Werewolf Pinot Grigio 2009

never thought i would be writing about a wine called werewolf. this one comes to us from romania of all places, and sells for the nice price of $7. the question is, does it have a bite? the nose is not very big, with nice pear and citrus aromas. a little mineral in there too. the palate has pears and citrus (lemon), some nice, slightly effervescent qualities, and low acidity. good everyday summer patio pounder. i was pleasantly surprised with this one. summer salads and light fish dishes for this one.

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.

Warwick Valley Chardonnay 2009

new york produces a wide variety of wines. the shawangunk wine trail has become a favorite place for the comely brunette and i to find new wines from the empire state. this chardonnay, with grapes from the finger lakes district, is a nice find at a good price of $14. the nose had lots of melon and apple, maybe a little peach, and some toasty vanilla. the palate is a combination of pear, peach, a little melon and some apple, along with nice vanilla and some nutty flavors. this wine has a rich, buttery mouthfeel because of the malolactic fermentation. try it with stuffed clams or shrimp.

Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay 2008

apologies for the lack of posts recently. relocated to a new state and had no computer access. the comely brunette and i enjoyed this go to white with a fresh salad with tuna. selling for about $12-14, kendall-jackson has always been a producer that we can go to for quality wines at reasonable prices. the chardonnay has a nose of mango and peach, a little citrus and some light spice notes. the palate was smooth and creamy with lots of mango and pear flavors. there was also some nice spice and a little green apple. not an overly oaked chardonnay, which is a good thing in my book.

Ercavio Blanco 2009

a brief break from the south african tour for this warm weather white from spain. not much warm weather left if you are in the northern tier states, but this one is a nice light wine. the nose is pears, a little floral, and some green apple. the palate is crisp and light , with granny smith apples and pears along with some nice mineral notes. slight tropical note as well. i would refer to this one as sauv blanc light. good with salads, light fish and seafood, or as a patio wine all by itself. sells for about $10.

De Morgenzon Chenin Blanc 2008

back into south africa for another very nice white wine. de morgenzon is dutch for 'the morning sun'. this is a boutique winery in the stellenbosch region of south africa. chenin blanc guru teddy hall is the wine maker. selling for about $30, this wine has a nose of apple, apricot, some floral aromas, and spice notes. the palate is very pretty, with pears, tropical fruit, and toast up front. this is followed by some nice orange blossom and honey at mid palate and some grassy minerality in the finish. excellent food wine. i am thinking shrimp or tuna on the grill, summer salads, or a lightly spiced asian dish. search around for this one and you will probably be able to find it for less than the suggested retail price of $30. well worth it. excellent wine.

Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2008

a little side trip out of south africa for this exquisite chardonnay from napa valley. if you know anything about wine history or recent wine oriented movies, then this winery is no stranger to you. chateau montelena was the winery featured in the film 'bottle shock' about the judgement of paris where the u.s. made a huge statement in the world wine industry. montelena's chardonnay was voted the top white wine in a blind tasting in 1976. i must admit to not being a huge fan of overly oaked california chardonnay, but this one completely knocked my socks off. some of the wine spent some aging time in stainless in this vintage and it really makes the fruit flavor pop. the nose had white peach, pear, some apple and nice floral aromas. i don't normally mention color but this one was very intense gold. the palate was more of the peach flavor, along with pears, citrus, spice and some orange blossom in the finish. very full mouth feel and the finish lingered for quite some time. be prepared to drop a few dollars on this as it sells for about $50. you can shop around a bit and find it cheaper. pick one up and lay it down for a couple years. excellent for a special occasion.

Excelsior Chardonnay 2009

so far the south africa tour has been quite a pleasurable one and this next wine keeps up the tradition. selling for the nice price of about $10, excelsior is a chard that sees very little oak. in fact only 25% sees oak for the limited time of 3 months. in my mind this is a good thing. i am not a big fan of the overly oaked chardonnays on the market. it spoils the real taste of the grape. the nose is not huge, with some tropical fruit, apple, and a little spice and floral notes. on the palate, lots of pears, green apples, spice and mineral flavors. this was really nice with the chicken pesto dish i had. i would also try this with lightly spiced asian food and meaty fish. 3 for 3 in the value aspect and in taste category. and the south africa journey will continue…

Starr Hill Vineyard Geisenheim 2005

back on pennsylvania's groundhog wine trail for this riesling hybrid. this reminded me more of a gewürztraminer than a riesling. the nose led with white peach. i also got some nice star fruit and a little apple. there was some floral violet in there also. interesting nose for sure. the palate was semi sweet with pear and apple leading the way. there was also some floral notes and some interesting lemon and pine needle note in the finish. this one sells for about $12 and will work with asian food or as a nice after dinner wine.

Gerard Bertrand Viognier 2007

the next post is #400 for me! #399 is another white wine. viognier is an interesting wine. some folks aren't too crazy about the floral qualities, but i find them alluring and the wines to be quite tasty. this one is no exception. the nose has lots of floral orange blossom and hyacinth, along with some nice tropical fruit. the palate is not as floral, with pears and almonds dominating the flavors. i did get a little honeysuckle but it isn't overwhelming. the wine has a little oily mouth feel, which gives it a little more depth and helps it linger on the tongue a while longer. sells for about $14. try this with some steamed seafood or pasta with a white sauce.

Monte Volpe Primo Bianco 2009

with the warm weather and temps nearing triple digits, crisp white wines are the order of the day. this one is a keeper. a blend of pinot grigio, tocai friulani, sauvignon blanc, pinot blanc, chenin blanc, and arneis, this white has aromas of bananas, melon, mineral, and tropical fruit. very nice start. the palate is bursting with pineapple, pear, a little grapefruit, and minerals. a little tart and a nice little kiss of sweetness in the finish. nice silky mouth feel and lingering finish. good food wine. try this with cheese, barbecued chicken on the grill, or summer salads. sells for the bargain price of $10.

Graziano Chenin Blanc 2007

looking for a good summer time food wine? try this $10 chenin blanc from graziano wines, mendocino county. this white is dry and crisp, and has aromas of melons, pears and apples. the wine is aged in neutral french oak. the palate has lots of pear and mineral flavors, along with some nice yeast flavors in the finish. i like the way the wine finishes clean and crisp, with nice acidity. as for pairing with food, try this with a  nice summer salad, or it will work well with grilled fish or chicken.

Nobilo 2007 East Coast Pinot Gris

back to new zealand for this summer patio pounder. selling for about $12, this refreshing white has a nose of pears, a little orange peel, and some nice floral notes. the palate has lots of pears and melon flavors. i also got some nice mineral notes. this is a nice, crisp white with a long, creamy finish. grilled fish, shrimp, cheese and salads will work well with this. i enjoyed this with steamed vegetables and pasta in a light red sauce. excellent white wine!

McManis Chardonnay 2006

i have been on the reds quite a bit lately so i better throw a white wine in that i had recently. this chardonnay from california is in the lower price range that i like, selling for about $9-10. i have tried two other wines from mcmanis and was quite pleased with their value and flavor. how does there chardonnay stack up? the nose had tropical fruit notes and hints of vanilla. nothing too complex. on the palate, pears, maybe a little pineapple. sweeter than most chards, possibly from the fermentation in stainless steel. so this is not your oaky, buttery chard from california. more fruit forward. it spends a little time in french oak, which gives it the creamy mouth feel and a little zing in the finish. not bad for the price.

Bohemian Highway California Chardonnay 2008

the holiday break is over. time to get back to writing about wine. i start with a budget wine for the new year. i had this wine about 4 years ago and decided to revisit a newer vintage. the nose was full of peach and and floral aromas. very crisp and enticing nose. the palate was bright and crisp, with flavors of apple and pear. some nice citrus touches in this one as well. good fruit flavor and just a little creaminess from the small amount of oak that this wine sees. great wine to pair with chicken or seafood like scallops. sells for about $10 and it was well worth the revisit.

Corbett Canyon Pinot Grigio Chenin Blanc

boxed wines are making a splash on the market with people being more value conscious. i have tried and blogged on several varieties and makers and have found some really nice wines. first time for this one from italy. selling for about $12 for 3L, this white blend had a nose of pears and apples. the flavor was a bit too mineral for me. pear and melon flavors with stone/mineral notes weighing a bit too heavy on the palate. finished clean and dry, but just not pleasant in the aftertaste. not my favorite white boxed wine at all.

Riondo Pinot Grigio Spago D'Oro 2007

in new york with the comely brunette and of course drinking a little wine. great places to buy wine here. lots of wine stores around that sell quite a few italian varietals. we tried this nice pinot grigio that sold for about $10. nose of apples, pears and some really nice floral notes. the taste was pears and jasmine with some crisp mineral notes in a medium length finish. very clean, bright pinot grigio, and well worth the price. good food wine. we enjoyed this with chicken, red potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Bay Bridge Chardonnay

i picked up a few bottles of inexpensive wine recently (tight budget) and saw this one for the nice price of $4. how good or bad can it be? for that price it was worth a look. the nose was pear and some apple, not much else. maybe a little mineral. the flavor was pears and some grassy notes. a hint of butter and some mineral. very green. not much finish. drinkable, but nothing spectacular about it. probably not something i will purchase again. there was no vintage on the wine and i am not really sure if this is made by one of the larger producers (gallo, franzia) and sold under this name like two buck chuck is. sorry for the lack of a picture. no digital camera and couldn't find a photo anywhere on the internet.

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.

Almaden Heritage Chardonnay

summer time whites at a good price are always the way to go, especially if you are entertaining a large group of people. i tried this one and the price is certainly right. i paid $18 for a 5 litre box, which is 34 glasses of wine if you pour 5 oz at a time. dirt cheap! but is the wine worth it? as chardonnays go, it isn't a big buttery, oaky chard. it was more of a dry, crisp chard with plenty of apple and pear on the nose and on the palate as well. this one is going to be very food friendly for the summer fare of salads and shrimp. the was a slight butter taste, but i was surprised at how light it was. if you want a bigger bolder chard, steer clear of tis one. want an easy drinking, unpretentious white, then this is for you.