Pierre Chainier 1749 Sauvignon Blanc 2009

this little beauty for the patio comes from france and is pleasing to the palate and to the wallet. selling for about $12, 1749 is not for fans of the big grapefruit flavored sauv blancs from new zealand. it is far more delicate and actually easier to drink by itself. the nose has some light citrus, tropical fruit and slightly floral notes. the palate on this one is light and crisp with nice citrus flavors. there is also a little floral note and some earthy stony notes in the finish. excellent by itself as a patio pounder, this white is also a nice wine to try with asian foods or a nice summer salad.

Henry Brochard Sauvignon Blanc 2010

warmer weather is upon us in the northeast, and that means patio pounders! i lean on the white wines more in the warmer months for their refreshing capabilities. this one from france is good for that reason and priced right at about $15. the nose is citrus, apple, mineral, and a little more citrus. the palate has lots of tropical fruit flavors (guava, grapefruit peel, lemon), some nice mineral notes, and a little gooseberry. snappy and tart on the tongue with a crisp finish, this one is great by itself, but also works with any lighter summer foods.

Foxglove Chardonnay 2009

unoaked chardonnays like this one are so appealing for one reason. you can taste the fruit, not the oak. the nose has lots of citrus, honeysuckle and apple. this also sees no malolactic fermentation, which takes out the buttery mouth feel. what is left is a beautiful expression of crisp fruit. lots of lemon, pear, honey and a nice zesty finish. this chardonnay sells for about $16 and is worth every penny. makes a good patio pounder or try it with some salmon, a salad, cheese or shrimp.

Pucela Viura Sauvignon Blanc 2009

i've been trying quite a few european wines lately and spanish wines have always interested me. i usually go for the reds, so this white was a bit off the beaten path for me. but i am always looking for a nice, inexpensive patio pounder. this one definitely works, selling for about $8. a fifty/fifty blend of viura and sauvignon blanc, the nose had green apples, some citrus, and a little minerality. the palate was very crisp and had  lemon peel, citrus and some green apple flavors. the wine finished with some nice length. nice wine by itself or with seafood, salad or chicken.

Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2008

i wrote about a couple of varietals (chenin blanc and merlot) from this south african producer a while back and had the opportunity to try their sauvignon blanc recently. for a maker of wines at this price range ($8), these folks know how to do it right. i have not had anything from indaba that has been disappointing. the sauv blanc is no exception. the nose had citrus, some pineapple and a little spicy pepper. the palate was an interesting combination of citrus and spice. nothing like the new zealand grapefruit bombs. this had a juicy mouth feel and a little zing in the finish. good summer time patio pounder. try it with seafood or sushi.

San Giuseppe Veneto Pinot Grigio 2009

this italian pinot grigio sells for about $12 and is worth a try. we enjoyed this over a couple of days with a couple of different foods; first with cheese, hummus and crackers, and then with salad and tuna. worked very well with both. the nose had some nice floral notes as well as some citrus aromas. the palate was light and refreshing, nothing too big or over the top as you would expect from an italian pinot grigio, with flavors of citrus, mineral and some light floral notes. crisp finish is very food friendly.

Chateau Haut Maginet Bordeaux 2009

this is a white bordeaux and was purchased at my local wine storre for about $12. the blend is 60% sauvignon blanc, 20% muscadelle, 20% semillon. this is an excellent food wine. the nose was citrus, floral, and some earthy aromas. the palate had lots of the sauvignon blanc characteristics of citrus flavors. lemon peel, some melon and a little bit of that french earth. mineral notes and a nice clean finish make this a perfect food wine. try it with any seafoods, sushi or lighter meals.

Val de Vid Condesa Eylo Verdejo 2007

how about another white wine? i had this one at a tasting a while back and filed it away as a good patio pounder. selling for about $14, this is 100% verdejo, a spanish grown grape from the rueda region. this is an aromatic wine with nice nutty (almond) and red apple notes along with some grassy notes. the palate is citrus flavored, including lemon and grapefruit, and some grassy flavors. there are some nice mineral notes showing up in the finish. very acidic with a long finish. this is a great summer food wine. goes with just about anything. awesome summer wine. similar to a sauvignon blanc without the really heavy grapefruit. (apologies for the old label)

Wise Guy Sauvignon Blanc 2009

another owen roe selection, this sauv blanc is from the outlook vineyard in the yakima valley in oregon. the nose is fresh hay and mineral notes along with some citrus notes. on the palate a nice burst of citrus, with lemon and some lime zest. very nice mineral crispness to this as well, with wet stone notes coming through. sells for about $13 and will work really well with some scallops or other seafood dishes. or makes for a nice patio pounder on a hot summer day.

Millbrook Unoaked Chardonnay 2009 New York State

the baldwinegeek apologizes for the long gap between posts. travel and no computer access recently. but lots to write about, including this unoaked chardonnay from the hudson valley wine region. millbrook winery (http://millbrookwine.com/index.php) is a beautiful vineyard producing some excellent wines from grapes grown on the property as well as grapes grown in the finger lakes and long island areas. the also import some cab and merlot grapes from california. as for this unoaked chardonnay, the nose has lots of citrus, pear and a little mineral. on the palate, a beautiful fruity explosion of citrus, apple, and pear, with some crisp acidity and nice clean finish. really nice food wine that will work with asian cuisine as well as seafood or cheese and crackers. sells for about $16.

Brancott Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2007

i am off to new zealand with this sauvignon blanc. a great summer time wine, sauv blanc can be great with lots of summer fare and this one is no exception. selling for about $18, this sauv blanc has a nose of citrus and passion fruit. the palate was citrus, most notably grapefruit, and some green pepper. nice mineral notes at the finish. as i said, this one will work with summer fare, like grilled shrimp or nice salads. well worth the price. i revisited this today and got some really big tropical fruit on the palate, guava and passion fruit. very complex, very nice sauv blanc.

Bird Sauvignon Blanc 2007

warmer weather means it is time to break out more white wines, and i go to sauv blancs quite often. this one from aorearoa, new zealand, was introduced to me at a recent tasting at my local wine merchant. the nose was grassy and tropical, with kiwi fruit aromas. the palate was not your typical grapefruit bomb that many new zealand sauv blancs seem to gravitate toward. this one had some of the citrus flavor, but there was some nice floral and passion fruit notes as well. a little zing in the finish of spice. good patio pounder that would work well with asian or seafood dishes. sells for about $13.

Boxhead White 2008

blends always intrigue me and a good white blend like this one is no exception. not sure of the percentages, but it is made up of chardonnay, semillon and sauvignon blanc. the nose was filled with citrus and tropical fruit. a little mineral note in the nose too. nice start. the palate is much of the same with a crisp flavor of citrus, mostly lime and some tropical fruit flavor of passion fruit. this is a real nice deck wine that will work with all your warm weather foods. sells for about $12.

Sogrape Vinhos Gazela Rosé 2008

i have never been a big rosé lover but i think i found one that will work for me. this one comes from portugal and is really priced nice at about $7. with just a little effervescence, this can be a nice, refreshing warm weather deck wine. on the nose, strawberries and floral aromas with a little sweet candy smell. the palate was crisp and somewhat dry with flavors of strawberry, citrus and a little mineral note near the finish. i enjoyed this with baked fish and veggies. it would also work well with light summer meals like salads and also with dishes with some spice as well.

Maryhill Winemaker's White 2007

this white blend from washington was something i tried recently and i was very pleased. nice table wine that works with a wide variety of food and it is also inexpensive at about $10-12. the blend is chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, semillon, and viognier. interesting blend of grapes. the nose was melon and citrus and some apricot. the palate was crisp and full of citrus and some melon, with some nice floral notes as well. very well balanced white wine. like i said before, this one will work with a wide variety of foods and is well worth a try at this price.

Vevi Rueda 2008

i tried this spanish white at a recent tasting. the blend was mostly verdejo with some viura mixed in as well. at a price of about $10, it fit the budget side of my brain. another possible summer time patio pounder??? the nose was very bright with lemon, melon and grapefruit. the flavor was very citrus with pineapple and a little grapefruit and lemon. i also picked up a little guava. actually a very complex little white. some mineral notes and a nice crisp finish left me wanting more. this would work really well with summer fare like seafood. well worth the price.

Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc 2008

i prefer red wine but in the warm weather, nothing beats a nice chilled white for the patio. this new zealand offering fits the bill and all for the nice price of about $10. the nose is citrus and tropical fruits. the flavor was very new zealand with lots of citrus and pear and some nice mineral notes in a nicely structured wine with a crisp, medium finish. perfect for all your favorite summer time dishes, you will want to go back for more of this after you finish the first bottle.

Loios White 2007

A blend of rabo de ovelha and roupeiro, this white would qualify as another every day patio pounder. aromas of minerals and limes and slightly grassy note as well. stainless steel only fermetation gives this wine vibrant, crisp flavors of apple and citrus. this has a nice full mouth feel, but finishes clean and acidic. anti-pasta and light summer fare will work well with this one. sells for about $10.

Richter Zeppelin Riesling 2007

i tried this riesling recently and although i am not a huge fan of the varietal, i know there are times when it can be the perfect wine to serve with certain foods. the nose had hints of slate like minerals and citrus, as well as a little apple. the flavor was slightly sweet without being syrupy or cloying, with well balanced flavors of citrus (lemon) and apple, nicely acidic and a full mouth feel. i got a nice apricot note toward the finish as well. this wine sells for about $14 and will go very well with chicken dishes or maybe a nice blue cheese. good food wine. oh, and the name mentions zeppelin because wines from this vineyard were served in the luxurious restaurant of the zeppelin airships in the 1920's and 1930's.

Oxford Landing 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

here is a nice inexpensive ($7) white that will surely be on the table at my house this summer. this sauvignon blanc is from australia and has that wonderful aroma of tropical fruit, especially pineapple. there was also a grassy note on the nose as well. the flavor was very crisp, citrus and tropical fruits. a got some nice mango and passion fruit notes. the finish was very crisp and clean and at this price, this white will make for a great patio pounder this summer. nothing too complex about this wine, just a nice easy drinking white that will pair well with most summer foods.