The best way to start the white wine season is to combine the familiar and the new. There is a LOT more out there than the American Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, in fact what’s familiar to me is Viognier, which I love. Some of the adventure of white wines is to drink those from their home land, and those from the new world! As Spring and Summer approach and lighter meals tempt you, or fresh fish hits the table, start thinking about the delicious and varied white wines to try this year. Below are some first tastes of the season.
The first two are Viognier wines from different terroir, which will demonstrate that where a grape grows affects the wine’s flavor.
Fausse Piste, Columbia Valley Oregon, 2010
This wine is a Viognier, and like many other white wines produced here, it does not quite resemble the French version. It smells and tastes of pineapple, has a clear golden color, and is fruit-forward with the smallest hints of floral notes. The flavor changes as the wine warms up to around 60 degrees. At 60 degrees, the wine comes together more and the fruit and floral flavors blend. It is still extremely fruit forward, but the fruitiness is not as overwhelming when is not ice-cold. According to the wine maker, the wine grapes are hand picked, hand sorted and thoughtfully pressed into a mixture of vessels where native fermentation and minimal intervention showcase the vineyards and the vintage.
Le Viognier des Acanthes, Pays D’Oc France, 2011
In a word: yum. In another two words: balanced flavors. It is hard to find an affordable French Viognier, because most are produced in Condrieu and are expensive. Sometimes southern France produces a beautiful floral and fruity Viognier, and this is one those wines. Viognier has low and unpredictable yields and should be picked only when fully ripe. When fully ripe the grapes have a deep yellow color and produce wine with a strong perfume and high alcohol content. The grape prefers warmer environments and a long growing season, but can grow in cooler areas as well. Viognier wines are well known for their floral aromas, and stone fruit (fruit with a pit) flavors. Other characteristics are medium acidity and NO oak. This wine is wonderfully typical of Viognier and I am so glad I found it!
Lurton, Valle de Uco Argentina, 2004
This wine is a Pinot Gris, and wines made from the this grape vary greatly with the wine’s flavor depending on the region they are from. As the label on this wine explains, it is from the foothills of the Andes mountains and grown in rocky soils. It is an unusual region to grow the grape, because wine growers think that Pinot Gris flavor from warmer climates is not very good — lacking acid, the wine can be juicy. This wine is light in flavor and body with pear and other fruit flavors. This wine would pair well with light fishes and scallops. It is very easy to drink, if you like fruity white wine.
Dauvergne Ranvier Cote du Rhone, France, 2010
The Rhône wine region is in Southern France’s Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines for both daily consumption, and special events. White wine grapes from this region are Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier grapes. As often happens, this wine does not indicate which of those grapes are in this wine. I am betting that it has sufficient Viognier because it has a pineapple flavor known to some Viognier wines. It is still very light and the fruit flavor is not so cloying that you think of dessert wines. There is enough acid in the wine to balance the fruitiness, although you don’t feel the tang of acid in your mouth. It just gently balances the fruit of the wine. I like this wine, and Cotes du Rhone white wines are famously affordable, so it is worth it to try one or two and see if you like it.
