What I like most about spring and summer is the blossoming of aromas and how that signals the awakening of life after the slumber of winter. And a cool, light, crisp, refreshing white wine is just the compliment for the warmer weather. Below are a variety of recommendations from my tastings over the past several months.
German Riesling. My favorite white wine any time of year is German Riesling. These wines typically are enticingly aromatic with bracing acidity and typically green apple, citrus and stone fruit flavors. Most intriguing, there often is a distinctive mineral component. It produces aromatic wines of high acid and, unusual for a white wine, potentially long life. The fragrant, flowery aromas lead into fresh green apple, pear and occasionally peach, apricot, pineapple, or mineral flavors are delivered with bracing acidity. The wines below provide some blanced sweetness.
- 2012 Bischofliche “Ayler Kupp” Kabinett ($23) – a single vineyard wine from the Mosel is fresh, fruitful and satisfying, with just a hint of sweetness.
- 2012 Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium “Graacher Himmelreich” Kabinett ($23) – similar to the Ayler but more pronounced apple.
- 2012 Schloss Vollrads Spatlese ($31) – from a storied estate in the Rheingau, this one is sweeter but delightfully fresh with minerality.
- 2012 “Fritz Willi” (by Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium, $12) – a good entry-level wine is another successful effort by a venerable winery to produce a wine labeled in a more consumer friendly manner. It is made from grapses sourced from the Graacher Himmelreich, Graacher Domprobst, Bernkasteler Badstube, Trittenheimer Apotheke and Falkensteiner Hofberg vineyards in the Mosel and Saar valleys.
Chenin Blanc. Native to the Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc also is a personal favorite and has found a few hospitable locales in California. There, it is usually produced in a fruity, slightly sweet style, though a few brave souls (like Dry Creek Vineyard) make a dry style inspired by the fine wines of the Loire Valley Savennieres. The 2013 Dry Creek Vineyard ($12) made with grapes from Clarksburg near Sacramento, is always a reliable choice. This stainless steel fermented wine is quite fragrant with peach, melon, apple and citrus.
South Africa also is quickly becoming a reliable source of good Chenin Blanc, as the 2011 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc “Steen op Hout” ($14) demonstrates. Although this wine saw some time in barrel, it is fresh, fruity, and bright, with deep apple, pear and cashew in nose and zesty acidity and tropical fruit mouth.
California Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio. There may be no better summer wine than a crisp, refreshing Pinot Gris. Just in time for the warmer weather. Pinot Gris, the so-called “grey pinot,” also can be a fine choice this time of year. It reaches its epitome in Alsace and can be quite fine in Oregon but I found the 2013 MacMurray Estate Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Gris ($20), the first bottling under the winery’s new label, to have enticingly rich flavors of pear, baked apple, dried fig and white peach. It is fermented in stainless steel and one-quarter is aged on the lees.
Pinot Grigio, usually suggesting a lighter Italian style, is the best known type among Americans. At half the price, the 2013 Belle Ambiance California Pinot Grigio ($10) is typical of the style, as it tends to fresh citrus and melon carried in a brisk, yet easygoing frame.
Spain. Native grapes from Spain’s northwest region of Rías Baixas and the northern region of Rioja, which is better known for its red wines, make for light hearted, zesty summer sippers. The 2013 Cune “Monopole” Rioja ($15) is produced using local viura, the major white grape of the region, which, like its namesake macbeo in Penedes, is noted for its aromatics and acidity.
From Rías Baixas, the 2013 Terras Gauda “O Rosal” ($24) is a blend dominated by albariño (the most important white grape of that region), with additions of loureiro and caiño blanco (which had almost disappeared from the region but was recovered by Terras Gauda in the 1990s). all from the O Rosal Valley, this blend produces a wine with crisp and lively fresh citrus, orange and peach deepened with an earthy touch.
Italy. While Italy is justly famous for its red wines, there also is a plethora of interesting white wines. Much of that interest, as with Spain, comes from the indigenous grapes. Someday I need to write a whole article on Italy’s whites but for now here are a few nice ones from Italy’s northeast.
From the northeastern province Friuli near Venice, the 2012 Masi Masianco ($15) is a unique, enticing blend of mostly pinot grigio and some indigenous verduzzo produced using the traditional winemaking method of drying the grapes before fermentation (known as appassimento) to increase concentration and intensity. crisp citrus, honey Lemon, peach, dried apricot, honey, touch of spice, honey and cantaloupe melon
Prosecco, with its light, frothy flavors has achieved significant popularity in recent years. It comes from an unlikely area in the Veneto, in the hills just north of Venice and is made using the native glera grape. Affordable and eminently drinkable (typically lower alcohol), it is a versatile for many occasions. I recently enjoyed the Prosecco from La Marca ($17) from a 40-year-old cooperative representing 5,000 local winegrowers who farm more than 17,000 acres. Its clean, refreshing style and delicate, apple fruit are quite appealing. Another good option, the Piccini Prosecco ($16) also was very nice, with a profile of white flowers, white peaches, and pears.
Speaking of Italian bubbly, you may not be aware the “Metodo Classico” (the Champagne Method) bubbly made in the Franciacorta region in the foothills of the Alps not far from Lake Garda is some of the best sparkling wine in the world. Franciacorta also uses the traditional Champagne grapes pinot noir and chardonnay. The Berlucchi family gets credit for initiating the practice in the 1970’s. Their 2006 Berlucchi Franciacorta ‘61 Brut ($35) – 100% chardonnay and bottle aged five years – is crisp, elegant and refined. The ’61 refers to 1961 as the year the brand was founded. With apple and pear fragrances and velvety texture, this wine displays lovely depth and a zesty acidity.