White Wines
This time of year – truthfully all year long – I like to try a wide variety of wines. Certainly Chardonnay remains the most popular wine among consumers. And if you are looking for ideas for the holidays, I previously reviewed a large number of Chardonnays here.
For our purposes in this column, the focus is mostly on the so-called “aromatic whites” – Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc – along with a mélange of international varieties. Most of the delightful wines in this column are crisp, fruity, and fragrant. For generally reasonable prices, these wines also provide a refreshing combination of acidity and in many cases moderate alcohol – perfect for parties and the variety of foods available during the holidays.
Riesling. My favorite white wine, a good Riesling is enticingly aromatic with bracing acidity and typically green apple, citrus and stone fruit flavors. Most intriguing, there often is a distinctive mineral component. The wines below provide at least some sweetness, unless otherwise indicated.
2012 Thomas Schmitt Private Collection Spatlese ($16). Nice green apple with hints of steel and stone. Light and soft and pretty with a good balance of sweetness and acidity.
2012 Thomas Schmitt Private Collection Kabinet ($14). Similar to the Spatlese but lighter and less sweet; nice sipper and versatile.
2012 Beast “Sphinx” Wallula Vineyard Columbia Valley ($25). From the U.S., I especially enjoy Washington State Riesling these days. This one, made with grapes from a biodynamically farmed vineyard, is aromatic, flavorful and dry – and excellent.
2010 Brooks “Ara” Willamette Valley ($25). Another very dry wine, the Ara is nicely citrusy and sports bracing acidity.
Other good options:
- 2012 J.Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling ($10)
- 2012 Martin & Weyrich “Allegro” Riesling ($12)
- 2012 Fess Parker Riesling Santa Barbara County ($14)
- 2012 Kendall-Jackson “Vintner’s Reserve” Riesling Monterey County ($13)
- 2011 Woodbridge (by Robert Mondavi) Riesling ($8)
Pinot Gris/Grigio. Pinot Gris, the so-called “grey pinot,” reaches its epitome in Alsace and can be quite fine in Oregon but I found the 2011 La Crema Pinot Gris Monterey County ($20) to be impressive in its own right. Citrus, lime and honeydew present with a body of some weight and richness of texture.
Pinot Grigio, usually indicating the lighter Italian style, is best known among Americans. Typically, it tends to fresh citrus and melon carried in a brisk, yet easygoing frame. The following wines, listed in order of preference, all are worth trying:
- 2012 Franz Keller Schwarzer Adler ($25)
- 2011 Francis Coppola “Diamond Collection” ($16)
- 2012 Oak Grove California ($8)
- 2012 Pepi California ($10)
- 2012 McManis California ($10)
- 2011 Murphy-Goode California ($13)
- NV Camelot California ($7)
Sauvignon Blanc. The brisk acidity, zesty white and green fruits (often grapefruit or gooseberry) and distinctive herbaceousness of Sauvignon Blanc enable this wine to pair with multiple foods. The 2012 Matua Valley Estate Series Paretai Marlborough ($17) was my favorite of this group for its green apple, grapefruit, citrus, and strong green herb notes. It is fairly full and nicely concentrated, yet balanced. The following also are enjoyable:
- 2013 Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ($12)
- 2012 Pepi California ($10)
- 2012 Tin Roof California ($10)
- 2012 Oak Grove California ($8)
Pinot Blanc. A wine that often is mistaken for Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc shows its own charms, as with these two. The 2012 Franz Keller Schwarzer Adler ($25) reveals nice stone fruits and intriguing “wet rocks” minerality. The 2010 Brooks “Runaway White” ($15), a blend of two Oregon vineyards, has nice apple and citrus in a juicy and lively frame.
Blends. A winery’s multi-varietal blend also can be a fun alternative. Instead of just the character of one variety, these give you a chance to experience the how different aromas and flavors can come together to make a whole that is better than the sum of its parts. Two eminently affordable examples of this include the 2012 HandCraft “Inspiration White” ($13). This is a vibrant, aromatic blend of riesling, sauvignon blanc, viognier, moscato and pinot grigio. Even more affordable is the 2012 Smoking Loon “White Loonatic” ($8), a fruit-forward, approachable blend of viognier, chardonnay, muscat, and symphony.
Spain. The Rueda region in north central Spain not far from the great Ribera del Duero region has long been considered the source of Spain’s favorite white wines. Verdejo, the indigenous varietal of the region, produces wines with a nice balance of minerality and acidity. The crisp Verdejo wines of Rueda carry a hint of herbs with notes tropical and stone fruit. The 2012 Oro de Castilla Verdejo ($12) emphasizes tight citrus, lime and steely notes, while the 2012 12 Linajes Verdejo ($12) shows similar citrus but also apple, fennel and savory notes.
Viognier. One of three esteemed white Rhone varietals – along with Roussanne and Marsanne – Viognier can offer the richness of Chardonnay with exotic, tropical fruits. This is typically a pretty expensive wine but the 2012 McManis ($11) and 2012 Oak Grove ($8) both offer a sense of that experience for very affordable prices.
Other Whites. I don’t want to close without turning you on to a few fine southern European whites to add some variety to your holiday palates.
- 2012 Rocca Sveva Soave Classico ($17), citrus – oranges and lemons – and stone fruit in a light but pleasing sweet/tart drink
- 2012 Monte Velho White Alentejano ($10), this light blend of native roupeiro, antao vaz, and perrum varieties reminds me of fruit salad with touches of caramel and butterscotch
- NV Memoro Vino Bianco D’italia ($10), intriguing blend of French and Italian grapes – viognier, chardonnay, vermentino, and pecorino – fun for sipping