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Sunday, May 23
2009 TERRAPIN CELLARS PINOT GRIS, WILLAMETTE VALLEY OREGON... $9.99
by
Brazenly Lucid
on Sun 23 May 2010 10:26 PM PDT
I have been on an anti pinot grigio kick lately so you may be surprised to read this glowing review. As you all know, pinot grigio and pinot gris are made from the same grape and it is more of a stylistic moniker then anything. Pinot grigio tends to be a little leaner and crisp in style whereas pinot gris shows more viscosity and deeper fruit notes, sometimes even displaying some smoke and honey tones. Wine makers will label their wine either pinot gris or pinot grigio depending on the style in which the wine is made. The reason I have been anti pinot grigio lately is simply because I do not find them that interesting and I cannot believe how long this trend for more pinot grigio has lasted. Every time I turn around, someone is asking me where the pinot grigio is! Although made from the same grape, pinot gris is quite a bit more interesting. Another side to pinot gris is that in most cases it is more expensive then it's fraternal twin. Welcome Tarrapin Cellars pinot gris. For a mere ten bucks I believe you will be quite impressed by what you get. Very fragrant on the nose with notes of white peaches and mandarin oranges. The palate is amazing with a nice creamy feel while notes of peaches, papaya and mangoes fill the palate yet remain delicate on the finish. This wine is serious business and could easily pass for a higher priced wine. This is going to be my summer white this year as it will be great for the deck or with salmon, shellfish, salad, halibut, or chicken. There is even enough ripe fruit on this to match it up with Asian fare. Needless to say, I love this wine and I would encourage you to get your hands on some, give it a try and see if you concur. 94 points
Wednesday, May 12
2007 ROOTS RUN DEEP WINERY EDUCATED GUESS CHARDONNAY...$15.99
by
Brazenly Lucid
on Wed 12 May 2010 09:24 AM PDT
Hopefully all my readers know that my palate goes just about anywhere a good wine can be found. I have no particular style that is my favorite although I try to find a wine that fits my craving at the time I am drinking it. Take chardonnay for instance. I have heard many folks say quite adamantly they do not like big goopy over-oak chardonnay. Fair enough, but I feel that there is a time and place for this style. Instead of that big bowl of butter pecan vanilla ice cream, why not a glass of big goopy oaked chardonnay? It is probably a little healthier for you and you will find it quite satisfying. What I try to look for in recommending chardonnay is what I call a good cross-over wine. Another words, a chard that plays both sides of the spectrum. Good acid, some butter notes with hints of oak that allows the fruit to project itself. A chardonnay that is good with food but also will be quite satisfying all by itself. A chard that has a lot of oak needs food... A fatty piece of chicken or some fettuccine in cream sauce. The same is true of a fat buttery chardonnay. To be solo a chardonnay has to have the acid that allows it to finish clean leaving you refreshed, unless of course you want some comfort chardonnay like a big bowl of ice cream.
I would like to introduce you to Educated Guess Chardonnay. This wine is 100% Napa Valley fruit, 85% from Oak Knoll and 15% from Mt. Veeder. This wine sees 50% barrel fermentation and 50% steel. This is one of the best cross-over wines I have run across in some time. Holding the line as a creamy rich chard (This wine went through 50% malolactic fermentation) it also shows some excellent acid to fruit balance. A beam of acidity drives the fruit flavors through the mid-palate to the finish. This wine also has a sexy nose of tropical fruits and buttery toast. In fact, when I first smelled this wine I was sure I was going to get a goopy butterball... it didn't happen. Yes there is some butter, there is some oak but there is also loads of fresh tropical fruit notes including pineapple, melon and guava. The finish is clean and does not stick to your palate but has excellent length. This my friends is a chardonnay that will please the oak palate as well as the palate craving a cleaner style or even the one looking for a little more fruit. If you are a buttered popcorn chard lover, this would even satisfy your craving although not to the hedonistic extent some can. Overall, I highly recommend this wine to a large number of palates and I can guarantee you it will be a regular at my table. 90 points. Stan The Wine Man |
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