WINE OF THE WEEK, August 25, 2013

2011 DOMAINE TALMARD MACON-CHARDONNAY

FRANCE $10.99

In researching this wine, I discovered that a good number of fine-dining restaurants - including The Red Pheasant Inn here in Dennis - feature this selection. And rightly so. It is a good example of a French Chardonnay which is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks; it has no exposure whatsoever to wood, which contributes to its freshness of taste. Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay is a dry white wine, medium-bodied, with a creamy texture, exhibiting aromas and flavors of tropical fruits. The vineyard is located in the most southerly region of Burgundy, France, which produces some of the finest wines in the world, including Montrachet. The amazing thing is how affordable it is!

Wine of the Week, August 18, 2013

2012 WHITEHAVEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 

MARLBOROUGH NEW ZEALAND 

On Sale this week $16.99

Over the last six months the most popular wines at Harney's have been the red blends (open and drink immediately), box wines (convenient for larger gatherings and for longer storage), and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which exhibits an intense grapefruit/guava/lime/cut-grass taste, and has become known as the Marlborough style, a region of the South Island. I myself prefer a softer, more subdued grapefruit and cut-grass taste as exhibited by Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and by the French Pouilly Fume/Fume Blanc , Sancerre, and white Bordeaux, in which the Sauvignon Blanc grape is a major component.  Among the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Oyster Bay, Dry Land, Cloudy Bay (the first to popularize New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in this country), and Whitehaven seem to be the favorites. As I always recommend, a side by side (by side) tasting will immediately reveal the difference of styles among New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the French treatment, and that of Chile.

Wine of the Week, August 11, 2013

BORSAO GARNACHA 2011 SPAIN $8.99/2 for $16.00

Garnacha (Grenache) is the name of a varietal of grape, which is planted extensively throughout the world, especially in Spain and in France, where, along with Syrah (Shiraz), it is a major component of Cotes du Rhone, one of my favorite wines. Borsao is one of those red wines that can stand a sllight chilling in the summer months-half an hour to forty-five minutes-without the loss of flavor.  Borsao Garnacha, 85% Garnacha 15% Tempranillo, is medium- to full-bodied; has an intense, concentrated cherry flavor, similar to kirsch, the German brandy; and aromas and flavors of raspberry, clove, and peppery spice; it is velvety in texture, with a good, long, smooth finish. Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate, whose opinion can make or break a vineyard, has given it 90 points.

Wine of the Week, August 04, 2013

ERATH OREGON PINOT GRIS

2011 $15.99

By way of review: Gris and Grigio refer to the same grape; the difference is style. Pinot Grigio is light and crisp, with a noticeable acidity, a fresh fruit flavor, and, in many cases, just a hint of effervescence; no oak whatsoever. Pinot Gris is medium-bodied, with a fuller mouth-feel, denser, smoother, richer, and less overtly fruity; the influence of oak, in many cases, is present. I enjoy both styles, and the particular style I choose at the time is dictated by my mood, the weather, and the food I am eating. The 2011 Erath Pinot Gris exhibits aromas and flavors of creamy pear and green apple, with a hint of melon, and has a long finish. The best way to tell the difference between Grigio and Gris is to taste them side by side. For example, Kris Pinot Grigio and this Erath Pinot Gris. The difference will become immediately apparent.