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Forbes
3 days ago
- General
- Forbes
White Wines To Enjoy During Summer
It's summer, which means that wine writers in the Northern Hemisphere line up to write about summertime whites. You know the style of wine I'm referring to, one with low to moderate alcohol, very little or no oak aging and impressive fruit flavors - these range from pear and melon to passionfruit and lime - good freshness, and of course, easy drinkability; these are not wines you need to think about too much. So this article will deal with several examples of whites wines in this manner that I have enjoyed as of late, but I refuse to call these wines 'summertime whites,' simply because that term limits how these wines can be enjoyed. Yes, summer is an ideal time for these wines, but all of them will drink well for at least another year or three, and a few of these will be in excellent shape in five years, so these are clearly wines for more than summertime. Also, summertimes whites call to mind a lighter bodied wine meant for lighter foods we enjoy in warmer/hotter weather, such as salads or fish. Yet a few of these wines can stand up to richer foods, so again, the term summertime white does not do justice to these offerings. Enough text - on to the wines. Note that I am not scoring these wines, as the issue here is pleasure, not points!Valle Reale (Popoli) Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2023 - Trebbiano d'Abruzzo was historically a simple white with high acidity and only moderate pleasure. But over the past decade the overall quality has improved, and when made by a top flight producer such as Valle Reale, the wine offers notable complexity. Displaying aromas of melon, pear and elderflowers, this has impressive weight on the palate, good acidity and an elegant finish that has a delicate note of stone fruit. Enjoy over the next three to five years; pair with roast chicken, branzino or seared (Uruguay) Albariño Riserva 2024 Yes, there are some noteworthy white wines produced in Uruguay; here is one that is most enjoyable. Textbook aromas of yellow peach, lime, mango and orange blossom. Medium-bodied with very good freshness and acidity. This is nicely balanced and cleanly made and has great appeal with a light juiciness; enjoy over the next two to four (Sardinia) Vermentino di Sardegna 'Costamolino' 2024 Vermentino from cool climates in Italy - in this case from the island of Sardinia west of Tuscany, is a lovely example of how complex and refreshing a dry white can be. Aromas of pear, grapefruit and white flowers. Medium-bodied with appealing freshness, a clean, dry finish, very good acidity, and impressive harmony. This is the ideal summer wine – easy drinking, dry but not too dry and delicious! Enjoy over the next year or (Sicily) Lighea 2024 Lighea, with a colorful label of a woman overlooking the sea - the producer Donnafugata is known for such playful labels - is made entirely from the Zibibbo grape; typically produced as a dessert wine (Ben Ryé, the winery's exceptional passito is made from Zibibbo), Lighea is a dry white from this grape. Aromas of mango, honeysuckle, passion fruit, orange zest and yellow roses – just lovely! Medium-bodied with appealing, ripe, juicy fruit, lip-smacking acidity and a off-dry finish with just a hint of sweetness. This is so enjoyable on its own, while it would also be ideal paired with Lemon Chicken or Oriental/Thai dishes like sweet and sour pork . Enjoy over the next two to three (Santorini, Greece) Assyrtiko 'Monograph' 2024 Santorini is among the favorite destinations of summer travelers; their most famous white wine is Assyrtiko (pronounced a-seer-te-ko), a wine in which you can smell and taste the sea. Aromas of honeysuckle, yellow peach and passion fruit. Medium-bodied with good weight on the palate, lively acidity and a finish with excellent persistence and the textbook saltiness of this grape. Pair with crab, calamari or baccalà (dried salt cod) and enjoy over the next two to four years. (The producer's name is pronounced Yay-ya.) Delas (Rhone Valley) Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc 'Saint Espirit" 2023 A blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Viognier: vinified in stainless steel. Bright, medium yellow, attractive aromas of pear, white flowers and citrus peel. Medium-bodied, this is delicious! There is excellent ripeness, a dry, clean, well balanced finish and good cleansing acidity. If I were a buyer for a restaurant, and I needed a glass pour white that could accompany a wide range of foods, I would by a few dozen cases of this! Enjoy over the next two to three Olivella (Vesuvius) Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio 'Lacrimabianco' 2024 Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio is a popular wine in the trattorie in and around Napoli and Pompeii; several producers with vineyards in the Vesuvius National Park produce this wine (there are white, red and rosato versions produced). This is a blend of Caprettone (80%), Catalanesca (20%), two native grapes of the Vesuvius area; Cantine Olivella is one of the premier producers of the territory. There are aromas of lemon pulp, orange zest and magnolias; there is good ripeness and freshness along with very good acidity. Nicely balanced with good persistence and a delicate note of minerality. Enjoy with lighter seafood over the next two to three years. (90)Pio Cesare (Alba) Cortese di Gavi 2023 Gavi is a famous dry white from the south eastern area of the Piedmont region; the wine is made entirely from the Cortese grape. Displaying aromas of pear, melon and a hint of wet stone, the wine is medium-bodied, and has good freshness, medium acidity and a well-balanced finish with subtle notes of minerality. An inspired choice for pairing with scallops or river fish. Enjoy over the next two to three years. (88)Feudi di San Gregorio (Sorbo Serpico, Campania) Greco di Tufo 2023 - Greco di Tufo, along with Fiano di Avellino is one of the premier producers of white wines in the province of Avellino (aka Irpinia) in the Campania region of southwestern Italy. This example of Greco di Tufo (Greco is the grape, Tufo is a local place name) is unoaked, rendering an appealing wine with aromas of passion fruit, orange peel and a hint of sage. Medium-bodied with good acidity, there is impressive balance, and the finish is quite dry with subtle notes of thyme. Pair this with a specialty fish dish such as baccalà and enjoy over the next three to five years.Régnard (Burgundy) Bourgogne Chardonnay 2023 A pleasant, non-oaked Chardonnay with appealing citrus fruit flavors, good (but not high) acidity, and a round, dry, pleasing finish. Very well made with impressive balance and varietal character. Enjoy tonight or over the next year or two; pair with lemon sole. Chablis Saint Pierre 2023 This is a true Chablis from the Burgundy region. Aromas of citrus peel, pear, chalk and dried yellow flowers. Medium-bodied, with very good complexity and acidity; unoaked, this is subdued, elegant Chardonnay that would be a pleasure to pair with lighter chicken dishes; enjoy over the next three to five years. Marc Bredif (Loire Valley) Vouvray 'Classic' 2023 Vouvray is made from Chenin Blanc, and while some wine lovers think this will mean a sweet or off-dry wine, this is quite dry. Medium-bodied, vinified in steel, with aromas of pear, lemon peel and magnolias. Good acidity with a clean, dry finish, this has the richness to pair with a chicken salad with a light cream sauce or sautéed scallops; enjoy over the next three to four Felluga (Friuli) Sauvignon 2023 In northern Italy, Sauvignon Blanc is typically referred to simply as Sauvignon. Displaying aromas of pear, basil, white pepper and orange zest, this is medium-full with excellent varietal character, good acidity and an earthy finish with notes of thyme and bell pepper. Enjoy with sea bass or aged cheese over the next four to six Barrantes (Galicia) Gran Vino Albariño 2022 (Rías Baixas) I wrote about an impressive example of Albariño from Uruguay earlier in this article, but if you are seeking the spiritual home of this grape, you need to taste versions from Rías Baixas in Spain. From one of the top producers of Albariño, this has lovely aromas of honey, apricot pit, stone fruit and lilacs, and is medium-full, with very good concentration. There is lovely fruit purity, excellent varietal character, vibrant acidity and a juicy, lush finish with pronounced sapidity. Enjoy over the next three to six years with Thai or Chinese cuisine, or spicy shellfish preparations. Yes, this is a lovely wine to be enjoyed during the summer, but this offers so much more.
Wall Street Journal
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
California Chenin Blanc Is Back, And Now Is the Time to Buy
Grapes regularly fall in and out of favor among winemakers and growers. Chenin Blanc fell so far in California, it practically dropped off the winemaking map. In 1991 there were just under 31,000 acres of Chenin in the state; by 2024 the total had slipped to just over 4,000. Now, thanks to a band of impassioned vintners, California Chenin is back. The best Chenins I tasted for this column were some of the most memorable California wines I've tasted this year.
