South African Dinner Dazzles With Tasteful Dishes And Stark-Condé Wine

Stark-Condé South African Wines

Wines from South Africa find the sweet spot between Old World winemaking techniques and New World flavors.

Stark-Condé Syrah

Diverse Roots

When we were invited to sample a selection of South African wines from Stark-Condé. It was the perfect occasion to throw an aandete partytjie (dinner party) pairing these delicious bottles with elegant dishes.

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Stark-Condé is a family business that encompasses a story of diversity as well.

South African patriarch Hans Schroder was raised in Stellenbosch. In the 1960s while attending university in Japan, Hans met and married fellow student Midori Maruyama. At the time, their marriage was illegal in Hans’ native South Africa due to the apartheid regime’s Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act so the young couple settled in Japan. They remained in Tokyo for the next nearly three decades where they raised three daughters.

South African dinner and scallop entree

In the late 1980s and with the changes on the horizon in South Africa, Hans and Midori decided it was time to return to his native country. They purchased the Oude Nektar farm in 1989 and focused on growing grapes. In 1998, eldest daughter Marie and her American husband José also relocated to South Africa to join the family – and the family business, where with an artisan’s attention to detail and a purist’s approach in the cellar, José slowly developed Stark-Condé’s wines.

Gary and Diane and Bobotie

Today, Stark-Condé wines and the family of brands includes Stark-Condé, MAN Family Wines, Lievland Vineyards, Essay, and KaraTara. The range has something for everyone, from wine novice to lovers of classically styled wines.

Celebrating South African Wine

Friends enjoying dinner and sosatie kabob

To make a six-course meal possible, we enlisted the culinary expertise of our guests, inviting them to create a dish for an assigned wine. Our guests were Kyle and Natalie Hampton, Arthur and Mary Barham, Rob and Chris Rudloff, and Gary and Diane Wessell. Of course, this would not have been possible without the cooking and organizing of my wife, the Green Dragon.

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After a bit of bubbly, we uncorked our first SA wine: the 2021 Warrelwind Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, from MAN. Warrelwind is a whirlwind in Afrikaans, and this was a beauty, with an accent on herbaceousness and rich tropical notes. A nice accompaniment to the fresh Caprese Salad.

South African Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is one of South Africa’s most well-known wines, and we featured two on our menu. The first was the 2021 Monk Stone Chenin, Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, from Stark-Condé. This is a complex wine aged in amphorae and second-use oak. It has lovely nectarine and apple flavors with notes of wet stone. The tasty leek and asparagus quiche was a perfect partner, not overpowering the delicate tastes of the wine.

The 2021 Essay (“S A” get it?) is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, and Viognier from the Coastal Region. This wine is slightly off-dry with generous fruit and a palate of pineapple and guava. It is a dynamite food fine and glasses were refilled and the bottle emptied as we tasted the succulent seared scallops and shrimp served with oranges and rocket salad. At an SRP of $11.99, this is a steal.

Bobotie is a South African casserole with minced beef at the bottom and a thin layer of egg custard on the top. Diane and Gary seasoned it to perfect. The KaraTara Pinot Noir was striking with the bobotie. I couldn’t imagine a better match. A touch of pepper is typical from Pinots in this area and it really worked with this dish. It also had classic cherry and strawberry notes.

Exploring South African Cuisine

Sosatie is a lamb kebab from South Africa with Cape Malay roots. Arthur whipped this up with three different sauces, including one with apricot. In the past, the only really good Pinotage I’ve had is what I tasted in South Africa. The Lievland Bushvine Pinotage from Paarl turned my preconception upside down. This was an elegant Pinotage with luscious raspberry and hints of oak and vanilla. It is a smooth and savory wine. SRP is $18.99.

Caprese salad and rich dessert

Do they love dark chocolate in South Africa? We don’t know, but the Green Dragon decided that a Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake would be the ideal pairing with the 2018 Stark-Condé Syrah. She was right. The key to pairing with Syrah is to have dark or bittersweet chocolate desserts. Something sweet would be a recipe for disaster. This was a scrumptious highlight of the evening. The Syrah is one of the best I’ve tasted this year, rich with dark fruit and jammy currant. The tannins are silky smooth and there is a touch of savory mushroom on the close.

Our guests were quite tickled with the fantastic food and wine feast, but we were not done. As we continued to savor the cheesecake, I opened a bottle of Amarula. Amarula is often shared during a South African braai, a gathering of friends and family around a wood-fired grill. The creme liqueur is made from the Marula fruit, which is the favorite food of African elephants. It is creamy with a fruity, toffee-like flavor.

It was an evening to remember thanks to a culinary marriage of great food and exemplary South African wines.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

Dry Creek Vineyard Celebrates 50 Years Of Innovation And Excellence

Dry Creek celebrates with a special anniversary edition of its signature Fumé Blanc.

Setting Sail With Fumé Blanc

Years ago, before I had any notion of becoming a wine writer, I was perusing a shelf at a wine shop hoping to find something interesting for dinner. At that time, my definition of “interesting” included being reasonably priced.

I was attracted to a bottle with a boat with a billowing sail. It was Dry Creek Vineyard’s Fumé Blanc. My wine knowledge then was pretty limited and I didn’t even know what grapes were in it. Well, we loved it and this version of Sauvignon Blanc has been a staple for us ever since.

We aren’t alone in our love of Fumé Blanc and this year there is special cause for celebration. It’s the 50th anniversary of Dry Creek Vineyard.

Dry Creek Vineyard is one of the last, truly-private family wineries in Sonoma County. They consistently produce 90-plus rated wines.

The Roots Of Dry Creek Vineyard

It all began 50 years ago with David Stare and a dream. Stare traveled to Germany after completing his engineering studies. It was there he developed his interest in wine. Soon after his family spent two weeks in France, where he developed a love of Loire Valley and Bordeaux wines.

His path then led west to California where he discovered a rundown 55-acre prune farm in the Dry Creek Valley region of Sonoma County that was to become his dream location. He purchased the orchard and began planting the region’s first vines since Prohibition. Stare was determined to plant Sauvignon Blanc, despite the advice of several famed vineyard experts who warned that the variety was “inappropriate” for the region. He ignored the warning and plowed ahead and established an iconic and innovative Dry Creek winery. Today Sauvignon Blanc is the most widely planted grape in Dry Creek Valley.

Here’s a look at two 50th-anniversary Dry Creek Vineyard releases:

2021 Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County

Before even tasting a drop, you can tell that this is a special wine. On the reverse side of the front label is a drawing of the 1972 Fumé Blanc label. The front of the label has a nice embossed 50th-anniversary seal. The reverse of the back label has three historical photos.

While there are aromas of cut grass and grapefruit, don’t expect a New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc. Upon sipping, a lovely balance of acidity and tropical fruit is evident. Bright notes of tangerine and a cooling minerality keep you reaching for one more glass. This wine is our favorite California Sauvignon Blanc and at $16 it is an amazing value. I also place this in the “people pleaser” category: no matter your guests’ wine knowledge or palate, they are sure to love it.

2021 Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

There just isn’t enough good quality Chenin Blanc, like this bottle, to go around. If you only know Chenin from inexpensive bottles from South Africa or perhaps overly sweet Vouvray, you’re in for a treat. This wine reflects the Loire Valley-inspired roots and has been produced every year since the winery was founded. The grapes come from the Wilson Ranch in Clarksburg.

On the nose, there are melon and white blossoms. Finished in stainless steel, it is a refreshing wine, with flavors of peach and lemon. It has a soft texture and a lower ABV of 12%. Wonderful with seafood or as an aperitif, the SRP is $16.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as marketing samples.

Dry Creek Vineyard New Releases Hit The Summer Entertaining Trail

Grab one or more of these three wines for your next patio wine extravaganza.

Patio Party Planning

When that old sun begins to shine on the backyard and the grill is smoking away, you need just the right wines for the friends descending on your patio. Here is a trio of new releases from Dry Creek Vineyard that capture the fun of a wide-open summer.

2020 Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

Dry Creek Vineyard has produced Chenin Blanc every year since the family winery was founded in 1972. That’s a lot of Chenin!

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It took some luck and skill to bring this delicious wine to market. A wildfire in Sonoma and one in a remote forested area threatened the purity of the region’s wine grapes. Since white grapes aren’t fermented on their skins, they are less susceptible to smoke taint. Lighter pressings were also used to limit the potential impact.

This is a simply wonderful Chenin that is a perfect dinner guest. Honeysuckle and peach notes on the nose give a foretaste of what’s to come. Lemon, melon, and a hint of orange zest grace the palate. The wine has a soft and filling texture. It is an ideal pairing for seafood or shines as an aperitif. SRP is $16.

2019 Heritage Vines Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

I’ll cut right to the chase: This wine rocks! The Heritage Vines are pre-Prohibition era vines grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock. The result is young vine wine with Old Vines characteristics. This is perhaps our favorite Zinfandel of the bushels out there.

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We popped this one open at the end of an evening of dinner and wine with friends. It was time for something sweet. Out came a chocolate mousse pie.

I’m not sure if this is an ideal pairing – but it does combine two longtime loves: chocolate and excellent Zin! Some Zins entice you with jammy fruit flavors. The Heritage Vines is a more refined bottle with complex layers changing and dancing as you drink.

The black cherry and raspberry notes fill the mouth as you enjoy highlights of toasted oak and savory herb. It’s a rich and round wine with silky tannins. The finish is all mocha with a dash of white pepper. At $26, this is a tremendous value.

2020 Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County

Buy this wine and buy it in abundance for your summer entertaining. This Fumé Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the most planted grape in Dry Creek Valley and a variety championed by Dry Creek Vineyard. It’s a classic dry wine that is now in its 49th vintage.

It’s modeled after the beloved wines of the Loire Valley in France and it has a chic yet fun style that’s perfect for summer. Lime and the smell of fresh-cut grass highlight the bouquet. On the palate there is grapefruit aplenty with peach and tropical flavor. The acidity is intertwined with a refreshing minerality.

We paired this with Barramundi in herbed butter sauce and Ombré Root Vegetable Gratin. The acidity of the wine contrasted nicely with the fattiness of the fish. The artful gratin dish brought delicate flavors to the meal and the Fumé provided the high notes for the bites.

The wine finishes crisply and with the right chill on the bottle, this is ideal for a warm evening on the patio. At $16 we recommend this as a multi-bottle buy.

Full disclosure: This wine was received as a marketing sample.

L’Ecole 2020 Old Vines Chenin Blanc, Yakima Valley

A head-turning food wine from Washington State.

Old, Old Story

L’Ecole winemaker Marcus Rafanelli calls them old soldiers. These are Chenin Blanc vines more than 40 years old, struggling in the poor soil of Washington’s Yakima Valley. The grapes are among the last picked and what they may lack in yield, they more than make up for in a rich and opulent taste.

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We’re fans of old vine grapes. As the vines age, the number of grapes produced shrinks -- but that means that each grape gets highly concentrated flavors. Some theorize that the vine roots continue to extend deeper into the soil and add an additional boost of mineral content to the plant.

We can believe it after sampling the 2020 L’Ecole Old Vines Chenin Blanc from Yakima Valley. It’s a complex bottle that is intriguing and satisfying.

Vouvray-Style Chenin Blanc

The grapes come from the Willard Farms, Upland, and Phil Church vineyards, each planted in 1979. It was a long growing season, but harvest was not without challenges. Harvest just began when smoke from the California and Oregon wildfires first blew west into the Pacific and then swept eastward into the Columbia River Basin. Thankfully the maturity of the fruit, the timing of the exposure, and the nature of the weak, older smoke resulted in a negligible impact.

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When Jean and Baker Ferguson founded L’Ecole in 1983 (the third winery in Walla Walla Valley), their goal was to produce handcrafted, ultra-premium wines. In particular, Jean wanted to produce a Vouvray-style Chenin Blanc.

Vouvray was our first introduction to Chenin Blanc. In fact, when we lived in Ohio, we would visit one particular restaurant because we knew they served our favorite Vouvray, which was a perfect pairing with many of the dishes. The style is refreshing and it's a standout food wine.

Complexity To Spare

To say the L’Ecole 2020 Old Vines Chenin Blanc is complex is an understatement. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and kept sur lie. It underwent partial malolactic fermentation to round out the acidity and soften the mouthfeel.

On the nose, there is a blast of lemon zest and white flowers. The pale gold wine has crisp acidity tempered by the malolactic fermentation. It opens slowly and then engulfs the mouth with an unexpected depth and fullness of body. As you enjoy the texture of the wine, flavors of apricot and kiwi advance accompanied by a nice minerality.

This definitely is a flavor profile that will rattle someone expecting a sedate white wine. It’s a wine that beckons you to take another sip as you ponder the different flavors and wonder about food pairings.

Speaking of food, this pairs with lighter meats, such as turkey and pork, and is a great pick for vegetarian meals. At $17 this is an outstanding buy. Production was 3,200 cases.

Full disclosure: This bottle was received as a marketing sample.

Dry Creek Releases Good Choice For Holidays

Looking for wines for gifts or holiday meals. Check out these four new releases.

California Unlocked

Much of the country – heck, all of it – has been struggling mightily with the pandemic. That includes winery tasting rooms and wine country businesses.

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This morning I was reading a newspaper article about a three-week stay at home mandate in Los Angeles County. Thankfully there is wine – not just to ease our frazzled nerves, but the purchase of which support the wineries, staff and related businesses.

A memorable pre-COVID wine country trip included a stop at Dry Creek Vineyard, one of our favorite wineries. We’ve just tasted through four new releases. They came not a moment too soon. The holiday season is upon us and these Dry Creek Vineyard wines are perfect for holiday meals, gift giving, or just unwinding.

2019 Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County

This wine is one of our “go-to” bottles for entertaining. It is reasonably priced at $16 and is a crowd-pleaser that delights wine aficionados as well as wine novices.

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DCV has been producing Fumé Blanc for 48 years. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel to preserve the bright, refreshing flavors. Lemon and peach notes align with minerality and a pleasing minerality.

2019 Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley

While the Fumé Blanc echoes the Loire Valley aspirations of the winery’s founders, the second generation of this family winery has produced a more contemporary take on Sauvignon Blanc. The 2019 vintage blends 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Musqué, and 7% Sauvignon Gris.

This wine has multiple layers of cool. Not only with the added grape varieties, but aging is in chestnut, acacia and French oak barrels. Add to this the wonderful terroir of Dry Creek Valley and you have a winner for only $20.

We suggest this for a nice holiday meal where seafood or poultry is highlighted. The palate has tropical fruit and a slightly creamy texture.

2019 Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

Chenin Blanc is plentiful in South Africa and in France’s Loire Valley, but may not be a familiar sight at your wine shop. This is a rich white wine that is perfect as an aperitif or pairing with a light meal. At $16, it is also light on your wallet.

Please not that this is dry Chenin Blanc. Chenin can also be produced as a sweet or semi-dry wine, as is often the case with Vouvray. The flavor palette includes lime and candied lemon mingled with tropical mango notes. It’s fresh and lively and is finished in 100% stainless steel.

Like the other wines produced by Dry Creek Vineyard, the grapes are sustainably farmed. The wines are made with minimal intervention and without any animal-based fining agents or products containing gluten. Put your feet up and recover from the holiday chaos with a glass of Chenin Blanc.

2017 The Mariner, Dry Creek Valley

The Mariner, Dry Creek Vineyard’s powerful yet elegant Meritage, has been one of our favorite wines for more than a decade. It’s a blend of the five noble Bordeaux varieties. The 2017 vintage, retailing for $50, is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot.

Aging is 18 months in French and Hungarian oak, 42% new oak. The grapes come from a hillside vineyard with gravelly, iron-rich soil.

We paired The Mariner with a grilled sirloin steak. On the nose there is cocoa and blueberry. On the palate it is luxuriously smooth with deep raspberry and notes of smoke. There is an earthy complexity.

The Mariner continues to top the charts of our wine favorites. As with other DCV wines, the value is outstanding. It drinks like a much more expensive bottle. As such, we recommend The Mariner as a perfect holiday gift for the wine lover on your list.

Full disclosure: This wine was received as a marketing sample.

Screwcap Wines Perfect For Your Outside Enjoyment

The current pandemic has increased the amount of time we’re spending outdoors. Here’s a list of some outstanding screw closure wines to enjoy while there.

Welcome To The Great Outdoors

Patios, backyards, parks, beaches, lakes, balconies, rooftops. Camping, picnics, hiking—one of the biggest trends of 2020 just might be how much time we’re spending outdoors. For the time being, our entertaining has all been on our back patio with plenty of room to social distance with our friends. We’ve been twisting off the tops of many wines in the process.

Wines with screw closures have come a long way. Previously screwcaps were used almost exclusively on low-quality, mass-produced wine. Today the story is much different.

Advances in closure technology now allows for the preservation of wine without the worry of cork taint. Many producers also tout the environmentally-friendly aspect of screw closures. You can no longer judge the quality of the wine by the bottle top.

Perhaps the biggest bonus is convenience. No foil cutter or corkscrew is required – and you don’t need to worry about resealing the bottle if you didn’t quite finish. Just twist the top back on.

Twist And Shout

We recently untwisted the tops on eight enjoyable screwcap wines:

Bernier 2018 Chardonnay, Loire Valley – We’re Loire Valley fans and consider these French wines fun with plentiful fruit. This Chard is fresh with apple and pear notes with minimal oaking. Nice minerality too. SRP $15.99.

Domaine Matrot 2018 Chardonnay, Burgundy – This Burgundy gets malolactic fermentation and time on the lees for a nice rounded flavor. The vines average more than 30 years old. SRP $28.99.

Domaine Matrot 2017 Pinot Noir, Burgundy – Made with grapes from Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, this is a Pinot designed to drink young. A fresh wine with sweet notes of red berries. Lacks the earthiness of some Pinot, but is juicy with soft tannins. SRP $33.99.

La Vieille Ferme 2019 Rosé – La Vieille Ferme is the best-selling French wine in America and is designed to be straightforward and inexpensive. The Rosé is thoroughly enjoyable at a mere $11.99 price. Made with Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah.

La Vieille Ferme 2018 Rouge – This is a unique red with a Southern France profile. The grapes are Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. The grapes are crushed and fermented in cement vats, which gives the wine a light and playful style. One of my patio favorites at a mere $11.99.

MAN 2019 Chenin Blanc, South Africa – This Chenin Blanc, or Steen as its called in its home country, comes from unirrigated bush vines. Surprisingly, it is made from free-run juice – no pressing involved. This is a fresh, enjoyable mix of pineapple, lemon and apple flavors. SRP $11.99.

MAN 2017 Pinotage, South Africa – There’s a lot to love about this Pinotage (a South African specialty). It starts with earthy notes of mocha then softens into juicy, red berry bliss. This was a favorite of the Green Dragon (my lovely wife). SRP $11.99.

Mohua 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough – A satisfying, classic version of Marlborough Sauvignon with tropical fruit and lime notes punctuated with a zesty acidity. The Mohua is a small colorful bird found only on the South Island of New Zealand. This is a solid choice for the summery days of September. SRP $15.99

Full disclosure: These wines were received as marketing samples.

Reyneke Biodynamic Winegrowing Yields South African Gems

A stranger to South African wine? Whet your appetite with these picks.

Ancient Practices For Modern Wine

Biodynamic methods have been at the cutting edge -- some might say the outer fringe -- of winegrowing for many years. Rather than a new technique, it harkens back to age-old cycles of agriculture.

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Biodynamic farming, while very similar to organic farming, is unique in that it conceives of a vineyard as an entire ecosystem on its own. Biodynamic practices also incorporate ancient ideas like astrological influences, natural preparations to protect and aid the vines, and lunar cycles. No synthetic chemicals are used in the farming of the grapes, and oftentimes animals like cows, alpacas, and sheep are used to complete the vineyard ecosystem and increase biodiversity.

There are now more than 4,500 certified biodynamic wineries worldwide in more than 50 countries. Reyneke Wines in Stellenbosch has the distinction of being the very first winery certified as biodynamic (by Demeter International) in all of South Africa.

The Reyneke team is led by Johan Reyneke who took over farming activities on the family farm more than 20 years ago and produced the first wine. He gradually moved from conventional farming practices to organic and now to biodynamic principles.

Sustainable Wine Ecosystem

At Reyneke, the farm is seen as an ‘individuality’. It needs to be self-sustainable and self-supporting. Why? If the farm can produce its own fertilizer and compost, this means it’s less dependent on trucking-in fertilizer in clouds of diesel exhausts. If the farm is self-sufficient, their own cow manure ‘costs’ the same every day, no matter the price of oil.

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The vineyards are herbicide, fungicide, and pesticide-free. Instead, companion plants are used to out-compete the weeds and natural predators (like ducks) are used to combat pests.

Is all the care that goes into growing the grapes reflected in the glass? We recently opened a selection of Reyneke wines to find out.

First of all, we are mighty fans of Stellenbosch and South African wines. We find that wines from here have Old World sensibilities with the bold flavors of the New World. Our faith in this great wine region was borne out with the Reyneke wines.

The 2018 Vinehugger Red is a blend of 85% Shiraz and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an explosion of red fruit and spice flavors with several layers. It’s a smooth wine with light tannins courtesy of 25% aging in used oak barrels. This is amazingly good for $14.99.

The white counterpart is the 2018 Vinehugger White, which is 100% Chenin Blanc. This is a fresh and vibrant surprise for anyone whose love of white wine has been dulled by nondescript Chardonnay. There are flavors of apricot and citrus and lip-smacking acidity. The finish is 80% stainless steel and 20% mature oak barrels. This wine was a favorite as we wrapped up a long, hot day on the patio. SRP is $16.99.

Reyneke also offers its 2018 Chenin Blanc, a top of the line South African Chenin that has captured a slew of awards. The grapes come from vineyards planted in the 1970s and the wine is aged in second use French oak and larger 2,500-litre casks. It is aged on the lees for 10 months to give added complexity. Pear, grapefruit, and melon flavors abound in this delightful wine. SRP is $33.99.

A Spectacular Syrah Wine Dinner

We selected the 2017 Syrah for a special wine dinner. This wine retails for $28.99. A third of the grapes are crushed by foot and all are then fermented in concrete tanks. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and gets 14 months in oak and another three months in stainless steel.

This is biodynamic winemaking at its best. All the nuances of the wine are present with rushing blueberry and raspberry fruit notes and a complex undercurrent of savory herbs and pepper. The tannins provide a nice structure without being overbearing.

We had to up our culinary game to match this fine wine. Our meal was a succulent Seared Duck with Date Jus and Parmesan Foam with Smashed Fingerling Potatoes. My diet lately has been pretty regulated with mostly plant-based dishes. For the night, though, we reveled in the rich duck breast with the sweet date sauce. The fingerling potatoes were cooked in duck fat -- oh, the delicious decadence! The Syrah was bold enough to stand up to the richness for a divine pairing of biodynamic goodness and fine dining.

I’ve never been sure how much difference the practices of biodynamic winegrowing really makes. One thing that has always been certain is that when you are meticulous in the details and show care for the earth, the quality and love shine through to the wine. We heartily recommend Reyneke wines!

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

Latest Dry Creek Vineyard Releases Offer Crisp Refreshment, Refined Flavors

A trio of new releases from Sonoma’s Dry Creek Vineyards has something for almost every palate.

We recently had the chance to “test drive” three new wines from one of our favorite wineries, Dry Creek Vineyards. They each are very different wines, but each caused us to return to the bottle for a refill.

2017 Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

We had planned a special wine dinner in honor of friends visiting from out of town. I originally planned some big reds, but blistering hot weather changed our plans. We opted for some light, summery food and wine.

We paired the 2017 Dry Chenin Blanc with Potato & Wild Salmon Cakes with Ginger, Scallions and Dill Sauce. It was accompanied by a spinach salad with strawberries, blueberries and toasted hazelnuts.

Dry Creek Vineyards has produced dry Chenin Blanc every year since the winery was founded in 1972. This is a bracing, crisp white wine. Stainless steel fermentation keeps the flavors of pear and green apple fresh. It’s lively and a spot-on pairing with seafood of any sort. SRP is $15.

2017 Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County

We love Fumé Blanc, a handle used for some Sauvignon Blanc in California. Priced at $15, this is one of our favorite QPR (quality price ratio) wines. In short, you’re getting a great value that’s sure to please. This Sonoma version of Sauvignon Blanc has bright lemon and grapefruit flavors without over-the-top acidity. (I’m talking to you, Marlborough!)

We enjoyed this bottle on a warm evening on the patio. Winery founder David Stare was the first person to plant Sauvignon Blanc in Dry Creek Valley – and now it is the most widely planted white grape in the region. Mouthwatering flavors and a nice minerality!

2015 Old Vine Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

It’s hard to believe, but true. Dry Creek Vineyard first coined the term “Old Vine” in 1987. Those are two words we love to hear – especially attached to Zinfandel. Old Vine vineyards are usually defined as averaging more than 50 years of age. For this particular bottling, the vines are more than 95 years in age and in some cases, more than 110 years old.

Why does that matter? As vines age, they produce fewer grapes. In the counterintuitive world of winemaking, that’s a good thing. Since there are fewer grapes, each receives a greater concentration of flavor. This bottle has 76% Zinfandel, 22% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignane. It is a delightful example of Zinfandel at its best.

This is a refined drinking experience with layers of cranberries, raspberry and cocoa. We detected a bit of spice and pepper on the finish. It is aged 16 months in French, American and Hungarian with 27% new oak. The aging regimen gives added complexity.

The 2015 Old Vine Zinfandel is a winning wine for any occasion. It retails for $35 with a production of 2,200 cases. It’s a wine we highly recommend.

Full Disclosure: We received these wines as a marketing sample.

Technorati Tags: Zinfandel,Chenin Blanc,Sauvignon Blanc,Dry Creek Valley,Sonoma,California wine

Mother Rock “Force Celeste” 2016 Chenin Blanc, Swartland

Is Chenin Blanc an overlooked white? Perhaps, but it is embraced in South Africa. We dive into a bottle from Swartland to learn more.

Famous French Roots

We are fans of Chenin Blanc and lovers of South African wine. I recently purchased a bottle of the 2016 Force Celeste Chenin in the discount room at Great Grapes in Cary.

When the International Drink Chenin Day rolled around, it was a perfect time to open this South African bottle.

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Chenin Blanc is a French grape that reaches perhaps its best expression in the Loire Valley of France. It is the grape used in Vouvray, producing refreshing wines ranging from off-dry to sweet. It is also used in sparkling wines in the Loire region of Saumur.

South Africa has been producing Chenin Blanc for centuries, although there it is often called Steen. Unfortunately, only a small trickle of South Africa’s best wines make it to the US. There is a flood, though, of lower priced and lower quality South African Chenin Blanc. These wines are often produced by cooperatives and are non-descript compared to the elegant Chenin Blanc wines made by the top producers.

Celestial Chenin

The Force Celeste pushed three buttons for me: Chenin Blanc, South Africa and Swartland. In the last decade, Swartland has emerged as a fine wine region. As a result, I grabbed it immediately when I spotted it on the store shelf.

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Force Celeste is made from a selection of old dry-farmed bush vines grown on decomposed granite. No enzymes, yeast or acid were added. The bottle is also unfiltered and unfined. The label art is also appealing, showing a trio of lightning bolts racing from an ominous cloud in a bold woodcut style design.

Chenin is a very accessible grape – it’s easy to enjoy. The Force Celeste is primarily aged in steel tanks to retain the fresh flavors with 20% aged in neutral French oak barrels. The wine spent nine months on the lees (the dead yeast cells and sediment) to impart deeper flavors.

We opened this on a day when it was smothering hot. The Celeste Force has nice pineapple notes with a vein of minerality. There is a lilting twist of acidity.

The wine retails for about $21 and I was able to pick it up for $15. That’s a tasty deal. If you haven’t tried Chenin Blanc before, I suggest you give it a swirl. Force Celeste is a nice bottle to begin your exploration.

Technorati Tags: Chenin blanc,South African wine,white wine,wine tasting,wine lover

Wine Takes Root In Garden State With Bumper Crop Of Quality

New Jersey Wine -- We found it to be refreshingly good

I’m a Jersey guy. Even so, I had no idea that a renaissance of winemaking is underway in the Garden State. Read on as we explore a sampling of quality wines from New Jersey.

Images Of New Jersey – Shattered

Born and raised in New Jersey. That’s me. Over the years I’ve taken a lot of flak and the state has been the butt of many a joke. Say what you will, I’ve always known what many don’t: New Jersey isn’t just the Jersey Turnpike and smokestacks. There are areas of great natural beauty such as the Delaware Water Gap and the scenic southern shores. New Jersey also has a strong tradition of agriculture, in locales that seem worlds away from the major metro areas.

I’ve written more than 1,900 blog posts about wine, many of them featuring regional wines and wineries from states like Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Texas, Virginia and even Hawaii. I’m a big booster of regional wineries. There are many well-crafted wines produced outside the “big three” wine producing states of California, Oregon and Washington. You would think I’d know that the wine industry is on the rise in NJ – but it really caught me off guard.

Preparing Crimini Mushroom Ravioli

A Reserve Cab From The Outer Coastal Plain

I participate in the Wine Studio education program, and our most recent exploration was the wine of New Jersey. With trepidation I opened the first bottle: the 2013 Tomasello Winery Palmaris Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. My daughter prepared some handmade Crimini Mushroom Ravioli.

On the nose, the Palmaris has herbal notes. In the glass the wine is garnet in color. The ravioli looked scrumptious. I wasn’t sure if the wine would measure up.

The first sip was solid assurance that it would. The body is medium to light medium with refreshing notes of cranberry. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The grapes are 85% estate grown and all come from the Outer Coastal Plain.

The Outer Coastal Plain is no more than 35 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, which provides a maritime influence on the vines. The temperature in the OCP is similar to Rutherford Valley in Napa in terms of degree days, one of the world’s great wine regions. A shorter growing season promotes moderate alcohol and results in approachable, food friendly wines.

This is a very good wine! I was pleasantly surprised with the great winemaking ability shown in this bottle. Each grape variety was fermented and aged separately. The wine is then blended together and aged once more. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. It retails for $40.

Tomasello is a third generation winery that was founded more than 80 years ago. Today there are more than 50 other wineries in the Garden State. We sampled several other Jersey wines and its clear that good things are happening in my native state.

Garden State Growth

In the mid-19th century, wine flourished in New Jersey. Prohibition, outlawing the consumption of alcohol in the US, was enacted in 1919 and dealt a crushing blow to the wine industry nationwide. The wine industry remained small in New Jersey until the 1980s. In 1981 the NJ Legislature passed the Farm Winery Act, which exempted low-volume family wineries from restrictions and allowed them to open outlet stores. By 1988, the number of wineries had more than doubled to 15.

In 1984 the Garden State Wine Growers Association was founded and this coalition of wineries, vineyards, grape growers and other industry-related companies have amped up the marketing and created special events. One of their most visible creations is the New Jersey Wine Country Passport. Passport users get their passport book (or app) stamped at each winery. Once a passport book is completed, the holder can receive a pair of free tickets to any GSWGA wine festival and be entered in a drawing for a grand prize trip.

Sharrot Barrel Reserve Chardonnay with fish entree

Diverse Wines, Surprising Quality

There are more than 90 different grape varieties grown in New Jersey – everything from Albariño to Rkatsiteli. We enjoyed a sampling of several wines:

William Heritage 2016 Outer Coastal Plain Chenin Blanc – A limited production (209 cases) of one of our favorite grapes. Finished in stainless steel tanks, this wine has tropical flavors. This family-owned winery has been named New Jersey’s Winery of the Year three times. SRP is $18.

Sharrott Winery 2016 Outer Coastal Plain Barrel Reserve Chardonnay – This is a wine that Chardonnay lovers will embrace. The barrel aging and sur lie process are evident and contribute to a fine wine to accompany fish or poultry. We enjoyed it with fish fillets, risotto and herb garlic pull-apart bread. A deal at $24.99.

Unionville Vineyards 2013 Pheasant Hill Syrah – I was speechless on this one. I had no idea that the winemaking in New Jersey has elevated to the point that we can enjoy a single vineyard Syrah like this one. What a treat. Medium in body with earthy tones, it has a tart flavor and is lighter in style than a typical Syrah. Retail is $32.95 from Unionville Vineyards, which farms six vineyards spread across three counties. They have a range of unique soils and macroclimates.

New Jersey, hold your head high. We found these wines to be engaging and they certainly exceeded all our expectations. You can go home again, and it is pretty tasty when you do!

Kosher Wines Breaking Geographic and Style Boundaries

If your perception of Kosher wine is fixated on that sweet bottle of Manischewitz from years ago, you should know that times have changed. It is now produced in every conceivable style and not only in Israel but throughout the world, including premium wine areas like Napa Valley and St-Emilion.

Kosher Wine Quality: Onward And Upward

In decades past, Kosher wine was associated with sweet Concord wine from wineries founded by Jewish immigrants to New York. Starting in the 1980s, the upgrading of the Israeli wine industry and a focus on producing dry, premium wines changed the picture entirely. Starting in 2000, the number of wineries in Israel doubled in just five years. Today, Israel produces nearly 36 million bottles of wine annually.

We recently had the chance to taste three bottles that show the quality and breadth of available Kosher wines. Each has a price tag of under $20.

Three Continents, Three Wines

Our trio of wines from Royal Wine Corp. included Carmel 2016 Selected Mediterranean Blend, Shomron, Israel; Herzog 2016 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg, CA; and Terra di Seta 2013, Chianti Classico. We have North America, Europe and Asia represented. A good thing too, because I took the bottles to a family event with a wide range of palates.

The Selected Mediterranean Blend is a mix of 45% Shiraz, 30% Carignan, 20% Petite Sirah and 5% Viognier. That’s an awesome assortment of grapes. Noteworthy is the inclusion of Viognier, a white grape, in this red blend. Adding Viognier to Shiraz (aka Syrah) is a time-honored practice in France’s Rhone region.

“Evaporating” almost immediately in a swarm of family and friends, the Selected blend proved very popular. It is light with a bit of fruitiness. We enjoyed it with some vegetarian spinach puffs and assorted cheeses. Shomron is is the largest wine-growing region in Israel, running along the coast from south of Haifa down to Tel Aviv. Carmel is one of Israel’s top wineries.

Chianti Classico is one of our favorite wines. Chianti is primarily Sangiovese, a luscious grape. Just thinking about it gives me the itch to find a corkscrew. Chianti Classico must contain at least 80% Sangiovese and come from the historic heart of the Chianti region.The Terra di Seta was my first Kosher Chianti, and it didn’t disappoint, with a medium body and tart cherry flavors.

Our last wine was reserved for dessert. The Herzog Late Harvest Chenin Blanc was a delightful pairing with a chocolate layer cake with white frosting, prepared by talented niece Carey Nershi – who also provided the feature photo at the top of this article. The residual sugar is 11.5%. Paired with the cake, the sweetness was tempered and made for a perfect match. The Herzog was light and balanced, not weighty and syrupy. The taste is of crisp apples and pear with a round and pleasant finish.

These wines are perfect for holiday entertaining. Jewish or not, you’ll enjoy the quality and food-friendliness at a great QPR (quality price ratio).

Full disclosure: We received these wines as a marketing sample.

Touring Bordeaux and Loire By The Bottle

A recent Cellar 55 class focused on two premier French wine regions: Bordeaux and Loire. That’s a lot to cover, but as it turns out, we were quite thirsty!

Unraveling The French Wine Mystery

Perhaps nothing is more enigmatic to a wine lover than French wine. Like most Old World countries, wines are labelled by their region – not the grape from which they are made. It’s up to the wine consumer to know the style and grapes that are used in a particular AOC (appellation d’origine controlée). France has one of the largest wine industries in the world, so it can be a daunting task. The rewards, however, are great.

Two of our favorite – but very different – French wine regions were highlighted by a recent class at Cellar 55 in Fuquay-Varina, NC, conducted by Certified Specialist of Wine Sara Doom. It was 50% education, 50% tasting and 100% enjoyable.

Yes, There Is White Wine In Bordeaux

Bordeaux, in southwestern France, is among the world’s most famous wine regions. We dig it for the superb red Bordeaux blends, primarily driven by Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Oenophiles shouldn’t overlook Bordeaux’s white wines, though.

White Bordeaux wines are primarily Sauvignon Blanc, often blended with Sémillon. We started the evening with Barton & Guestier 2016 Bordeaux Blanc, an 80%-20% Sauvignon/Sémillon blend. We like B&G as a dependable pick for quality French wines on a budget – this bottle costs under $10. There are notes of citrus and vanilla in a refreshing glass. This has much less acidity than a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and we wished for a touch more.

We next “visited” St. Émillon, which is on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. Right Bank wines are dominated by Merlot, while Left Bank Bordeaux usually is Cabernet Sauvignon based. The 2014 Chateau Picau-Perna offers blackberry flavors and a bit of cola swirled with oak.
There are some nice drying tannins. This retails for under $20 and would make a great partner for a lamb entrée.

The highlight of the evening for me was the 2014 Chateau Haut-Bailly La Parde de Haut-Bailly, a Grand Vin de Bordeaux from Pessac-Leognan on the Left Bank. This is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby in the glass, it has luscious notes of cherry and graphite. There is a delightfully long finish and velvety tannins. Worth every cent of its $40 price.

What About Aging In Loire?

We were ready to plunge into Loire, the region along the banks of France’s longest river. Loire is known for crisp white wines, light red wines and rosé.

There were a number of questions about oak aging in Loire. That’s natural, since we often picture barrels of French wines aging away in musty caves. Loire requires a different mindset. These are wines focused on light and fresh flavors – designed to be consumed within a year or two of release. You won’t find anything here to rival a heavily oaked Napa Cab.

We opened with a pair of whites: the Paul Buisse 2015 Touraine and the Marc Bredit 2013 Vouvray. The Touraine is a Sauvignon Blanc that spent two months on the lees. The Vouvray is Chenin Blanc and is demi-sec, offering some sweetness. Although we are fans of Vouvray, I wasn’t won over by this one. It was a bit sweet for my taste (but you may love it) and there was a slight musty flavor, not uncommon for Chenin.

Chinon is a “go to” wine for me when ordering wine for a board of directors dinner. Like Vouvray, Chinon is also in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley. Chinon wine must be at least 90% Cabernet Franc and is considered the most elegant red wine in the Touraine appellation.

We sampled the Vignoble du Paradis Clos de la Niverdiere 2016 Chinon. This is a light bodied Cab Franc, and didn’t have the peppery flavor found in some cooler climate regions. There were threads of earthiness, floral flavors and tastes of blueberry. It retails for $19.

Yes, indeed. There’s too much wine in Bordeaux and Loire to cover in an evening. Luckily for us, there is no rush. We suggest you begin your own tour of these great regions by picking up a few bottles. Thanks Sara and Cellar 55 for “schooling” us!

Technorati Tags: French wine,Bordeaux,Loire Valley,wine

Dry Creek Vineyard 2016 Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

Chenin Blanc is a grape that made its reputation in France’s Loire Valley. But there is one – and only one – American winery that has produced 45 consecutive vintages of dry Chenin Blanc…

French Goodness Finds A Home In California

Even before we knew much about good wine, we loved Chenin Blanc. That’s because we came to enjoy Vouvray, a French wine made with the grape. Chenin Blanc can produce some incredibly complex wines.

While South Africa produces a large amount of Chenin Blanc, much of it is high volume and low quality. That has unfairly tarnished the reputation of this sublime grape with some drinkers.

I was surprised to learn that family-run Dry Creek Vineyard in California has produced 45 consecutive vintages of dry Chenin Blanc. They are the only American winery to do so. The “dry” part of the equation is important. Chenin can be finished bone dry or as sweet as a dessert style. Our palate runs to the dry to off-dry part of the sugar spectrum.

Swordfish Surprise!

If you are like me, you’ve probably run into this situation before. Your spouse surprises you with a wonderful gourmet dinner entrée of swordfish skewers and you are in a quandary about which wine to serve. OK, actually it wasn’t a surprise – but rather a party for a group of friends. But it would have been nice if it was a surprise.

At any rate, I was still left with the question of what to serve with swordfish. Swordfish is interesting because it is “meatier” than the typical fish fillet. I had a bottle of the 2016 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc chilling and this turned out to be a spot-on pairing.

Our skewers had mushrooms, peppers and other veggies along with the swordfish chunks. It was served over a bed of couscous and accompanied with asparagus.

The Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin is done in the Loire style – meaning the accent is on fresh, bright flavors and no oak aging. The wine is fermented in stainless steel. That’s just how we like it.

It offers flavors of lime, white flowers and pear. This is a dry Chenin Blanc, but the acidity is low – so the overall effect is a full, juicy taste. There is no teeth-rattling acid.

I also had a nice bottle of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir on the wine list for the evening, but one of guests who was in from Minnesota couldn’t get enough of the Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc. As a result, I couldn't get enough either – literally!

Also tasty is the SRP for Dry Creek Vineyard 2016 Dry Chenin Blanc is a mere $15. This is a unique and delicious bottle and represents a sterling value.

Full disclosure: This bottle was received as a marketing sample.

Dry Creek Vineyards 2015 Wilson Ranch Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

There is a danger with Dry Creek Vineyards Chenin Blanc. My wife is liable to drink it all before I sample it. Here’s why.

Loire Valley Roots

I’ve been a fan of Chenin Blanc for many years. It all started with Vouvray from France’s Loire Valley.

The Vouvray which I first enjoyed had a touch of sweetness balanced with acidity plus a smidgeon of effervescence. It was a lovely bottle for dining out.

Dry Creek Vineyard, located in Sonoma, draws its inspiration from the Loire Valley and has produced another fine effort with its 2015 vintage Wilson Ranch Dry Chenin Blanc. The winery has produced Chenin Blanc with grapes from Wilson Ranch for more than 25 years.

The Green Dragon’s Thirst

My wife, aka the Green Dragon, is a lover of refreshing white wines. Sauvignon Blanc tops her list, but based on this bottle (and some we sampled in South Africa) Chenin Blanc is climbing in the rankings.

She insists that the wine be properly chilled (no warm whites and not to cold to dull the flavors). She also dislikes overly oaked whites and craves rich tastes.

I may have a glass of a nice white one evening only to discover the bottle completely drained the next night. Such is the Dragon’s thirst. I had to move quickly to taste this wine!

An Expressive Chenin

The 2015 DCV Wilson Creek is 100% Chenin Blanc from the Wilson Ranch in Clarksburg, an area in the Sacramento delta known for its Chenin. The wine is stainless steel fermented.

The 2015 harvest was one of the earliest in history. The yields were down but the quality was high. There were just over 7,000 cases produced using stainless steel fermentation.

On first swirl there is a rush of pineapple and banana. On the palate there is peach and orange. The profile is fresh fruit with rounded edges.

This is a great pick for an after dinner wine or a casual afternoon in the back yard. It also is a superlative match with seafood or Asian cuisine.

Over the years we’ve come to appreciate the great value from Dry Creek Vineyard. We’re glad that trend continues. The SRP for this wine is only $13 and would be a bargain at twice that.

This Chenin Blanc is a great pick for foodies and those who appreciate refreshing values.

Full Disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.

L’Ecole No. 41 2013 Old Vines Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley

Chenin Blanc is a versatile white grape that shines in the Loire Valley and South Africa. This Washington winemaker shows it can excel at home too.

In Search Of A Fondue Wine

On Christmas Eve we traditionally eat light and enjoy a fondue meal. We fire up our fondue pot and get the concoction of Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses melting. It also calls for a dash of kirsch, which is a cherry brandy.

Perhaps the most important ingredient, ahem, is the wine. All the poking and dipping requires a nice white wine. In the past we’ve had Pinot Gris or Riesling. A Pinot Blanc would also work well – but on this night, it was Chenin Blanc.

A Grape Of Many Faces

Chenin Blanc is a white grape that earned its fame in the Loire Valley of France. Even before Green Dragon and I were “into” wine, we appreciated Vouvray. The wines of Vouvray are made with Chenin Blanc and typically range from semi-dry to sweet.
Our favorite has a semi-dry finish with just a bit of frizzante.
Another country that is linked with Chenin Blanc is South Africa. Although many top shelf Chenin Blancs are produced there, it was overplanted for years and there was a flood of cheap, low-quality Chenin produced.

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Washington State Produces Magic Again

As our readers probably know, we have a warm spot in our heart for Washington State. The wines are rich and succulent, the winemakers innovative, and the value is second to none.

L’Ecole No. 41 is a family-owned artisan winery located in a school building. They are the third oldest winery in the Walla Walla Valley. Since opening in 1983, they have established a growing reputation for distinctive and expressive wines.

The wine label designates this as an Old Vines Chenin Blanc. The grapes come from four Yakima Valley vineyards with the oldest being planted 37 years ago. Old vines typically mean more concentrated flavor. As the vines age, they produce fewer grapes, but each is more flavorful.

A lovely minerality highlights this wine. Flavors of orange and tropical fruits splash playfully in the glass. The finish is refreshing. The wine is an off-dry with 0.5% residual sugar – just right for our cheesy meal.

We’re always on the lookout for special white wines. At only $16 per bottle, it is also one that you could purchase in quantity in case of emergencies. This schoolhouse wine passes with flying colors.

Rating: 3.5 of 5  Value: 5 of 5

Technorati Tags: Washington State wine,wine,chenin blanc

Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Wilson Ranch Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

The traditional home of Chenin Blanc is the Loire Valley of France. Outstanding versions can also be found in South Africa and California.

Loire Valley Inspiration

Dry Creek Vineyard produces white wines that draw inspiration from the Loire Valley. Their Sauvignon Blanc recalls the carefree, fresh flavors of France. While other winemakers have abandoned Chenin Blanc, DCV continues to produce this versatile and food friendly wine.
Check Out Our Winery Reports Page To Plan Your Next Visit!

A Summer Sipper Or Oyster Wine

The wine is 100% Chenin Blanc from the Wilson Ranch Vineyard in Clarksburg. The vines average 13 years of age and this wine has 13% alcohol.
While summer left town some time ago here in Northwest Ohio, the 2014 Chenin Blanc helps recapture those golden rays. The wine has nice tropical notes and a freshness that is courtesy of the finish in stainless steel tanks.
This was an after dinner wine for us. Although we enjoyed the peach and floral aromas and its mineral notes, the finish had a slight bitterness. So on reflection, we suggest pairing it with oysters, seafood or maybe a pasta in white sauce.
It is a tasty value at about $12, especially if you want to break out of the Chardonnay rut.

Technorati Tags: wine,Chenin Blanc

Ken Forrester 2012 Petit Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch

The Green Dragon and I will be visiting South Africa this spring to celebrate a wedding anniversary. In addition to a safari, we’ll be visiting the Winelands to sample ample South African wine.
The country of South Africa ranks eighth on the list of wine production, behind such behemoths as France, Italy, and the United States. It’s history reaches back to the 17th century and exports have doubled since 2013.
Stellenbosch is one of the wine regions we will be visiting, and so when I spotted this bottle at Walt Churchill’s Market in Perrysburg, I picked it up. It’s always good to do some advanced research.
Chenin Blanc is the widest grown grape in the country. It is known for producing outstanding wines in France’s Vouvray region, but it can also produce uninspired wine.
The Petit Chenin Blanc is a youthful wine that is suitable for everyday drinking. At a cost of $6.99, you could actually afford to drink this every single day. This is one of the Petit “range” entry level wines. The top range at Ken Forrester is the Icon Range, with single vineyard wines designed for aging.
This is a fresh and fruity wine. there are tastes of green apple and grapefruit. The body is light and there is no harsh acidity. It is a soft, ready to please wine.
According to Green Dragon, it is a perfect wine to enjoy while taking a warm bubble bath. In that case, I better order her some more.
Rating: 2 of 5  Value: 3.5 of 5

Strato 2013 Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg

This wine was specially created for Lot 18 by winemakers Richard Bruno and Chris Condos, who own and operate Vinum Cellars. I got this from TWAV tasting team member Dr. J, who advised me that he was overenthusiastic purchasing wine and wanted to reduce his inventory.
I was happy to help out by buying a few bottles. We love Chenin Blanc and so this was one of my first selections. I was first introduced to the grape via the French Vouvray wines of the Loire Valley.
Clarksburg may be the best source of Chenin Blanc in California. The AVA has 10,000 acres of vines and most go to wineries outside of their region. It’s climate is cooler than Napa and Lodi.
Chenin Blanc is crisp without being crazy acidic. It has ample flavor without becoming a fruit cocktail.
The Strato is pale yellow in the glass. The aroma has a springtime freshness. On the palate there are citrus notes including lemon. It’s a juicy wine with medium acidity. On the back end it finishes with a slight herbal note.
This is a great food wine and should go well with Asian dishes that have a bit of heat as well as pork or veal.
For about $16, I consider this a great value. I’m always on the lookout for interesting whites. This fills the bill as a wine that would be enjoyable during the heat of a summer day, but also a perfect pairing with a medium bodied entrée any time of year.
Rating: 3 of 5  Value: 4 of 5

Technorati Tags: wine,Chenin Blanc

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Gorman Wines Shine At Rolf and Daughters Dinner

Nashville is known as Music City, but they don’t do too badly in the gastronomy department either. During my recent visit, I spent most of my time in the guitar-shaped convention center, but had a delicious opportunity to enjoy the local cuisine courtesy of the Seattle and Austin convention and visitors bureaus.
As you might suspect, a special event put on by these two cities will be pretty cool. It was held in one of the most talked-about restaurants in Nashville: Rolf and Daughters. With Seattle supplying the Washington state wine and Austin the music, it was a gem of an evening.

Rolf and Daughters is in the up-and-coming Germantown area and last year was named the third best new restaurant in the country by Bon Appétit. It specializes in what chef-owner Philip Krajeck describes as “modern peasant food.” If this is what the peasants are eating, they are doing well indeed.

After disembarking from the motor coach with our group, I was surprised to hear someone calling my name. It was a former colleague Jay Strother, accompanied by his wife. I hadn’t seen Jay for more than a decade, but there he was holding a glass of chilled rosé on the patio. He’s a successful executive in the Chicago area and we conversed pleasantly in the humid afternoon sun.
The wines were provided by Gorman Winery of Woodinville, a wine mecca in Washington State. The winery produces 7,000 cases a year, focusing primarily on the premium wine appellation Red Mountain. Winemaker/Owner Chris Gorman was at the dinner to mingle with the crowd and introduce the wines.
Upon arrival we enjoyed a crisp, chilled glass of the 42-39-56 2013 Rosé. It is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah and 10% Petit Verdot. The temperature in Nashville was nearing 90 and so this refreshing wine was a godsend. We stepped inside an continued enjoying the wine and music by Austin performer Erin Ivey.
Rolf and Daughters has a rustic, funky décor with well-trained waitstaff. Each dish is an eclectic masterpiece of farm-to-table ingredients. We had a fixed menu for our group. The regular dinner menu is limited in choices, but dazzling in its range.The first course was a delicious salad of heirloom tomato, farmer cheese with charred and raw zucchini. It was paired with Gorman 2013 “Big Sissy” Chardonnay.

This Chard is barrel-fermented and undergoes malolactic fermentation to give a creamy texture. It sings with oak and is vibrant on the tongue.
Chef Krajeck is known for his pasta, and the pasta course was superlative. We had two offerings, a rigatoni verde with heritage pork ragout and sarvecchio and a farro gemelli “hen of the woods” with spinach and lemon.
The pasta verde was one of the best dishes I’ve enjoyed in months with the perfect consistency and shot full of flavor. The “hen of the woods” is a chicken pasta dish and was savory and succulent.
The pasta was paired with my favorite wine of the evening, the 2011 Gorman “Pixie” Red Mountain Syrah. A spicy, solid wine, it is aged in French Oak for 21 months. It ripples with plush flavor.
When I saw that 735 cases of “The Bully” 2010 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon were produced, I assumed this was a limited production wine. But when you are a small-by-design winery, Chris informed me that it actually is one of their most plentiful wines. It is smooth, fruity and low in tannins. It includes 10% Petit Verdot. It paired with our pastured chicken entrée which was served with la ratte potatoes, calabrian chili mayo and creamless corn.
An Olive & Sinclair chocolate tart put an exclamation point on the meal. It was accompanied by a “cry baby.” No, I’m not talking about a dissatisfied guest. That is the name of the Gorman 2012 Late Harvest Yakima Valley Chenin Blanc.
This is “faux” icewine because the grapes were frozen post-harvest at –6 degrees for five weeks before pressing. The Cry Baby has an amazing bouquet and was a perfect pairing with dessert.
Outstanding Nashville cuisine, perfect Washington wine, and guitar tunes from Austin. That’s my recipe for one superb evening.

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