Wine Tag: E

[Brad Ballinger]

And extra dry, extra brut, Entre-Deux-Mers, Etoile, Est! Est!! Est!!! (a DOC). Also, you can get away with most German wines that have the term Erzeugerabfüllung on the label (which means nothing more than "this bottle of wine was bottled by the producer"). While in Germany, any wine from the village of Erden (such as Christoffel's Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett. There's also Edna Valley, Erbaluce di Caluso, or any wine drunk by an enophile. Earthy wines are welcome, as are wines with ethyl alcohol (which includes all wines). But, please, none with excessive levels of ethyl acetate.

To start it off: 1995 Charles Ellner "Seduction" Brut, Champange. This is a behemoth of a bubbly. 25% pinot noir; 75% chardonnay. As hard as it may be to believe (it's certainly hard to put into words), this wine is at the same time as toasty as it is citrusy. What helps make some clarity of the conundrum is that the chardonnay is barrel fermented. Yet, the oak never dominates the nose or flavor profile. There's plenty of lemony fruit with a touch of honey. There's also an undercurrent of mineral that comes across as more rocky than earthy, if that makes any sense.

[Dana]

We ordered Chateau St. Michelle Erocia last night to accompany several different appetizers, It's crisp and delicious, and has a hint of sweetness that paired perfectly with the Dungeness Crab Bisque I ordered as well as a Japanese-inspired Sea Bass I had for my entree.

I'm sure you all know much more about this winery than I, so I won't quote what's on their web site, which is about all I'd know. Dr. Loosen has partnered with them to produce some wonderful wines that not-too-knowledgeable wine lovers like me can order with confidence.

[Brian Murdock]

Here's one quick "E" wine from Spain. The winery Enate, from the region Somontano. Just about everything it does is good, and goes up from there!!

[Carolyn Tillie]

I'm a fan of Quady's Essencia orange muscat -- for the price, it is a great after-dinner wine!

[jayt90]

Eden Vale Riesling, from Henschke, and others, is alway on my list of desirable whites to acquire.

[MaxH]

How about Egri Bikaver, the famous Hungarian "Bull's Blood" wine?

(Remember that according to the Wine Institute's numbers, at least when I checked a year or two back, the nations with the largest average per-capita wine consumption -- much higher than the US for example -- were concentrated in three regions, only one of which gets cited much in US writing: The Mediterranean, parts of Latin America, and Eastern Europe.)

Cheers -- Max

[mike volker]

2001 Esterlina cabernet: very nice wine that probably needs a few more years in the cellar. more Bordeaux like than California.

Best,

Mike

[doviakw]

Maybe a reach for E but here goes ...

Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Roso 2003 Calderara Sottana

Quoting Florida Jim, "... made from the nerello mascalese grape from vineyards on Mt. Etna in Sicily." in reference to the 2004 version of the same wine.

Appearance was semi-opaque, dark reddish purple that was somewhat lighter at the edges. Aromas of dark berry, cassis, earth and leather with alcohol underneath. Upon tasting, there were more pronounced earth and leather notes. Quite complex with a good fruit layer. A nice tannic grip but not overwhelming. The finish was surprisingly light with lingering leather and fruit.

I bought the bottle to taste after reading Florida Jim's TN. Unfortunately, the bottle had been open for at least a day before I could taste it beacuse it was opened by a houseguest (my son) while he was house-sitting for us. My wife and I both liked the wine very much and were impressed by its depth and unique character. I guess we'll just have to get another test bottle!