Erath Pinot Blanc

I am always on the lookout for unique white wines ~ something a little different than your standards (like chardonnay, riesling, pinot grigio).  One that I really enjoy, but is rare to find, is pinot blanc.  This wine is fairly neutral in aroma and flavors.  It has lighter aromas of fruit, such as apple and citrus fruits, and floral characteristics.  Pinot Blanc is higher in acidity with lower sugar levels, which makes for dry, crisp, medium-bodied wines.  Of the popular white varietals, it is most like a chardonnay.  

On a recent trip to Oregon, we discovered a great Pinot Blanc while visiting Erath.  Being true to its grape, this pinot blanc has flavors of citrus fruits, melon and a hint of floral, with a perfect balance of acidity.  The wine has just enough weight to allow the flavors to linger slightly and develop into a nice, rich wine that is drinkable on own, or with food.  This is definitely an ingredient to dessert wine.

In general, Pinot Blanc pairs especially well with vegetables, roasted chicken or pork, salads, and mild cheese.  We enjoyed our bottle with slow roasted pork tenderloin and butternut squash.  Quite tasty! You can purchase a bottle of the 2011 Erath Pinot Blanc through the winery online, retailing for $14. 

Fun White Wines to Beat the Heat

There is no question Chardonnay is at the top of the popularity list for white wines. As the summer heats up, here are a couple of different white varietals to cool off with while hanging by the pool, sitting on the patio, or grilling with family and friends. We discovered these great white wines while exploring California wine regions over the years. The price points are all $15 or less and are fairly distributed. Grab a bottle (or two) and enjoy the summer!

You can find these wines at BevMo and Specs

Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc ($13)

100% Sauvignon Blanc, 64% stainless steel tanks, 36% older French oak

Cool, stainless steel tank fermentation gives this wine a crisp freshness while the subtle oak character from barrel aging adds great complexity and depth.  This wine has a medium-light yellow color, and has tastes of melon and kiwi, finishing with a splash of citrus. Enjoy with a light salad, herb chicken and vegetables, lightly grilled fish, or even oysters. 

Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc ($15)

99% Pinot Blanc, 1% Chardonnay, Five months in stainless steel tanks, 12% aged in new and used French oak, 4% aged in French Acacia wood barrels

Rich complex flavors of pear, apple and nectarine.  The finish is lengthy with zesty acidity.  This wine is refreshing, crisp, and very drinkable.  It's light flavor makes it enjoyable with a variety of foods.  Enjoy with a nice chicken salad, or scallops.  It is also a great wine for Sunday brunch. 

Simi Sauvignon Blanc ($12)

95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon, 100% stainless steel tanks

Very clear in color and full of crisp, clean fruit flavors. It starts with a burst of bright citrus, and finishes with a lemon-lime zest. Enjoy with a light salad, some grilled shrimp, or simply while enjoying sunshine out on the patio or by the pool. 

You can find these wines at BevMo

Seghesio Pinot Grigio ($15)

100% Pinot Grigio, 100% stainless steel tank fermented

Bright nose with flavors of sweet melon, pear and peaches.  The rich and creamy mouthful adds complexity and the firm acidity provides a clean finish.  Enjoy this wine with Asian food, grilled pork chops, or before dinner with gruyere-style cheese. 

Husch Chenin Blanc ($10)

100% Chenin Blanc,100% stainless steel tank fermented

Chenin Blanc is one the most versatile grapes used in the wine industry.  This ‘off-dry’ wine has tastes of tropical fruits, and the acidity gives it a hint of zest.  Even ‘non-wine drinkers’ have been known to enjoy this wine.  It is ideal for picnics, or with a fruit and cheese course.   It would also pair well with seafood or spicy Asian cuisine.

Day 3: Three perfect days in Napa and Sonoma Valley

This is Day 3 of our recent wine tour to the Napa and Sonoma wine regions. Napa Valley can get a little crowded on the weekends, so we like to head over to nearby Sonoma Valley which features a lot of great wineries, more reasonable prices, and fewer people. Gotta love that combination!

Wine

Valley of the Moon. Our first stop of the day was terrific. Their tasting room is a two-fer: you can taste Valley of the Moon wines and Lake Sonoma Winery wines. It's interesting to compare and contrast the two styles. Linda, our host, played along and poured several of the varietals side-by-side, so we could blind taste them and try to guess which was which based on the descriptions. Lots of fun! The stand-outs for us were the super refreshing 2008 'So Co' Pinot Blanc that was very crisp and would go well with lighter foods. We also enjoyed their 2007 'So Co' Sangiovese. Sangiovese is a very versatile red wine, and this one had a nice oaky finish that will allow it to go well with pasta. Finally, we really enjoyed the Lake Sonoma Winery 2007 Dry Creek Zinfandel which has 94% Zinfandel and 6% Petite Syrah to give it some bigger tannins and a little complexity.

Benziger. Plan a trip here if words like "organic" and "biodynamic" ring your bell. You may also want to try Benziger if words like "really good Pinot Noir" and "big, big Cab" resonate with you. Either way, they make good wine. Our favorites were their 2007 Giusti Vineyard Pinot Noir which had deep fruit and a very Pinot earthy finish. Their 2006 Gordenker Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was a BIG cab that hits you with lots of fruit (without being too jammy or showing too much alcohol) and smooths out on the finish. Their 2006 Port was made from late harvest Syrah and Petite Syrah and has a nice balance: not too sweet and not too tawny (think caramel).

Artesa. There's a lot to love about Artesa, from their sweeping vistas, to their beautiful tasting room, to their outstanding wine. Even with a large Saturday afternoon crowd, our wine host, Marie, was very attentive and informative. We particularly enjoyed their 2005 Tempranillo and their 2005 Cabernet Franc. Tempranillo tastes like a Spanish cousin to Sangiovese, though a bit bolder. It is a well-balanced red without too much fruit or too much tannin, and would go well with a variety of richer foods. The Cabernet Franc has a lot of deep fruit on the mouth and finishes softly (for a Cab Franc). Yum.

Food

We found an awesome place for lunch called Sage Fine Food and Provisions. This is really just a fancy deli that has tasty sandwiches made with fresh ingredients and a variety of salads. It's directly across the street from Gloria Ferrer (which we did not enjoy - it's really a wine bar rather than a tasting room). Dinner was at Brix in Napa. The ideal time to go to Brix is in the Spring or Summer, when you can stroll through their vegetable garden while you wait for your meal to be served. It's a different experience in the winter, but the food is outstanding California Bistro fare and the service is always very professional and attentive.

Pinot-palooza

Last weekend, we hosted a dinner party, all about Pinot's. We started the night with an '06 Chalone Pinot Blanc (Chalone Appellation) ~ delicate yet crisp ~ a nice way to start a night of pinots.

Before dinner, we did a blind tasting of four pinots we purchased in our '09 travels:

'06 Wattle Creek (Yorkville Highlands)
'06 Cuvaison (Carneros, Napa Valley)
'06 Sokol Blosser (Dundee Hills, OR)
'04 Chateau Souverain (Russian River Valley)

After enjoying a few tastes with a selection of soft cheeses, we each selected our favorites. No surprises that the Cuvaison and Sokol Blosser were at the top of everyone's list, followed by Wattle Creek, and a distant 4th was Souverain. The Cuvaison was very smooth, easy to drink, with well balanced flavors. The Sokol Blosser had similar characteristics, with a more 'earthy' taste than the fruitier Cuvaison. Wattle Creek was quite enjoyable as well. The Souverain, while a solid wine, just didn't measure up to the others.

Dinner was a very pinot-friendly menu: beef brisket, roasted root vegetables, and mixed wild mushroom rice. We all enjoyed the rest of the wine with dinner and noted how the characteristics of each wine seemed to change a bit when paired with the meal. The Souverain Pinot Noir even rose to the top of one of our guest's lists!
After the meal, we finished the night with an '08 Erath Sweet Harvest Pinot Blanc (Dundee Hills, OR) ~ super delicious ~ sweet (but not too sweet), with an almost smokey finish. A definite repeat purchase!

A fun night ~ and a great way to clear out some inventory!