Writing in The Washington Post, Dave McIntyre is trying to break the belief that rosé wines are only for women. His recommendations of exceptional roses to “drink with your bros” include the Château Carpe Diem 2014.
“When I profiled Robert Shive and his quest to import the best rosés of Provence earlier this year, this Carpe Diem was not yet available, as the producer prefers to let the wine age for a few months rather than rush it to market. It is the palest of pinks, with melon and herbal flavors that conjure images of the Côte d’Azur.”
Price: $23
This Rhone-style blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache was also recommended by McIntyre as a choice bottle to enjoy with your “bros”.
“I love it because it achieves a deft balance of soft, plummy fruit in a California style without the excessive alcohol that’s an all-too-common problem in the Golden State, especially with Syrah in hotter areas. I tasted the 2013, which recently became available in this market; some stores might still have the 2012.”
Price: $20
Writing in San Francisco’s Stark Insider, Clinton Stark recommends five Californian Chardonnays, including this example from Edna Valley Chardonnay for its “extremely good value.”
“Part of that is likely due to the fact that this is sourced from the central part of California (San Luis Obispo), so name recognition isn’t as great as places like Sonoma or especially Napa, regions that can command premiums”, he explained.
“A refreshing wine — light fruits like apple and pear on the nose, with a clean finish. Not too oaky, yet not overly mineral either.”
Price: $10
Sticking with his Chardonnay theme, Stark recommend the Gary Farrell Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley.
“If you’re ever stuck looking for a wine, confronting a never ending array of choice on store shelves, you’ll likely do more than okay if you look for “Russian River Valley” on the label”, he said.
“Pricey, but a stunning example of best-in-class Chardonnay: lush vanillas and toffees, with enough minerality to keep the finish clean and just downright spectacular.”
Price: $35
“Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a legendary wine that you may never have heard of”, said Rebecca Murphy of this white wine from Tuscany in Dallas News.
“It is the only white wine in Tuscany that has been given the Italian top designation of DOCG, Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. Loosely translated, it means the place name of the wine is controlled and guaranteed. Tuscan red DOCG wines include Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino. We just don’t see a lot of Vernaccia in Dallas.
She described this example from Fontaleoni as “light and elegant, with lemon and lime fruit and dusty mineral and floral notes”.
“In the mouth it is light and delicate, with zesty acidity making this wine a delicious partner for grilled shrimp or summer vegetable dishes like a shaved zucchini salad”, she added.
Price: $14.99
Sandra Silfven, writing for the Detroit News, is all about drinking wine on a Tuesday, as her ‘Your Tuesday Wine’ feature illustrates. This Tuesday she recommended a “beefy, structured California Pinot” from New Jersey winemaker David Rosso.
“The celebrated Fulcrum wines get their name from what a fulcrum is: the point on which a lever is balanced so it can pivot — “balance” being the key word, which is what he strives for in his wines”, she said.
Of this bottle Silfven said: “It has intense aromas of cherry, blackberry, plum, dark chocolate and vanilla. It’s elegant at the same time it shows its power. The bold earthy flavors are infused with oak and supported by sturdy acidity and alcohol. It’s made from a blend of grapes off two of Sonoma Coast’s most coveted sites: Sangiacomo and Gap’s Crown.”
Price: $36
Dennis Sodomka, writing for the Augusta Chronicle, looked to the US west coast for his weekly wine tip, recommending the Franciscan Estate Equilibrium 2014 white blend, which he pairs with lobster tails dunked in butter sauce.
“Different doesn’t always mean better, but it does in the case of Equilibrium”, he said. “Winemakers like to experiment with various blends and new techniques, many of which we consumers never see. The traditional varietals and blends stay popular because they taste so good. This mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Muscat is unlike anything I had come across before.”
Price: $22 to $24
Gil Lempert-Schwarz, writing his weekly wine column in the Las Vegas Review Journal, picked a wine produced by one of the most popular wine brands in Australia, Jacob’s Creek.
“I believe Australia, and in particular, the southeastern part of that country, to have some of the finest New World winegrowing soil outside of France. German Johann Gramp certainly thought so, too, when he planted vines on the banks of Jacob’s Creek in the Barossa Valley in 1847, thereby founding this great winery and laying the foundation for today’s conglomerate.”
Of its Classic Shiraz Gil said: “The wine has great concentration with loads of crushed black fruits, including blackberries, black cherries, cran-grape juice, blueberry sorbet, hints of licorice, minerals and herb-laced meat. The midpalate is well-balanced with fruit, acidity and tannins working in complete harmony, delivering a supple finish that lingers with all pleasant black fruit and licorice flavors.”
Price: $4.99
Finally Stacey Vreeken, of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, recommended The Whip – a white blend from Murrieta’s Well winery in Livermore.
“As soon as you sip the floral yet dry blend, you know why”, she said. “The winemaker blended 28% Semillon, 24% Chardonnay, 14% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% each orange Muscat, Viognier and Gewürztraminer and 1% white Riesling in a tribute to white blends of the world. It’s aromatic and creamy with well-balanced acidity.
She added: “This wine is like a garden in bloom at twilight; soft, fresh and redolent of flowers. The aroma is honeysuckle, gardenia, fruit and citrus with a hint of sweetness. On the palate, a luscious mouth feel gives way to flavors of pear, pineapple, lemon, green apple, lime, vanilla and a hint of orange, with no cloying sweetness.”
Price: $22
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