THE WINE GUY: Fresh, fragrant white wines perfect for warm weather
A cool white wine is just the complement for warmer weather. For me that means alternatives to chardonnay that are generally lighter and more refreshing.
For my purposes here, that’s mostly the so-called “aromatic whites”: Riesling and muscat. These delightful wines are crisp, fruity and fragrant, with a refreshing combination of acidity and moderate alcohol. It also means the white Rhone varietals: Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne, which admittedly are more “chardonnay-like” but offer intriguingly different flavor profiles.
• I’m one of those who thinks that Riesling is the greatest white wine in the world. The fragrant, flowery aromas lead into fresh green apple, pear and occasionally peach, apricot, pineapple, or mineral flavors are delivered with bracing acidity. My recent tastings revealed a tasty German from Rudolf Müller (2009, $10 or $24 3L Octavin) that offers good everyday drinking.
From Australia, the 2009 Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa ($16) from an estate vineyard is a good example of how well this grape can do down under. In the U.S., Washington State is making world-class Rieslings. A recent favorite is the 2009 Seven Hills Columbia Valley ($14). It is made in a refreshing, low-alcohol style that’s slightly sweet.
From California, the 2009 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve ($12) and 2009 Carmel Road Monterey ($14) also are tasty options.
• Moscato: Much to my pleasant surprise, a recent market report announced that moscato is the fastest-growing varietal, with sales last year almost doubling. I am a big fan of Italy’s Moscato d’Asti. This floral, fruity, slightly effervescent wine from the Piedmont is made from the partially fermented juice of white muscat grapes. It is sweet and delicate on the palate, low alcohol (6 percent) and equally comfortable as an aperitif or a dessert wine. The 2010 Paolo Saracco ($16) is exemplary of the style from a favorite producer. Caposaldo makes a similarly enjoyable 2010 Moscato ($14) from grapes grown in Lombardy.
And what better proof do I need of the grape’s newfound popularity than the delightful 2010 Moscato ($7) I just tasted from none other than Australia’s Yellow Tail. The mass producer actually has done a decent job of imitating Italy’s signature style.
• California has made significant progress in recent years with Rhone-style wines. One of the leading producers is Zaca Mesa of the Santa Ynez Valley. They have released a 2009 Viognier ($20) that offers honey and loads of exotic fruits and a silky texture with a vibrant finish. The 2007 Roussanne ($25) deals in apricots and figs laced with zippy acidity, full body and an intriguing waxy texture.
Another fine choice is the 2008 Treana White ($25), a juicy wine of honeyed citrus and tropical fruits, a blend of Marsanne and Viognier mostly from Monterey’s esteemed Mer Soleil Vineyard.
Washington, too, is making impressive Rhone-style wines, like the Seven Hills 2009 Viognier Talcott Vineyard ($20). It explodes with ripe peach and honeysuckle, with hints of citrus and stone fruits.
• Chenin Blanc, native to the Loire Valley, also is a personal favorite. In California, it is usually produced in a fruity, slightly sweet style, though a few brave souls (like Dry Creek Vineyard) make a dry style inspired by the fine wines of Savennières. I recently tasted for the first time an innovative blend from Pine Ridge, one of the pioneering wineries in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. Its 2009 Chenin Blanc + Viognier ($12) is a unique and uniquely successful bend of Clarksburg chenin blanc and Lodi Viognier.
There are many more choices, too, like Gewurztraminer, Albarino, and Verdejo.
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Rich Mauro has been writing about wine since 1995. He is a policy analyst for the Denver Regional Council of Governments. Reach him at rich@rmpeoplespalate.com or 30 S. Prospect St., Colorado Springs 80903.
