Category:White wine

Wine of the week: Domaine Guillaume Cabrol Picpoul de Pinet 2021

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Domaine Guillaume Cabrol Picpoul de Pinet bottle
Domaine Guillaume Cabrol Picpoul de Pinet 2021/$10-$16

Once again, a French picpoul demonstrates its value and quality

The Wine Curmudgeon was talking to a friend the other day, and we were bemoaning the state of U.S. cheap wine. “Why can’t I find quality U.S, wine the way I can find quality European wine for less than than $15?” my friend asked. “You’d think, after shipping costs and the importer’s cut, European wines would cost more.”

Which makes perfect sense, but we are talking about the wine business, aren’t we?

Case in point: the Domaine Guillaume Cabrol Picpoul de Pinet 2021 ($13, purchased, 13%), which can be found for as little as $10. What possible economic reason can there be that this wine costs less than so many California wines of similar – or even less — quality?

Because the Cabrol is a terrific wine for the price: A sold, well-made, and varietally correct picpoul, something we’ve seen lots of on the blog in the past couple of years. Picpoul is a white grape from the Languedoc in southern France; its name literally translates to lip-smacking because the wine can be so tart.

This wine is a little more sophisticated than most; yes, it’s tart and lemony, but it’s not quite as rough around the edges and there’s even a bit of minerality. Chill it, serve it with a couscous salad and some grilled chicken breast.

Imported by David Bowler Wine

Wine of the week: Stemmari Grillo 2021

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Stemmari grillo bottle
Stemmari Grillo 2021/$8-$11

Ah, to be drinking Sicily when the cheap wine is on the shelf

Bear with the Wine Curmudgeon, as I wax poetic about the old days.

Ah, Sicily.

Once, Sicily was going to be the world’s next great cheap wine region. And then it wasn’t, for any number of reasons that we’re all too familiar with on the blog. So when I run across one of the wines that never abandoned that quest, I am that much less curmudgeonly.

The Stemmari Grillo 2021 ($8, purchased, 13%) is made with a white grape, grillo, that deserves to be more than an answer in a wine geek quiz. When it’s handled properly, as it is here, it’s neither chardonnay not sauvignon blanc and certainly not pinot grigio. Rather, it is a fresh, every day kind of wine with its own particular character.

In the Stemmari, that means simple but not stupid, with some tell-tale nuttiness (almonds?), some pear fruit, and a clean, almost stony finish. And please ignore the back label hype about “jasmine and white flowers,” which is mostly marketing.

Put a bottle of this in the refrigerator and drink it when you want a glass, or serve it with something like chicken thighs marinated in olilve oil and lemon juice.

Imported by Prestige Wine Imports

Wine of the week: MAN Chenin Blanc 2021

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

MAN Chenin Blanc bottle
MAN Chenin Blanc 2021/$7-$12

Once more, South Africa’s MAN chenin blanc reminds us that cheap doesn’t always mean crummy

There are some wines that I drink, vintage after vintage, that don’t necessarily win awards, aren’t 90-pointed by the Winestream Media, and are mostly ignored by the wine geeks. They include this wine and this wine, as well as my beloved Tariquet, and I drink them because they offer value and quality. What other reason is there?

The MAN Chenin Blanc 2021 ($10, purchased, 13%)  is one of those wines. This vintage is not as impressive as the 2019, which won the Turner award in 2021, but it’s exactly what great $10 wine should be. That is: Worth much, much more than it costs, does justice to its varietal (or varietals), and doesn’t insult the intelligence of those of us who drink it.

This vintage of the MAN has lemon fruit and a certain stoniess associated with chenin blanc. It’s not sweet or even especially smoooth, but bone dry and speaks to South African chenin blanc. The only thing missing that was in the Turner wine is a little bit of something in the middle. and which turned a good wine into a great wine.

Chill this, drink it on its own or with roast chicken, and be glad that cheap wine can still be this well done.

Imported by Vineyard Brands

Wine of the week: Scarpetta Frico Bianco 2020

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Scarpetta Frico Bianco bottle
Scarpetta Frico Bianco 2020/$9-$18

This Italian white blend offers crisp, affordable quality

Nothing speaks more to the dilemma facing the wine business these days than this note on the Wine-Searcher page for the Scarpetta Frico Bianco: “Increasingly popular over the last year.”

Given that Wine-Searcher prides itself on pumping up wine wines that cater to the 1 percent, that says a lot about how ordinary wine drinkers are desperately looking for affordable quality.

Which the Scarpetta Frico Bianco ($12, purchased, 12.5%) delivers again this vintage. It’s an Italian white blend made with friulano and chardonnay; there’s also a red, which isn’t as interesting, and a rose, which is usually terrific.

Friulano, from Italy’s northeast, is a white grape that sort of resembles sauvignon blanc, but it’s usually more floral and less citrusy. Blending it with chardonnay tends to make the wine rounder and softer, though this vintage is more tart than the 2019 was.

Having said that, it’s still not as citrusy as sauvignon blanc, leaning more toward lemons than grapefruit. It’s certainly crisp at the back, and there is also bit of spice or almond, or even both. In all, a fine value for the price, and especially if you can find it for $10. Pair this with grilled shrimp or spaghetti with clam sauce.

Imported by USA Wine West

 

Wine of the week: Westmount Pinot Gris 2021

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Westmount pinot gris bottle
Westmount Pinot Gris 2021/$13-$20

Quality Oregon pinot gris for less than $15 – a fine way to start the new year

Few wines have suffered as much from premiumization as Oregon pinot gris. Not that long ago, there were a variety of quality brands selling the white for $15 or less. Now, those wine are almost all gone, and what’s left at that price is sweet or boring or both.

So when I saw the Westmount Pinot Gris 2021 ($13, purchased, 13.5%) on a local retailer’s shelf, I took the chance. And I’m glad I did.

This is a delightful, almost subtle Oregon pinot gris – all in all, much more than I dared hope for. It reminded me of the quality wines I used to buy at this price, before all those brands went over to the dark side (and since they know who they are, there’s no need to name them).

It’s not exactly classic Oregon pinot gris; there’s more pear than bright lime fruit and more minerality than most. Some of the tasting noteseven  mention spice, which may be on hand if you’re looking for it. Regardless, a surprisingly complex wine for the price.

Chill this and drink it on its own or pair it with grilled chicken breasts. Now, sadly, the caveats: prices are all over the place (as much as $20), and the wine may be difficult to find (even though I bought it just a couple of months ago). But that’s the wine business for you.

Mini-reviews 164: The woe to availability edition – and just in time for Christmas

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

empty grocery store shelves
“The WC wasn’t kidding — nary a bottle to be found.”

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the fourth Friday of each month. This month, four interesting wines, but good luck finding three of them (two of which I bought).

• Vins El Cep Xarello 2020 ($12, purchased, 11.5%): This Spanish white is made with a cava grape, xarello. From my tasting notes: “Surprisingly amazing,” given that xarello doesn’t often make quality still wine. But there is structure, lemon and a bit of apple fruit, and quite clean. Limited availability. by Fine Estates from Spain

• El Tuerto Tempranillo Blanco 2021 ($18, purchased, 13%): This Spanish white, made with the red tempranillo grape, is a floral, almost pretty wine, with a blend of tropical and citrus fruits. Impeccably balanced. Highly recommended, if you can find any. Imported by Classic Wines

• Satellite Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($13, purchased, 13%) I still don’t understand why we’re still hearing that there isn’t any New Zealand sauvignon blanc; this is an older past vintage and it’s still for sale. The wine sits midway between the always fine Spy Valley (which makes it) and all those supermarket Bay wines. So less overtly grapefruit, but still citrusy, but a little softer and more tropical in the middle. Imported by Broadbent Wines

• Gillmore Mariposa 2020 ($14, sample, 14%): Rich and full red blend (half cabernet franc, and the rest merlot and syrah) from Chile. So dark fruit, refined tannins and surprising acidity. Too much syrah for my taste but well made. And, of course, not much for sale in the U.S. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

Photo: “Empty grocery store shelves in Austin during the 2021 Texas energy crisis” by Jno.skinner is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Christmas wine 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

christmas wine 2020
“Hey, WC. This is the third year in a row you’ve used this picture. Find another one already.”

Four recommendations for Christmas wine 2022

Once more, the blog’s Christmas wine suggestions, whether for a last minute gift, something to drink when you just want a glass over the next couple of weeks, or for a holiday dinner. Keep our wine gift giving tips in mind — and don’t overlook the blog’s 2022 holiday gift guide (blog subscriptions, hint, hint).

These wines will get you started:

• Alma Brut NV ($6, purchased, 11.5%): The blog’s Arizona correspondent raves about this Total Wine private label, which comes from Brazil. So, because he rates it so highly — and he makes good sense — it’s here even though we try to avoid private label. Look for some decent bubbles and a bit of apple. Imported by Saranty Imports

• Domaine de la Croix Senaillet Mâcon-Davaye 2020 ($18, purchased, 13%): This French white, made with chardonnay, is a touch pricey for a wine from the Macon region. But it’s very well done and a delight to drink. Rich, not oaky, pear and apple fruit, and a bit of stoniness. Imported by Wines with Conviction

• Château Pey La Tour 2019 ($15, purchased, 14.5%): A fairly typical merlot-based red Bordeaux, so softish, what the wine magazines call “perfumed,” and lots of red fruit. Find it for $15, and you have something to drink with prime rib. Imported by Champagnes & Chateaux USA

• Le petit Gueissard Rose 2021 ($10, purchased, 12.5%): How anyone can turn out a pink wine of this quality at this price, given all that is going on in the world, is mind boggling. Some softish cherry fruit from the grenache in the blend, but also structure and character. Highly recommended. Imported by Artisan Wine Selections

More about Christmas wine:
• Christmas wine 2021
• Christmas wine 2020
• Christmas wine 2019
• Wine of the week: McManis Petite Sirah 2020
• Expensive wine 160: Vietti Arneis 2021

Photo: “guardian of wine” by marcostetter is marked with CC PDM 1.0