2008 Maycas del Limari Reserva Especial Chardonnay. From Chile. From a totally arid area. I haven’t had too much Chardonnay from Chile but I’m seeing it more and more. Can smell the slight oak on the nose with some smoke and cream. Apple and pear. Creamy oak and apples on the palate. Retails for $18-$22. 850 cases distributed to the US. Lots of pear.
Filed under: Chile | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #12
2010 Sivas-Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc. Retails for $14 and 3000 cases produced. This has green pepper jumping out of the glass. Grass and herbal. Some lemongrass hiding underneath. This is the new venture from Sebastini (throwback to first WBC!). Mix of RRV and Sonoma County grapes. Some melon and more of the pepper on the palate along with the lemon and herbs. Lots and lots and lots of acidity.
Filed under: California | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #11
2010 Jefferson Vineyards Pinot Gris. Retails for $19. Some Viognier and Riesling blended. 1100 Cases produced total. Some oak treatment some stainless steel.Quite aromatic, you can easily see the Viognier influence. Some honey notes and pear. Very dry and good acidity. Pretty impressed with today’s VA wines.
Filed under: Virginia Wines | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #10
2008 Michael Shaps Viognier. Making under this label since 2000. Pear and flowers. Very light nose, but smells very dry and with good acidity. Very dry and crisp. Lots of pear and peach flavor. Less tropical than I’m used to. Naturally fermented in stainless steel. Made in a custom crush facility. Retail price is $32 and 200 cases produced.
Filed under: Virginia Wines | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #9
2008 Tabarrini Adarmando from Italy. Smells like pear and fresh peach. $17-$22 and available across the US. Smells like very fresh fruit. Totally done in stainless steel. This grape has a lot of heft to it. Nice acidity to counter the heft of the grape. Very peachy with some tropical notes. Very interesting grape and I think one to add to my Century Club list!
Filed under: Italy | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #8
2009 Barboursville Viognier. This was the first commercial vineyard in VA. Pineapple, tropical, floral, very aromatic. Total stainless steel fermented, left on the lees for 11 months. Has a nice spicy note on the nose. Honeysuckle and pear on the palate with the spice from the nose following through. A wonderful wine. VA can do great things with Viognier. Retails for $20-$22 and can be found in VA, NY, NC, W.Va and are gearing up to sell across the country.
Filed under: Virginia Wines | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #7
Boxwood Rose. A newer VA winery, they grow only red grapes. Today they are pouring 2010 Boxwood Rose. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend, fermented in stainless only. Lime and raspberry on the nose. A little sweeter on the palate, tastes like a little residual sugar. Mostly cherry and raspberry on the palate with a bit of the lime backbone. Retails for $14 with 180 cases produced. The winery produces 2200 cases overall.
Filed under: Virginia Wines | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #6
2010 Chateau Morrisette Chambourcin Rose. VA wine. They make about 80K cases overall. Smells like watermelon. Some smoke and spice on the nose. Cherry and raspberry round out the nose for me. Pretty crisp, lime, fresh. Retails for about $14 and is distributed around the mid-Atlantic. One of the oldest wineries in VA!
Filed under: Virginia Wines | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #5
2009 Llana Estacado from Texas. Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Riesling, and Muscat Canellini. I’ve never had a Texas wine before. This one smells quite sweet. The Gewruztraminer is very present on the nose with spice, honeysuckle, and pear. THe palate is no where near as sweet as I expected. Very light and bright and on the dry side. It retails for $23 and is distributed in Texas.
Filed under: White | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #4
2008 Afton Mountain Tete De Cuvee Brut. A VA sparkling! You don’t see that very often, so very cool to be able to taste this. It’s not yet released. Retail will be $30 when released. Family has owned the winery since 2009. Apple pie, cinnamon, spice, yeasty. Only 200 cases produced. Great spice on the finish to carry through the slightly sweet note on the finish.
Filed under: Virginia Wines | Comments Off on Speed Tasting #3
Wannabe Wino Wine Blog 