 I’ve written about wine-based cocktails and cool martinis in this column for our past summer issues. But what about the simple elegance of a cool, crisp, fruit-forward, or slightly oaked white wine? From Chardonnays to Rhone varietals to Sauvignon Blancs, there are plenty of wines out there to soothe the “drought” of a summer palate.
Starting with Chardonnays some of you may have noticed that within the last couple of years winemaking practices went from aging wine with some oak to too much; listening to consumers, top-scoring competitors and sales, wineries have chosen to have less oak influence in our current Chardonnays. How does that matter? Well if you liked a “buttery” flavor, or toasted oak aromas in your Chardonnay you may have to look further to find one.
A crisp and fruity Sauvignon Blanc, which sees little to no oak, can also be accompanied by so much acidity that one glass, as a palate cleanser or refresher, is enough. If you like this type of wine, I’d opt for pairing it with a cool seafood salad to counteract the acidity.
White Rhone varietals – Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Viognier, Picpoul, Roussanne, and blends – are my favorites as I can get both great fruit and, in some, the richness of oak aging.
For this column I culled my reviews of wines I enjoyed within the last year. Below each listing are the aging practices. Note: Where you see the words “neutral oak” that type of oak barrel, which has already seen a few years of use, is used only to slowly introduce air, but no oak flavor characteristics.
Favorites from 2014 Tastings:
• Pride Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2012
25% French oak, 75% neutral oak fermentation.
• Calcareous, Chardonnay, Paso Robles, 2012
Nine months in barrel.
• Swanson Vineyards Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2012
French oak barrels, 95% neutral, 5% new.
• Riverbench, Bedrock Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley, 2012
100% stainless steel tank fermentation.
• Fess Parker, Ashley’s Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills 2012
Aged 10 months in 35% new French oak, 25% 1-year old and 40% 2-year or older.
• Epiphany Grenache Blanc, Camp Four Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley, 2012
80% stainless steel fermented and aged, 20% barrel fermented and aged in neutral French oak barrels for 6 months.
• Jaffurs Wine Cellars, Grenache Blanc, Thompson Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, 2012
Barrel aging 40% stainless steel, 60% neutral French oak.
• DAOU Vineyards, Grenache Blanc, 2012
Seven months in French oak.
• Derby Wine Estates, ‘FIFTEEN 10’ White Rhône blend, Paso Robles, 2010
Small amount of time in neutral Burgundy oak barrels.
• Larner Winery, Estate Grown Viognier, Santa Ynez, 2011
50% neutral French oak and 50% stainless steel for up to one year.
• Blair Estate, Pinot Gris, Arroyo Seco, 2012*
50% French oak and 50% stainless steel.
• J Dusi Pinot Grigio, Paso Robles, 2012
100% stainless steel
• Solminer, Dry Riesling, Rancho Sisquoc, Santa Maria, 2012
Seven months 50% steel tank, 50% neutral oak.
• Solminer, Grüner Veltliner, John Sebastiano Vineyard, Santa Ynez, 2012
Six months 50% steel tank, 50% neutral oak.
• Phifer Pavitt, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, 2012
100% stainless steel
• Scheid, Sauvignon Blanc, Monterey County, 2012*
Six months in stainless steel.
• Wrath, Sauvignon Blanc, Monterey, 2012*
100% stainless steel tanks.
• Kessler-Haak, Sparkling Brut, Sta. Rita Hills, 2012
30% in neutral oak for 5 months, 70% stainless steel.
* These wines were tasted in the Carmel Wine Walk by-the-sea, a walking tour of about a dozen wineries. |
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