Pine Ridge chenin blanc/viognier review – INTERRUPTED

1 07 2010

Today we review the very affordable $11 2008 – WOW!

— sorry,  this review is being interrupted because I’ve just tasted a flat-out delicious and obviously “Best Value” white wine.  Pine Ridge’s chenin blanc/viognier blend from California is balanced, interesting, and tastes like pears, citrus, melons and green peppers.  Yes, green peppers.  When I say “balanced” I mean that the sweetness from the viognier is countered nicely by the citrus acidity in the chenin blanc.   This stuff is unbelievable.  And it’s only $11?  WTF?

Just buy it — trust me.  

See, I’m like Colin Powell, except I’m not an impressive war leader, and you’re not the white house press corps trusting the U.S. military for the first time since Viet Nam.  (And, instead of caring about Washington news, you’re mainly looking to get buzzed on white wine.   Wait, that makes you EXACTLY LIKE the white house press corps.) 

Highly recommended.Pine Ridge chenin blanc/viognier review


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Categories : -----blends, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 9 Recommended, Best Values

Three pinot grigios reviewed

28 06 2010

Today we review 3 pinot grigios: Yalumba ($12), Adelsheim ($15), and Albino Armani ($18).

Bottom line:  Yalumba and Adelsheim are not recommended, based on taste.   Albino Armani is a very nice pinot grigio, but its price makes it a little bit difficult to recommend.

Before we begin: pinot gris and pinot grigio are just two different names for the same white wine grape.   The name used usually depends on the location of the winery — for example, pinot “grigio” is usually used in Italy and California, pinot “gris” in France and Oregon.

1.

Yalumba pinot grigio is Australian and costs $12.  It’s a very dry white wine with lots of acidity and minerality but not much in the way of depth, complexity, or fruit.  More importantly, overall it just isn’t delicious.  A friend who has a great palate noticed a slight aroma of urine. (Yikes.)  The first time I tried it, I agreed.  After a few more encounters with Yalumba I don’t get that anymore, and its clean taste has grown on me a bit, but it’s still not quite good enough to recommend. 

However, I can imagine somebody who really loves dry and minerally white wines being OK with the Yalumba, pairing it with shrimp, sushi or spicy roast chicken. 

2.

Adelsheim pinot gris is from Oregon and costs $15. It is very hard to describe, except that it is definitely not yummy.  In fact, it is awful.  To its credit, it’s not overly sweet, or overly acidic… it doesn’t taste like feet, or anything else that is remotely familiar… and its malignant flavor profile doesn’t linger.  Its minerally texture does linger, but only a little. 

Since I generally respect Oregon wines, I shared the Adelsheim with some friends to see what they thought.  It was universally hated.  I wish I could think of something truly good to say about this wine.  Wait — the label is beautiful, and features a painting of a woman by winery co-founder Ginny Adelsheim.  There!

3.

Albino Armani pinot grigio is from Italy and costs $18 at Total Wine.  It is very pleasant, easy to drink, and has a great balance of sweet and citrusy fruit against mild acidity.  It smells wonderful, with fresh, tropical scents.  And it sort of lights up your mouth.  Nice.  I can’t imagine anybody hating this wine, but I don’t think it is a massive crowd pleaser or incredibly delicious  as a pinot grigio, either.

If Albino Armani were $10 a bottle, I would DEFINITELY recommend it.  At $18, it’s a much closer call.  I think there are better white wine values.   

So, if cost is not a big issue for you, by all  means try the Albino Armani.  I think you’ll be happy you did.  If cost is more important, you can do better with other white wines.  I’ll search for a better value pinot grigio to recommend soon, but previously reviewed white wines that are better values include Nobilo sauvignon blanc and Bree riesling.

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Categories : -----pinot grigio/gris, 1 All, 2 Whites, 5 $15-$30, 6 Under $15, 7 Not Recommended

Espiral vinho verde review

27 06 2010

Today we review a white wine from Portugal available at Trader Joe’s for the remarkable price of $4.

Let’s be honest, at this low price, a wine doesn’t have to do very much to achieve a recommendation.  As long as it doesn’t suck, it should be recommendable.  (In fact, this wine was featured in the “Cheap Wines That Don’t Suck” column in the San Francisco Weekly.)  But this wine actually does some things very well.   

Espiral vinho verde is perfect for a starter wine at a summer party.   “Starter” meaning that the guests are just arriving, it was hot as a firecracker outside, and they are saying hello and getting comfortable.  Why does Espiral work here?  It’s light.  REALLY light.  And it’s fun, because it’s a little bit bubbly.  Effervescent.  Spritzy.  It’s also fun because, as my foodie friends who introduced me to Espiral pointed out, it tastes like a green apple Jolly Rancher.  Finally, it’s very low alcohol, so it won’t bog anybody down as they begin to enjoy your party.

On the downside, depending on your tastes, this crisp white wine is very simple, lacking depth and “oomph”.  And it’s extremely dry.  Some people want their white wine to provide some ooey-gooey sweetness.   (Although I think some of these people will come around once you lay the Jolly Rancher comparison on them.)

Serve this one very well-chilled.  Enjoy!

Espiral vinho verde review


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Categories : -----blends, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 9 Recommended, Best Values, Bring to a party!

Georges DuBoeuf chardonnay review

25 06 2010

Today we review a white wine from France that sells for just $5 a bottle at the fabulous Premier Wine in Wilmington, Delaware.

This chardonnay is part of a line of very inexpensive french wines under the Georges Duboeuf label.  I think the chardonnay is the best of the line.  In fact, possibly the best restaurant in Delaware (Harry’s Seafood Grill, on the riverfront) uses this, re-labled, as their house chardonnay.  When I had it at Harry’s, I thought it was a solid winner.  When I tried it at home while staring at the dishes in my kitchen sink, some doubts begain to creep in.

It’s fruity, and does smell wonderful.  The taste has some real character and gives a balance of sweet and tart flavors.  If you’re not too picky and you love white wine, this might be the key to slashing your wine budget and putting a big, fat smile on your face.  But to me, it had a confused feel to it, an alcohol-heavy, sharp overtone that prevented it from being truly yummy, and so I’ve decided that this great value is unfortunately:

Not recommended.

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Categories : -----chardonnay, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 7 Not Recommended

Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select riesling review

23 06 2010

We have called Chateau Ste. Michelle riesling from Washington state the “king” of inexpensive U.S. rieslings.  Today we review an “upgrade” to the king called Harvest Select, which sells for $10.

Before we begin, let’s talk about something important:  if you like sweeter wines, you should definitely be aware of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s “plain” riesling.  Selling at Total Wine for just $8, this stuff is a big deal because it is very drinkable, even for people who don’t usually drink wine, YET it is also very servable because it qualifies as “real wine” in snob circles.

Now, for 2 more dollars, you can buy the Harvest Select.  Mmmm, “Harvest Select”. . . the name just reeks of exclusivity — so wine country, so authentic, so, upper crust.  Unfortunately, if you buy this thinking, you have been fooled.   To be fair, the Harvest Select is an upgrade in one way: it has no troubling flavors at all.  The plain Chateau Ste. Michelle riesling cannot make this statement.  You could also argue that the Harvest Select’s sweet flavors are higher quality, more interesting, more umm. . . upper crust, than the plain riesling’s. 

But the plain version is more balanced.  Its awkward notes provide a little acidity and tartness.  Balance is where the Harvest Select falls on its sugary face.  There isn’t much to counter its powerful, heavy sweetness.  Don’t get me wrong, this is not terrible wine at all.  But my reaction, and the overall reaction at a recent wine tasting, was that it is too sweet and not interesting enough when compared with other wines in this price range.

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Categories : -----riesling, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 7 Not Recommended

The Birdman pinot grigio review

19 06 2010

Today we review a $10 pinot grigio made in California by Big House vineyards.

The Birdman is a fun wine with a crazy jail-themed label that makes it great for bringing to a party.  But don’t be fooled — the contents are serious.  This is no watery, weak pinot grigio.  Best served well chilled, it’s intense, refreshing, and good on its own, but better when paired with food.   That’s because The Birdman has some nice complexity, so it will enhance almost anything you are eating.  Subtle tropical flavors are followed by a tart, clean finish, with a zing. 

A nice feature:  if you are cooped up in chardonnay-only mode, this could be THE wine to help you break out.  Why?  Because  this powerhouse pinot grigio tastes like it has been injected with a good un-oaked chardonnay.  So for those who are stuck in the sub-basement of Kendall Jackson, Robert Mondavi and other chardonnays, here is a familiar-tasting, chardonnay-like key that could ease you out into different wines, better times and broader, sunlit uplands.

Finally, fans of sweet wine may be challenged by The Birdman.  It tastes a bit alcohol-heavy (13.5% content), and it’s more dry than sweet.  

Recommended.The Birdman pinot grigio review


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Categories : -----pinot grigio/gris, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 9 Recommended, Bring to a party!

La Chapelle de la Bastide picpoul review

11 06 2010

Today we review a $10 picpoul blanc, a French white wine. 

This white with the pretty green bottle and the difficult French name (La Chapelle de la Bastide Picpoul de Pinet 2008 …whew!) is dry and tart, with citrus and a hint of sweetness, but mostly a large dose of minerality.  It’s not QUITE like licking a block of calcium, but there is a clear mineral character and aftertaste to this wine.  Actually it’s more like an afterfeel left on your tongue.  It’s not for everybody, but I like it.

Will this wine change your life, with waves of delicious new flavors and deep complexity?  No.  But it’s only $10, so it’s definitely worth trying because it’s just so different.   I enjoy this on its own, and I can see pairing it with almost anything, other than a meat dish.  Pasta?  Sure.  Shrimp hors d’œuvres?  Absolutely.  Hummus?  A salad course?  Whatever!  And it’s always fun to bring to a party because the odds are very high that nobody else will have ever tried a picpoul (or, probably, even heard of it).  

How is it different from a sauvignon blanc?  It’s not as clean.  Unless you drink this picpoul ice-cold, it will make a definite statement on your taste buds and won’t let go as easily as a sauvignon blanc will.

Recommended, for a time when you want to try something different and affordable.

La Chapelle de la Bastide picpoul review

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Categories : -----blends, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 9 Recommended, Bring to a party!

Nobilo sauvignon blanc review

4 06 2010

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc reviewToday we review Nobilo’s 2009 sauvignon blanc, a white wine from New Zealand that costs $11 a bottle.

This crisp, citrusy wine is perfect for summer.  Even though it’s not sweet, it gives you a tropical feeling.  If you are not too experienced with wine, this is a great choice to begin “branching out.”   On a hot day, have a little wine tasting: open a bottle of Nobilo, and a bottle of something you normally drink, like a California chardonnay.  Have some grapes, or cheese and crackers to nibble on.  Compare the flavors you get:  If you’re like me, the chardonnay’s flavors will seem clogged up and unnatural when compared to the Nobilo.  California chardonnay … hmm, butter, and oak (or a feeling that you’re sucking on a two-by-four?).  Nobilo … mmm, flavors of lemon, melon, a hint of green grass and no trace of oak, butter, or Sterno.

Nobilo is delicious, tastes like a $20 wine, and is bound to be a hit with anybody who likes sauvignon blanc.  It’s a clear “Best Value” winner. 

Highly recommended.


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Categories : -----sauvignon blanc, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 9 Recommended, Best Values

Bree riesling review

3 06 2010

Today we will review Bree riesling from Germany, which I found at Total Wine for $12.

Rieslings are usually sweet — even “dry rieslings” are sweet to me — and this one is no exception, although it is less sweet than many other rieslings under $20.

The key word here is balance.  Bree is light, a bit sweet, and a little bit tart, both in subtle ways.  It doesn’t reach out and grab you like a super-tart sauvignon blanc.  Instead, it just waits there quietly and invites you back for another sip.  True, Bree is not very complex.  But if you want a complex wine, you normally won’t go for a riesling anyway.  Somebody who is just beginning to experiment with wine will probably find Bree riesling to be an easy and especially enjoyable introduction.

Comparing this German white to the King of Inexpensive U.S. Rieslings, Chateau Ste. Michelle (now only $8), the Bree comes out ahead.  The Bree tasted more balanced, and lighter.  It also felt consistent and whole.  In comparison, the Chateau Ste. Michelle tasted heavy and had some non-sweet flavors that “stuck out”.  These results make sense if you believe the conventional wisdom that Germany is THE place to go for riesling.  However, Bree is a full 50% more expensive, so it’s not really a fair comparison.  On its own, the Chateau Ste. Michelle still works. 

Finally, I was blown away by the bottle.  It seems like it should hold $80 worth of vodka rather than $12 of white wine.

Recommended!

Bree riesling review


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Categories : -----riesling, 1 All, 2 Whites, 6 Under $15, 9 Recommended

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