I have a dedicated following for monthly wine group – we all love wine, some more than when the group first started meeting 3 years ago. It’s easy for a 20′s wine group to turn into a party, but structure was needed. So, I am starting from the beginning, teaching the group what I know…
My goal for this tasting was to teach them about the major white wine varietals of the world so when they visit a tasting room or wine shop that they could generally know what to expect in each bottle. Sure, wine makers have stylistic variations but the grapes characteristics should be similar. (Wine reviews are after the photo gallery).
A special thank you to Rachel Rausch Photography for the images: http://www.rachelrauschphotography.com/
A special thank you to July wine tasting hosts Stacy Macfarlane and Paul Sauro for hosting in their swanky Belltown abode! Stacy Macfarlane owns Lormar Design, a custom upholstery business; http://lormardesigns.com/
IN OUR GLASSES:
2009 Bergstrom Wren Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc $25
This grape varietal originates in the Loire and Bordeaux region of France.
Classic sauvignon blanc characteristics from an Oregon winery! Complex citrus notes with a twist of minerality. Wine notes say “refreshingly juicy” (sounds appealing!) with “ample mouth-feel and great vibrancy.” This paired well with the fresh goat cheese.
Production: 4 barrels yearly, so roughly 100 cases.
Web: http://www.bergstromwines.com/
The wine tasting group noted: Lemon, cirtus, very summery (I like that!), vegetal, acidic/dry, the citrus was softened by the goat cheese, I liked it!, floral aromas in the nose, sweet aftertaste.
****
2008 Lullaby Viognier, Walla Walla $28
This grape varietal originates from Rhone region of France.
Virginie Bourgue is a fantastic wine maker – go women wine makers!! She grew up in France and makes elegant, restrained, beautiful wines. She now has her own winery now called Lullaby and learned wine making from famous French wineries/vineyards. Why is her new winery named Lullaby? She says, ““I’ve always had a dream of having my own winery; the dream is like a song that keeps playing in my head.”
Production: Limited. Virginie says “My goal remains to produce wines that have balance, softness, complexity, soul, and a sense of place.”
Web: http://www.lullabywinery.com/
The wine tasting group noted: Woody notes, floral, vanilla, exotic spices, enjoyed the nose immensly, fruity. I personally LOVED this wine – very elegant and smooth and complex. Viognier can be very flabby and this one was balanced and had a rich mouth-feel.
****
2005 Lucien Albrecht Cuvee Marie Gewürztraminer $29
This grape varietal originates in Alsace region of France.
Perfect with asian food! Very aromatic with exotic spicy notes, floral and lychee fruit is what this grape is all about. Usually made off-dry (so some residual sugar) which is why it pairs so well with spicy food because the sugar in the grape helps cut the heat of the food.
Web: www.lucien-albrecht.com
The wine tasting group noted: Strong aroma of roses, lychee, spices, honey, grapefruit. Long finish.
****
A Chardonnay comparison:
2007 Domaine Servin Chablis 1er Cru and 2007 Ramey Chardonnay, Carneros District
This grape varietal originates in Champagne and Burgundy region of France.
Note: 1er Cru means Premier Cru and that notes that the wine is from a single vineyard and the quality is higher/more focused.
Wines from Chablis are chardonnay. I wanted the group to learn about cool and warm climate characteristics and how that affects the wine. Chablis is a cool climate and California is a warm climate. Cool climate wines exhibit characteristics of stone fruit, citrus, mineral, high acid, and a lighter body while warm climate wines exhibit characteristics of ripe tropical fruits, less acid and more body. This was an interesting comparison because the Chablis didn’t show the characteristics I thought it would because I believe the wine maker used a little oak so it was richer than I expected. The Ramey was very rich, almost overwhelming, but well-balanced and well made for a oak loving chard drinker! Ramey is a well-respected winery that is consistently rated among the best wines in California.
Ratings: Ramey: 90 points Stephen Tanzer/91 Points Parker, The Wine Advocate
Web: www.rameywine.com
Web: http://www.axel-technologies.com/servin/
The wine tasting group noted: Chablis: crisp, floral, citrus, a little sweetness; Ramey: Ugh, rough (love that!), woody, rich mouth-feel, ripe pineapple, great acid.
****
2008 Reinhold Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese
This grape variety originates in Germany.
I am in LOVE LOVE LOVE with Spatlese riesling…it’s just so sexy, so mouthwatering and borderline addictive. The wine maker, Theo Haart, is the top producer in Piesport. The grapes grow on the South slope of the Mosel River (one of the 2 main rivers in Germany, the Mosel and Rhine Rivers. Ever see “mosel-saar-ruwer” on a label? The heart of the wine region is the winding Mosel River. Two tributaries, the Saar and Ruwer Rivers, flow into the Mosel near Trier and is a well-known wine area for Germany. The soils here are very slate rich which gives the riesling a mineral edge. Let’s go to Germany!
Production: 200 cases made.
Web: http://www.haart.de/en_index.php
Ratings: 95 points Wine Spectator/90 points Stephen Tanzer.
The wine tasting group noted: This was by far the group favorite one! I could have auctioned off the last remaining drops…green apple, lemon, mineral, stone fruit, floral, delightful, refreshing, sweet finish to gripping acidity, delicious/love it!
