Category:White wine

Labor Day wine 2023

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

people sitting in front of table talking and eating
“I told you the WC’s wine recommendations were super good.”

Enjoy these four bottles for Labor Day wine 2023

Labor Day traditionally marks the end of the summer in the U.S., which will be most welcome this year. Even the WC, who vowed never to shovel snow again, was getting overwhelmed by 105-degree temperatures. And then some more. And then some more.

So bring on fall, cooler weather, some chilled reds, and relaxing on a shaded place on the porch. And maybe some lemon roasted chicken?

These four bottles will give you a start — and don’t forget the blog’s porch wine guidelines:

• Jolie Folle Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($13/1-liter, purchased, 11.5%): This French white is more New Zealand in style this vintage, with grapefruit instead of lime and less minerality. But it’s still a fine value. Imported by T. Elenteny Imports

• Umani Ronchi Podere 2021  ($13, purchased, 13%): A surprisingly fresh and berryish Italian red from Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, though it’s not as light as some. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be chilled slightly and served with bacon cheeseburgers.  Imported by Vineyard Brands

• Castle Rock Rose 2022 ($12, sample, 13%): A California pink that is crisp, fresh, and enjoyable — and dry, dry, dry. Look for rose petals on the nose (honest), plus barely ripe berry fruit and a very pleasant stony finish. I’m told it’s available, so its Wine-Searcher entry is probably wrong.

• Campo Viejo Cava Brut Rose NV ($11, purchased, 11.5%): This Spanish bubbly is made with trepat, which is a good thing. But it’s a little less crisp than it could be and it’s not quite up to the standards of what great cheap Cava once was. But it has nice wild berry fruit with decent bubbles, so it will do. Imported by Pernod Richard USA

Photo: Priscillia Du Preez on Unsplash

More about Labor Day wine:
• Labor Day wine 2022
• Labor Day wine 2021
• Labor Day wine 2020
• Wine of the week: Zestos Blanco 2021

Wine of the week: Tenuta Rapitala Grillo

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Tenuta Rapitalà Grillo Sicilia Viviri label
Tenuta Rapitala Grillo /Pricing? Vintage? Who knows?

Wine availability is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

You’ll notice there’s no vintage for the Rapitala Grillo in the headline for this post. That’s because this Sicilian white has three vintages currently available – which is a lot, even for the wine business.

Ain’t availability a wonderful thing?

I tasted the 2020, which I bought for $12 at the end of last year. I bought another bottle at the end of winter, same vintage, but it cost $14. And that’s not the end of the fun: Wine-searcher reports that the 2021 and 2022 can cost as much as $17.

Huh?

Yes, I know about pandemic supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine and glass bottle inflation. But how did a simple – albeit delicious – white wine made by the tanker load that seems to be widely available increase in price by almost 50 percent in less than a year? And with three vintages on store shelves?

Is it any wonder I worry about the future of the wine business?

Hence, this post. Look for the Rapitala Grillo, and buy it — any of the three vintages should be fine — if you can find it for less than $13 or $14. The WC has long appreciated the grillo grape, and this is a fine effort — well-made and interesting, since it’s more subtle and rounder than others, which is complemented with some almond and stone fruit.

Jut don’t try to figure out availability and pricing. It will make your head hurt – something I know first hand.

Imported by Frederick Wildman and Sons

Wine to drink when it’s 107 degrees

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

tire tracks in desert soil
The WC’s backyard doesn’t look like this — yet.

Because even the WC — who never wants to shovel snow again — is almost worn out

Dallas’ record heat this summer (including a brutal weekend) has been wearing, so I keep telling myself that at least I’m not in Phoenix and that I put up with this because I never want to go through a Chicago winter again. So, as long as the Texas electricity grid holds out, I’m OK.

Meanwhile, three wines to drink while I’m waiting for fall:

• Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare 2022 ($18, sample, 13.6%): Prices for this are all over the place — as little as $12.  This year’s vintage isn’t as stony and as French-like as in the past, so more ripish strawberry fruit and richer in the mouth.

• Bodegas La Cana Albarino 2021 ($16, purchased, 13%) Professional and competent Spanish albarino that’s more savory than fruity and almost salty. Some floral aroma and light citrus and very clean on the back. Imported Fine Estates from Spain

• Apaltagua Pinot Noir Reserva 2019 ($14, sample, 13.5%): Well-made and pinot noir-like Chilean effort. Soft tannins, reserved berry fruit, and balanced. Not complex, but that’s not the goal here. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

Photo: Dennis Kralik via Pexels

More wine to drink. …
• … when you’ve had quite enough of spam phone calls
• … when you’re waiting for an ice storm
• … when everyone (and it does seem like everyone) wants to buy your house

Expensive wine 171: William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis 2020

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis bottle
William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis 2020/$25-$40

Another fine vintage of this Chablis from a top-notch producer

Chablis is one of the few places left to find value in white Burgundy, France’s high-end version of chardonnay. Value, of course, is relative in this case, since very ordinary white Burgundy that’s not especially high-end can cost $40.

Which is where the William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis 2020 ($28, purchased, 12.5%) comes in. William Fevre is a top producer, and its wines have appeared on the blog a couple of times. They were also among the Big Guy’s favorites; several of us drank this in his honor a couple of weeks ago.

The Champs Royaux is richer than many Chablis, which is most often a lean, more crisp approach to chardonnay. That’s because the Royaux gets a tiny hint of oak – not enough so the wine is oaky, but enough to notice that it’s a bit different. But the lemon and apple fruit is subdued, and it’s still a mineral driven wine, as Chablis should be (what the wine geeks call wet stone). Let this age a bit, and it should get a little leaner.

Highly recommended, and something to think about when it’s time for late summer entertaining. The Big Guy would have asked me to roast a chicken to pair with it, and that’s always a fine idea with this wine.

Imported by Maison & Domaines Henriot America

Wine of the week: Goats do Roam White 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Goats do Roam White bottle
Wine of the week: Goats do Roam White 2022/$8-$16

South African quality shows again – and no, that’s not a typo

A friend was reminiscing the other day about “critter wines” – the glut of simple, cheap (and some not so cheap) wines with cutesy animals on the label that were inspired by Yellow Tail and that dominated store shelves in the early 2000s. “I hope,” he said, “that they never come back.”

Which is understandable, given the poor quality of many. But some critter wines never went away — and, in fact, really weren’t critter wines at all.

Instead, they used that kind of label to market quality cheap wine, of which the South African Goats do Roam 2022 ($12, purchased, 13.5%) is a terrific example.

The wine is a white blend, using grapes from France’s Rhone. Hence, Goats do Roam is a play on Rhone. Regardless, it’s a spot on example of the style. It’s made with viognier, grenache blanc, marsanne, and roussanne, so expect some oiliness, stone fruit, a little lime in the back, and even – hard to believe, I know– hints of minerality.

Highly recommended, and a candidate for the 2024 Hall of Fame. Chill this and drink it as summer ends; it’s just the kind of thing for 105 degree days we’ve had in Dallas. Pan bagna, anyone?

Imported by Indigo Wine Group

Wine of the week: MAN Sauvignon Blanc 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

MAN Sauvignon Blanc bottle
MAN Sauvignon Blanc 2022/$7-$15

Once again, South Africa’s MAN delivers quality and value

During last week’s podcast with Greg Doody of Vineyard Brands, he spoke glowingly of South Africa’s MAN wines. And why not, given the quality of this white? (Or most of the other MANs, for that matter.)

The MAN Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($10, purchased, 13%) is neither New Zealand, French, or California in style. So no head-smacking grapefruit, no long stony finish, no aromas of freshly cut grass. Rather, it’s terroir driven — a little softer and more tropical than French or California. That means a not quite pineapple fruitiness but enough lime for balance. And, of course, crisp enough to be sauvignon blanc.

The 11 percent semillion in the blend makes it richer than I expected – who expects a $10 sauvignon blanc to offer more than one note? Plus, there’s a bit of a complex mouth feel, which is also not common in a wine at this price.

Highly recommended, and certain to return to the Hall of Fame next year. Pair this with any summer salad or grilled fish. And, frankly, it’s just the thing to keep chilled and drink when you’re ready for a glass of white wine.

Imported by Vineyard Brands

Expensive wine 107: L’Enclos de Carbonnieux Blanc 2020

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

L'Enclos de Carbonnieux Blanc label
L’Enclos de Carbonnieux Blanc 2020/$23-$30

When it’s worth paying more than $10 for white Bordeaux

One of the most difficult parts of this job is not letting my prejudices and preconceptions about wines and wine styles that I don’t like get in the way of an honest assessment of what I taste. I do a decent job of that for merlot, but not as good for rose (or, as one tasting note for a $30 French pink said, “No, this isn’t three times better than the Bieler.”)

Hence, my biggest problem with this wine is that I was hamstrung by the idea that white Bordeaux doesn’t need to cost more than $10 (save for Chateau d’Yquem, of course). Which, if I had allowed that attitude to get in the way, would have meant I missed a fine wine.

Because the L’Enclos de Carbonnieux Blanc 2020 ($26, purchased, 13%) is a fine wine and well worth drinking: “Classic white Bordeaux — green, flinty, a bit of richness from the semillon,” said my tasting notes.

So, yes, it’s probably twice as good as the $10 or $12 white blends from that region in France that I drink all the time. It’s certainly more complex; there’s a lot more going on than the one-note citrus that so many $10 and $12 and even $15 white Bordeaux opt for these days. That means some herbal notes, as well as an almost chalky minerality.

It’s also worth noting that this is the second label from a top white Bordeaux producer, Chateau Carbonnieux, whose wines run around $50. Which, in the way wine works today, makes the L’Enclos a value.

Highly recommended; break out the poulet roti, or, if you’re feeling Hemingway-esque, chilled oysters.

Imported by Misa Imports