White Wine of the Week | White Wine Reviews

Whites and bubblies you can grab in the Twin Cities for under $15. Expect a new wine to be revealed each Thursday(ish).

White Wine of the Week | White Wine Reviews

Simi Sauvignon Blanc

Cost: Average price $13.99

Where buy now: Surdyk’s, South Lyndale Liquors

Grapes: 95% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillion, 2% Viognier

Region: Sonoma, California

Vintage: 2010

Simi Sauvignon Blanc

The Simi Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma continues to be a staple I return to. It’s simply delicious with refreshing hints of citrus fruit: lemon, lime and grapefruit. It’s not all tart & pucker, however, as this wine isn’t 100% Sauvignon Blanc. There are tinges of Semillon and Viognier involved which adds up to a fuller, silkier taste. Don’t start thinking it’s heavy like a Chardonnay or Riesling though, this wine is fermented in stainless steel. It’s bright, vibrant and crisp with grassy notes, melon, minerality and balanced acidity. If you’re a big Sauvignon Blanc drinker, you’ll know what I mean when you give this a gulp. Wait, minerality, what’s that? www.winefolly.com/Wine Folly

 

Truthfully it’s one of the more difficult wine terms to describe and even winos have differing opinions. I found this video from my friend, Madeline, at Wine Folly who explains it best:

As with most wines out of California, the drinkability is great with food or solo. Finding fun foods to bring out the citrus zest and silky body, such as fish tacos, grilled salmon or a Caesar salad, would be a great idea. Think of any recipe that calls for olive oil and lemon. For instance, roasted chicken (shit, a rotisserie at the grocery store will do in a pinch) or boil up some pasta and toss with EVOO, basil, garlic, lemon zest and cheese. I implored the Fortify MN Food bloggers to give me a gazpacho recipe. I’ve always wanted to try a white gazpacho and so this week was a “Tale of Two White Gazpachos”. One from Fortify member, Diane: dianesfoodblog.wordpress.com/Diane’s Food Blog

Diane’s White Gazpacho

Another made without dairy, utilizing blanched almonds, old bread and green grapes: www.simplyrecipes.com/Simply Recipes

White Gazpacho[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You usually see this for around $15, which is a great price for this wine. However, right now it’s $10.99 at Surdyk’s during their Summer Sale. Yessssss. We are only halfway through Summer, folks- go ahead and stock up. You’ll be able to enjoy for months to come.

PS – If you are a Sauvignon Blanc fan, another must pick up at the Surdyk’s wine sale is not only the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc at $12.49 but Angeline Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc for only $9. It’s tremendous!

White Wine of the Week | White Wine Reviews

La Forcine Vouvray

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Cost: Average price $13

Where buy now: North Loop Wines & Spirits

Grapes: Chenin Blanc

Region: Vouvray – Loire Valley, France

Vintage: 2010

La Forcine Vouvray

Ladies and gentlemen, I have found my new sausage wine! I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. Why? I have a couple reasons. First, I love sausage. Juicy chunks of pork, fat, garlic, spices and goodness wrapped inside a casing. Second, the blissful flavor that oozes after snaping into a freshly grilled specimen is virtually unparalleled in the sensory world. To fully enjoy these fatty, salty, oozing flavors, washing it down with something complimentary is a must. For the standard brat, I’ve been all about a Riesling Kabinett, but alas, I’ve found my new Summer sausage staple: Vouvray.

Vouvray is an area in the Loire Valley region of France that produces white wine from the Chenin Blanc grape. While it is Chenin Blanc wine, it is named “Vouvray” after the area the grapes are grown and the wine is produced. I know, a bit confusing. Is it Chenin Blanc or Vouvray? The answer is “yes”. Perhaps think of it like this: Chablis is a type of Chardonnay made in the French town of Chablis; Champagne hails from the Champagne region. [Or, perhaps consider that Milwaukee’s Best originates from, well, you know.]

Alright, let’s get back to this wine. Many folks like Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Vouvray is like a marriage of the two. It’s qualities vary depending on climate and soil. The one I am digging on right now is La Forcine demi-sec. “Demi-sec” literally translates to “medium-dry”. (Think of it more like “medium-sweet”.) This Vouvray is refreshing with fragrances and tastes of green apple and pineapple. It is lively with a medium-body (unlike a Chardonnay, which is heavier) with acidity and sweetness balancing one another.

This wine is a marvelous value at around $13. I’m surprised this wine isn’t well known, or widely available in restaurants, as it’s so food friendly. The subtly sweet tastes, combined with the apple and pineapple flavors, pair amply with fatty boombalatty sausages. I recently scored bacon/cheddar brats from Nueske’s- truly a match made in heaven. If you don’t often have the privilege of driving across Central Wisconsin (sarcasm, anyone?) and stop at Nueske’s in Wittenberg, I say pick up your favorite butcher’s sausages, grill ‘em up and toast with this Vouvray. Before long, you’ll be licking your fingers, and when no one is looking, the rim of your glass.

White Wine of the Week | White Wine Reviews

Zestos Malvar

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Cost: Average price $9.99

Where buy now: Solo Vino, North Loop, Zipp’s, Pairings Food & Wine{jcomments on}

Grapes: Malvar

Region: Madrid, Spain

Vintage: 2010

Zestos Malvar

Pretties, I have a perfect patio palette quencher; a delectable deck dining hooch. I present the wonderful Spanish white wine, Zestos Malvar- yet another discovery from the Rosé Tent Tasting I attended in May (are you seeing why this tasting thing is so damn important?).

I didn’t know what Malvar was.  In fact, I don’t think most folks know much about the Malvar grape as evident by the lack of info I found. Apparently, it is even obscure to Spaniards, though Malvar grapes are indigenous to the Madrid region of Spain. Thankfully, the good people at Zestos realized this, as their back label is one of the most descriptive I’ve ever seen.

Zestos Malvar back label

Their description “the bright flavors of a Sauvignon Blanc and the body of unoaked Chardonnay (aged in stainless steel tanks) is right on the money. It truly embodies the acidity of Sauvignon Blanc and a fuller-body like an unoaked Chardonnay. It’s pale yellow color and smells of citrus/tropical fruit such as pineapple, grapefruit and mango are what you take in first and foremost. This may be a stretch but upon second whiff and taste, I notice hints of tapioca. On the tongue, it’s bright citrus flavors are rounded out with a creamier body.

Wait, “creamy” wine with hints of tapioca?  Sounds, well, gross.  Let’s break this down.

“Creamier” refers to a medium-to-fuller bodied wine. I remember when I first started getting into wine and I read things like “creamy body” and I was perplexed. The wine looked yellow to me, not like yogurt. Think of wine’s viscosity or body in terms of the consistency of milk. Skim milk = light bodied such as Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir, whole milk = medium bodied such as Sauvignon Blanc or Shiraz and cream = heavy bodied, like Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

At a mere $10 (even less on sale) I can hardly call the Zestos Malvar a gamble. This is a fun, simple slurpin’ wine. No need to age, aerate or do anything but enjoy. I think if you like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, try it. If you like Chardonnay, oaked or unoaked, try it. If you like to try new things, try it. And in these hot Summer days, who wants something heavy? This is a cellar filler that you’ll return to again and again and enjoy.

My only criticism is that it doesn’t stay with you. The finish disappears after about ten seconds. This is really only a “problem” if you plan to drive later. And really, isn’t it the unspoken truth that sometimes, you just want a tasty budget wine to tie one on with?