Tag: white wine


Sep
2017

Foursight 2014 Charles Vineyard Semillon

categories: Booze, Wine

I did not grow up with a large family. Seeing extended family — even some type of grandparent-like figure — was reserved for holidays. And I’m ok with that because what it means is that my little family of four is actually quite close. I grew up with a mommy, a daddy, and a brother (and our dog, Sparky, who will be the first to greet me at the pearly gates).

My parents are the kind of parents who will play with me, help me with my homework, talk me through tough times, and celebrate even the smallest of victories with me. My brother is the kind of kid that can crawl under my skin and be utterly annoying, but is always there for me at a drop of a hat. I say these things in the present tense because, even as an adult-aged child, all these statements remain true. I used to think I wanted to be a part of a large family, have endless lists of relatives. Not anymore. Party of four means I’m never lost in the crowd, can give and receive attention when needed. Plus we don’t have to wait that long for a table at restaurants.

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Aug
2017

te Pa 2016 Sauvignon Blanc

categories: Booze, Winery Reviews

I want to put New Zealand on the map as New World wines to watch. Previous to engaging with te Pa, I was sorely mistaken about the wines produced in this tiny country. Like many, I lumped NZ wines with neighboring Australian wines; like many, I assumed that overly fruit-forward white wines without body or texture were the norm; and like many, I came to these assumptions because of what the mass market puts in front of us on shelves and in restaurants. Let this not be the case and let te Pa make the case for New Zealand.

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Aug
2017

Flora Springs 2016 Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc

categories: Booze, Wine

John Komes, co-owner of Flora Springs, may have a self-proclaimed love affair with Chardonnay, but his son Nate, general manager at the winery, is a fan-boy for Sauvignon Blanc. The Komes family have been farming the white grape for over three decades, utilizing the the two vineyards sourced for this bottle for the past two decades. Apparently there has been some talk about, and temptation to, graft these vines over to Cabernet Sauvignon (Flora Springs is well known for their big bold reds.) But with Nat’s encouragement, the family’s held back. And, personally, I’m glad they have. Well structured Sauvignon Blancs are hard to find — but with the clonal mix along with the combination of different aging techniques, that’s exactly what Flora Springs have produced with this 2016 vintage.

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Aug
2017

Y. Rousseau 2016 Old Vines Colombard

categories: Booze, Wine

Y. Rousseau’s Colombard is called “old vines,” but it could also be called “only vines,” as the vineyard sourced for these white grapes is one of the last of just two or three remaining sites planted to Colombard in the Russian River Valley. There was a time in California’s history when Colombard was the number one grape grown, predominantly in the Central Valley, where it was used to produce “easy drinkers” (aka jug wine), as well as add a crisp acidic backbone when blended with other white varietals. Oh how times have changed. Even in the grape’s native Gascony the Colombard vineyards are dwindling, as its prone to powdery rot and mildew. So, suffice it to say, Yannick was pleased to find these old vines growing in his new Northern California wine country home. And, like the passionate professional he is, he pays due respect with his expression of this lesser-known grape variety.

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Aug
2017

Y.Rousseau 2015 Old Vines Colombard

categories: Booze, Wine

If tasting wines from Y. Rousseau, a journey into the somewhat obscure (for California) Colombard grape is a must. Yannick, owner and winemaker of Y. Rousseau wines, is a native Gascon — as is the white grape Colombard. So it’s only appropriate that in 1996, while studying for his winemaking degree at Toulouse University and interning at Côtes de Gascogne, the first wine Yannick ever made was Colombard. When Yannick eventually founded Y. Rousseau Wines in 2008, Colombard was his “inaugural wine,” and, according to Yannick, remains one of his most popular.

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