Ten
Summer Whites
By Jenise
Stone
All that sunshine and the fresh seafood we catch ourselves
here in Western Washington make white wines the drink
of summer. Even with a steak. And retailers stock a huge
variety of those wines in an effort to tease and please
our palates. Consumers who are sticking to the tried
and true are missing out on a terrific opportunity to
tour the globe, glass in hand. A point I tried to get
across to my neighborhood with a neighborhood tasting
of new arrivals in our marketplace.
2004
Pazo Serantellos Albarino (Spain) $8 - Mineral
nose with bright lemon, green plums and peas. Really
tasty.
2004
Vall Major Garnacha Blanca (Spain) $6 -
Soft white peach, melon and a hint of maple. Almost
viognier-like.
Good choice for those who prefer low acid wines.
2005
Charles Shaw Chardonnay (California) $2 - The
famous wine of Trader Joe’s and instantly dubbed "Cold
Duct" for the tape I used to hide the label. Forward,
extremely ripe chardonnay and oak flavors without enough
acidity to carry either. I've tasted CS chard a couple
times over the years and this was positively the worst
yet. It was depressing how many people preferred this
to the albarino.
2002
Treanna White (blend), (California) $18 -
Heavy floral perfume and pineapple from the viognier
and
canned peach notes from the marsanne. Alcohol’s
rather high at almost 15%. Epitomizes the “Californicated” style.
A Costco offering I recommend avoiding.
2003
Mount Eden Vineyards "Wolff" Chardonnay,
Edna Valley, (California) $17 - From 30 year
old vines, a rich and intense chardonnay in a unique
style.
Apple
flavors with buttered popcorn flavors. Not for everyone,
but fetching.
2004
Eagle Haven Winery Madeline Angevine/Siegerrebe (Puget
Sound, Washington) $16 - Located in Skagit
County off of highway 20, the most northern road
you can take
over the Cascades but only in summer--in winter it's
closed--just beyond the town of Sedro Woolley (I would
live there just for the name) and just before the town
of Concrete (named for the product that put it on the
map), is a little winery called Eagle Haven. Winemaker
Chuck Jackson labors at Boeing during the week and makes
wine here on weekends. Many of the wines are fruit wines--they
have 40 acres of apple orchard--but four of the acres
grow grapes and this wine is made from estate grapes.
AND IT'S GOOD. Excellent, even. It was one of my favorites
in this tasting. Light straw color with herbs, musky
perfume, pear, and white pepper. Clean, crisp and complex.
A must-try.
2003
Cullen “Ephraim Clarke” white
blend, Margaret River $23 - 54% Semillon and
46% Sauvignon Blanc,
and a wine Steve Tanzer gave 90 points to. Pale straw
color and initial nose of biscuits and lemon with citrus
and
flint on the palate. A cult wine in Australia, and a
rare ageable white at that. Should last ten years.
2005
Solena Pinot Gris, McMinneville, Oregon, $20 - The
French winemaker who used to make WillaKenzie wines
and a few others has started his own winery called
Solena. The 80 acres they've planted aren't ready yet
so they're making wine from purchased grapes for now,
and this is one. Almost transparent color. Floral nose,
spicy, light acidity and a little extra sweetness on
the finish.
2004
Yellow Hawk Cellar "Champoux Vineyard" Dry
Muscat Canelli, Columbia Valley, Washington $12.49 -
Another one of my favorites for the night. This light
yellow
number smells sweeter than it finishes, with exciting
kaffir lime, lemongrass, loquat, white grapefruit and
nutmeg, yet it’s not sweet. Excellent.
2005
Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio (Orange Muscat), Marlunghe
Italy, $15 - From the Veneto region, lightly
sweet with orange, clove and citrus rind, and really
fine, pinprick little bubbles.
Refreshing and totally delightful.
(7-24-2006)
Jenise
Stone is a wine enthusiast and avid foodie who lives
in Birch Bay, Washington. She can be reached by emailing jenise@tasteofwhatcom.com.
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