Warmer weather means more white wines. Recent tastings have turned up fine summer sipping wines from $9 to $50, as tweeted recently. As a tip, serve good white wines chilled but not too cold, unless you are pouring a really cheap wine to the masses and want to numb their taste buds. From a contrarian point of view, Steven Wright noted: “It doesn’t make a difference what temperature a room is, it’s always room temperature.”
Cheers.
Chardonnay
Fatter style Carneros Chardonnay 09 Artesa $13. Tropical nose; some varietal nuances; decent acids; round, ripe. w/cheeses, breads.
Hot weather sipping Chardonnay 09 Bichot Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes $10. Clean varietal nose; crisp, fresh. Good w/munchies, seafood.
Sunday treat Bichot 07 Clos des Mouches. Clean Chardonnay nose, light oak; acids easing; lush long finish. w/lobster risotto.
Russian River Valley Chardonnay find: 09 Buehler $12. Oaky tropical nose; mid-body, semi-crisp, good fruit and long finish. w/pasta salad.
Celebrate Earth Day w/organic Chardonnay 09 Bonterra Mendocino $10. Tropical, oaky nose; mid-body, fruity finish. w/munchies, cheeses.
Duckhorn Chardonnay? Yes, 08 Migration Russian River Valley $30. Tropical, French oak nose; soft acids, long fruity finish. Nice style.
Summer sipping Chardonnay Hahn 09 Santa Lucia Highlands $9. Toasty tropical nose; mid-body; good fruit and finish. w/munchies
Fine value Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 07 Keller $14. Light oak, citrus nose; crisp, tight, Chablis-like. Good flavor/finish. w/seafood.
Summer sipping Chardonnay 08 Maddalena Monterey $9. Light varietal nose; mid-body, semi-crisp. Good value. w/munchies.
Ripe fat Chardonnay 09 Rutherford Ranch $12. Tropical nose; soft, low-acid finish. Cheese, appetizer sipping wine.
SHV 09 (2d label from Napa’s Stony Hill; classic style). Steely varietal nose, light oak; crisp, mid-viscosity. Tasty w/seafood.
Value Mendoza Chardonnay 09 Tapiz $10. Tropical nose; mid-body, round, ripe, good fruit, hot finish. w/seafood salad.
Good value Mendoza Chardonnay 09 Tapiz $10. Tropical stone fruit nose; mid-body, fruity, hints of wood? Cocktail time sipping wine.
Sunday tradition older wines w/dinner. Stony Hill 04 Napa Chardonnay. Subtle (13% alc.); clean varietal nose; nice balance. W/swordfish
Trusty value Chardonnay Wente 09 Riva Ranch $12. Toasty tropical nose; mid-body, decent acids, fatter style. W/NE clam chowder.
Other Whites
Value wine w/Asian cuisine Stanza 08 Riesling Monterey $7. Stone fruit, clove, floral nose; mid-soft body; low acids; quaffable.
S. African bubbly toast to the Masters champ. Graham Beck 06 Blanc de Blanc. 100% Chardonnay. Varietal nose. Crisp; good flavor/finish.
Tasty S. African Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 09 Warwick Prof. Black $12. Light SB nose, subtle; balanced, mid-body. Good food wine.
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for gamey cheeses, appetizers, picnics. 2010 Jules Taylor $12. Pure grapefruit nose; mid-body, citric.
