Sunday, January 01, 2006

White Wine Recommendations $10-20

Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay (Sonoma) 2005
One of my favorite inexpensive Chards, this is very light golden with vanilla curd and light citrus with ripe mandarin orange notes in the bouquet.

In the mouth this wine is sharply acidic (in a good way) with lovely flavors of vanilla and lemon. It is just a super value at $11 (Sam's Club)

Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2006 (PB)
K Vinter's stellar $14 Riesling is crisp, flavorful and really well made. See full review to appreciate how much you should seek this out!

Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2005 (PB)

This is a unique and special wine with great structure and unique aromas and flavors which compliment many food stuffs! At $11, you MUST try it out!


White Oak Sauvignon Blanc 2004 (PB)
It is a very pale straw on the pour with a huge bouquet of fragrant pears and the trademark grassiness that sets off the S. Blanc grape in it’s classic form. This is classic and at $15 a real value!

This wine smells sweet but isn't. It has great acidity pushing the fruit through to the finish of more pears.


Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay 2002 (PB)
This Chardonnay is beautiful gold with a spectacular bouquet and nose of Creme Brulee. Figs and pineapple break the surface and come up around the Brulee. It is elegantly balanced with solid acids;although not huge on fruit, it is unique.
At $9, you have to try it!

Zind Humbrecht Gewurtztraminer 2004 (PB)
A golden wine with a bouquet of fruit of apples, peaches, apricots and pineapple. In the mouth it is rich and full. There is a layer of smoke that is subtle but definite and fascinating. The finish of this wine is lingering and full of fresh apricots that just keeps going. This is great with food or as an aperitiffe. $20 but worth every penny! Go!!!

Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc 2004 (PB)

Straw colored with generous fragrances of pineapple, mandarin oranges and “grassy” aroma. It is supple with nice mouth feel and big pineapple and quince flavors. The finish is simply, nice! $12-$15

Rosemount Estates Traminer-Riesling 2004 (PB)

Pale golden with a light bouquet of apricots and peaches. In the mouth it is sweeter than I would have expected but is quite refreshing. The texture is rich and there is a subtle hint of bananas which is quite nice. The finish is long and satisfying. This was a Wine Spectator top 100 under $15. I paid $6; NICE!

Essensia 2003 Orange Muscat Dessert Wine (PB)
At $11, this half bottle of honey dessert wine bursts with floral aromas of orange blossoms and lilacs. From the provovative color to the caramel and fruit finish, this wine is a bargain all the way. Don't pass it up!

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous1:01 PM

    I tasted both the Kung Fu Girl Riesling and the Yalumba Viognier.

    The Viognier has a streak of minerality running through it which I find is characteristic of most Australian Viogniers I've tried. Less fleshy say, than those from California or other warm weather climates. It's the structure of this wine that's going to make it a great food partner. I liked it.

    The KFG Riesling was just fantastic! The fruit, the balancing acids; this wine was just plain juicy. As it warmed in the glass, the stone fruit flavors came to the front and if pressed,I would say there was the barest hint of residual sugar. Very refreshing on a hot Kansas summer night.

    Weird name.....but for the price, a great wine.

    William Burbank
    aka Count Mourvedre
    CountonWine.com

    Advanced Certified Wine Professional
    Certified Specialist of Wine
    Degreed in Culinary Arts, CIA
    Email CountM@CountonWine.com
    Phone 913.909.7218
    www.CountonWine.com



    Making ordinary food and wine experiences.....extraordinary

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