Here are some my recent tastings that I think you might much to your liking. The Chardonnays and other whites are coming into vogue with the summer months, and I’ll be trying more of these in the weeks ahead. I have listed several here, oaked and unoaked, that are good values.
I remain partial to reds, and enjoy a rich blend for hamburgers on the grill and other summer BBQ fare. So here goes:
The 2007 Chateau St. Jean Reserve Merlot received a 95-point score from Robert Parker, and costs $90 a bottle. The Sonoma Winery’s 2009 Merlot costs $25 and is just as rich, jammy and plummy as the reserve. I have no trouble making my choice: three bottles of the 2009 with $15 left over for a nice hunk of French brie and crackers …
Yakima Valley’s 2011 Lone Birch Red Blend ($14) went well with a grilled cheeseburger and nachos yet I was expecting a fuller mouthfeel
… The history and wines from Sonoma’s Buena Vista Winery will be featured Saturday from 1-5 p.m. at the Wine ConneXtion in North Andover. The 2011 Pinot Noir ($13.99) is a real bargain, a nice balance of cherry, strawberry and chocolate flavors and silky finish … Ledson Cabernet Sauvignon is for a special occasion. It is only available from the winery’s website and well worth it. The 2007 ($70) is an intense, exquisite wine, full of lush blackberry fruit and complex layers of taste … Warwick Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa ($16) packs a tropical fruit punch and coats the palate with crisp kiwi and grapefruit. It settles nicely in the glass. Zesty finish … The 2009 Sequana Pinot Noir ($40), Russian River Valley, fills the nose with a stunning lavender aroma and gets better with cranberry and cherry tastes. An amazing creation that could sell for twice the price …
Tomaresco Chardonnay 2011 ($12) is produced in southern Italy where quality, inexpensive wines are not a secret. Crisp, clean with green apple and pear flavors, this is worth chilling and cranking up Dean Martin’s Italian love songs … Lost Angel Chardonnay 2010 from Paso Robles ($12) is distinctively different from the previous offering yet no less satisfying. A blend of Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc adds fruitiness to the unoaked flavors. The label is great and so is the juice … For a taste of elegance, try the Rhone-style 2011 Treana white ($17-$19) from Hope Family Wineries. A balanced blend of Marsanne and Viognier, this is well-structured to last a decade but why wait. It smells of jasmine, the texture is gorgeous and the flavors are tropical and spicy. Something new and exciting for summer sipping.
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