So today I had some time during lunch and went to a Russian grocery store. 

 

Its a very aromatic wine, a little on the heavy side.  It will be served with scallops tonight.  Here is the description:

Orgo

GeorgiaKakheti

91 POINTSWine Enthusiast2019

89 POINTSWine & Spirits2018

Sales Tools 

ABOUT WINE

This is a 50%-50% blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes fermented and made in qvevri (large clay jars buried under the ground). This is an Amber or "Orange" wine style, but made in a lighter style with only 1 month of skin contact. It is a perfect introduction to the style.

Dila-o (dee-la-oh) is a new brand from the Teleda/Orgo winery with the ambition to make fantastic Georgian Qvevri wines that can promote traditional Georgian wine techniques among a broad segment of the US market by over delivering on story and quality for the price.

 

Not what I am having tonight with my hamburger and fries -- however I am most fond of Mtsvane from the women of Mandili.

https://blog.lescaves.co.uk/2017/05/30/georgia-on-my-palate/

 

But in the spirit of the topic, what I am enjoying tonight is Folonari Soave.  Tasting note:  "It gets the job done."

 

 

[weinoo]

13 hours ago, chefmd said:

This is a 50%-50% blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes fermented and made in qvevri (large clay jars buried under the ground). This is an Amber or "Orange" wine style, but made in a lighter style with only 1 month of skin contact. It is a perfect introduction to the style.

Dila-o (dee-la-oh) is a new brand from the Teleda/Orgo winery with the ambition to make fantastic Georgian Qvevri wines that can promote traditional Georgian wine techniques among a broad segment of the US market by over delivering on story and quality for the price.

 

A couple of the "natural" wine bars which have opened, as well as a few restaurants with natural focused wine lists are hot on some Georgian wines. That looks like one I might enjoy. I certainly enjoy shopping in Brighton Beach/Sheepshead Bay - with its many Russian focused shops and supermarkets.

 

Monday night (it was still August, I think)...

 

 

This (under $15 on sale!) Vinho Verde, full of acidity, made nice with crab cakes.  

 

https://aphros-wine.com/en/wines/white/aphros-loureiro-2019/

Edited September 2, 2020 by weinoo (log)

[kayb]

@chefmd -- Love the wineglass.

[rotuts]

@chefmd 

 

"It gets the job done."

 

Ive found this concept a key when I search for table wine @ Tj's

[chefmd]

On 9/2/2020 at 10:50 AM, kayb said:

@chefmd -- Love the wineglass.

It’s Villeroy & Boch.  I love these glasses.  They go into dishwasher without problems.  I have fancy Riedel glasses but only use them for good quality red wines.  Hand washing is not my idea of good times.