WENTE MORNING FOG CHARDONNAY and HIGH VALLEY BARBERA

WENTE MORNING FOG CHARDONNAY, LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA

98% Chardonnay, 2% Gewurztraminer (adds a hint of spice; a wine worth trying on its own); Livermore Valley is located to the west of San Francisco Bay; Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay is, perhaps, its most popular white wine; 50% fermented and stored in oak, which gives it a creamy mouthfeel and vanilla flavor, and 50% in stainless steel vats, which preserves fresh fruit flavors; it exhibits aromas and flavors of melon, apple, and pear, with a hint of minerality. TASTE AND SEE!

HIGH VALLEY BARBERA, CALIFORNIA

A new grape to you, perhaps, but worth the try; the Barbera grape is grown extensively in the Piedmont area of Northern Italy; the United States is the second largest grower; it is light- to medium-bodied, with deep color, low tannins, and high acidity, exhibiting aromas and flavors of cherry, plum, tobacco, cedar, dark chocolate, with hints of nuts. May be used as one would a Chianti. TASTE AND SEE! 

PRENDO PINOT GRIGIO

A SIDE NOTE: Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are made from the same grape, and both are fermented in stainless steel tanks, but there is a significant taste difference between the two. Tasting a Grigio and a Gris side by side would immediately point out the difference. The grape to make Pinot Grigio is picked early to ensure good acidity; the juice (now wine) is drained and filtered soon after the fermentation process is completed. Pinot Gris is fuller-bodied and creamy because the grape juice (now wine) is allowed to stay with deposits of the dead yeast (sur lees, the French call the procedure), and then it is stirred for up to two months before bottling. It is not a matter of which is better; I enjoy both, depending on what I am eating. I find Grigio works well as an aperitif, Gris with food, but, as I always say, each person is the best judge. 

PRENDO PINOT GRIGIO is light, dry, and crisp (from the acidity). Fermentation and storage takes place in stainless steel tanks, which ensures freshness and lightness. It exhibits aromas and flavors of citrus and apple. Typically, a Pinot Grigio should be consumed within 2 years. Taste and see!

SEBASTIANI CHARDONNAY NORTH COAST CALIFORNIA This is a typically good California Chardonnay, medium-bodied, balanced (meaning no one component stands out and calls attention to itself), exhibiting aromas and flavors of apple, lemon, butterscotch, and vanilla, with a creamy mouthfeel. Taste and see!

SEBASTIANI CHARDONNAY NORTH COAST and THE CRUSHER CABERNET SAUVIGNON

TWO OFFERINGS FROM SEBASTIANI (a California Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay) long recognized as a leader in the wine industry.

SEBASTIANI CHARDONNAY NORTH COAST This is a typically good California Chardonnay, medium-bodied, balanced (meaning no one component calls attention to itself), exhibiting aromas and flavors of apple, lemon, butterscotch, and vanilla, with a creamy mouthfeel. Taste and see!

THE CRUSHER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7 Petit Sirah, 4 Merlot, 1 Tempranillo - I must confess, I don't know what the Tempranillo, especially at 1%, adds to the wine. (The Petit Sirah adds structure, the Merlot, fruit.) This is one of the tastiest Cabs that we have in the store. It is medium-bodied, with soft tannins, and exhibits aromas and flavors of blackberry, fig, cedar, with hints of mocha. Taste and see!

COME IN FOR AN ANY-TIME TASTING OF THESE WINES.

MOULIN DE GASSAC GUILHEM RED and MOULIN DE GASSAC GUILHEM WHITE

Moulin de Gassac is an organically-farmed estate located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, on the Mediterranean coast between Provence and the Spanish border. The region has 700,00 acres devoted to growing wine grapes, produces more than a third of the grapes in France, and is the single biggest wine-producing region in the world.

MOULIN DE GASSAC GUILHEM RED 40% Syrah, 30 Grenache, 30 Carignan (a grape used as a deep-coloring component in blends); this non-filtered wine is soft, fruity, with gentle tannins, and a long and smooth finish; it exhibits aromas and flavors of cherry, blackberry, strawberry, and spice.

MOULIN DE GASSAC GUILHEM WHITE A blend chiefly of the rare grape Grenache Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc; it exhibits aromas and flavors of pear and citrus, with a hint of white pepper; it should be drunk young, within 2 years of bottling; pair with the lighter fare of summer. 

NAPA VALLEY STERLING VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC and MATANZAS CREEK SAUVIGNON BLANC SONOMA COUNTY

TWO SAUVIGNON BLANC WINES FROM CALIFORNIA

Not as intense and fruit-forward as the Sauvignon Blanc wines of New Zealand, nevertheless, the same aromas and flavors are present: grapefruit, lemon citrus, lime, peach, and a grassy component, but much more subdued. These wines are more in the style of Sauvignon Blanc wines of France, Chile, and California. I was drinking Sauvignon Blanc from Chile for several years before those from New Zealand became so popular. These are very food-friendly wines, complementing rather than overpowering food. But, chacon a son gout, as the French would say: (literally) each to his/her own taste; or, in other words, one shouldn't argue when it comes to taste; or, you can't compare apples and oranges. Taste and see!

NAPA VALLEY STERLING VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC Medium-bodied, with a hint of sweetness. We are fortunate to have a good supply of this wine which is no longer available.

MATANZAS CREEK SAUVIGNON BLANC SONOMA COUNTY 93% Sauvignon Blanc, 7% Semillon. Dry, medium-bodied, crisp, smooth texture, and a lingering finish.

ROSE' D'ANJOU and NAPA VALLEY STERLING VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC

ROSE' D'ANJOU I have reviewed in this column mainly the rose' wines of the Provence area of France, which remains the most popular style (Whispering Angel, Mi Mi, Montaud, Minuty, Estandon). However, other areas of France also produce fine rose' wines. Anjou in the Loire Valley is one such place. The appellation (a legally defined and protected area) ROSE' D'ANJOU produced over four (4) million gallons of rose' wine in 2016. This wine is slightly sweet (off-dry), full of flavor, with aromas and flavors of strawberry, citrus, and hints of rose petal. Taste and see!

NAPA VALLEY STERLING VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC Not as intense and fruit-forward as the Sauvignon Blanc wines of New Zealand, nevertheless, the same aromas and flavors are present: grapefruit, lemon citrus, lime, and peach, but much more subdued. This wine is more in the style of Sauvignon Blanc wines of France, Chile, and California. I was drinking Sauvignon Blanc from Chile for several years before those from New Zealand became so popular. It is a very food-friendly wine, complementing rather than overpowering food. But, chacon a son gout, as the French would say: (literally) each to his/her own taste; or, in other words, one shouldn't argue when it comes to taste; or, you can't compare apples and oranges. Taste and see!