Tasting Notes

Lugana Tenuta Roveglia, DOC, 2003



This 100% Trebbiano came as a surprise; it ain't the noblest of grapes, after all. And while I knew the grape, I wasn't intimately familiar with the region, and had never tasted this particular wine until my sweetheart returned from a Shoe-la-la party and said her host had served it. So I went out and got her a few bottles; now I'm as much a fan as she!

This is what I would call a restrained, if lovely pale white wine. Aromas of peach and pear and a decidedly mineral quality deliver a subtle yet elegant finish. If you want an Italian white, put that sugary Pinot Grigio aside and try this one.

Trefethen Dry Riesling, Oak Knoll, 2004

The standard in domestic dry Riesling, as far as I am concerned. A little bit austere, since it does not undergo malolactic fermentation, but exuding the lovely citrus and floral aromas of this varietal. On the palate you get a bit of grapefruit and maybe a bit of pear but with that persistent undercurrent of lemon, and a crisp, tart finish influenced by a few percent of Chardonnay. Trefethen is located in the relatively cool Oak Knoll district, adjacent to my friends the Corleys of Monticello, and while I am not a huge fan of Trefethen reds, you won't find better Viognier outside of Alsace, folks.

Bridlewood Viognier, Central Coast, Reserve 2004

This is a soft, perhaps even elegant Viognier that goes down nicely in cooler months during the miserable east coast winter. With a hint of residual sugar and a buttery character, the Bridlewood nonetheless expresses the characteristic melon and peach character of Viognier in a rich and lush package.

Olivier Laflaive Bourgogne Les Setilles, 2005

This is just a tremendous white Burgundy, not merely an outstanding value. A crisp and refreshing Chardonnay, with all the best that the '05 vintage offers in an "ordinary" Bourgogne Blanc. According to the producer, it comes from a blend of vineyards in the villages of Puligny-Montrachet (60%), fermented and aged in tank (en cuve) and Meursault (40%), aged and fermented in barrel (barrique). It has the flintiness that I love and a very long and satisfying finish.

About $15-19...a genuine standout at this price. Drink before 2009.

Puligny Montrachet, Les Folatieres, Gerard Chavy, 2001

This is one the finest white Burgundies I have ever tasted, last fall in North Jersey courtesy of the Meritage Wine Group. My host was the genial and enthusiastic proprietor of Township Liquor and Wine of Piscataway, NJ, Brian Hammill.

This wine has a bit more yellow color than most; firm and ample acidity without tartness; and massive fruit shining through, such that some folks might describe this wine as having a hint of sweetness. Nice long finish.

This is not a cheap wine, but I've found that the price can vary from as little as $42 to about $90. And it is a bargain compared to other ultra-premium white Burgundies. So treat yourself on occasion, and leave the Bin 65 in the bin.

Stags' Leap Winery, Viognier, 2002

This little-known Rhone Valley varietal makes a superb aperitif wine, and Stags' Leap* (which bills itself as the "original" so as not to be confused with "Stag's Leap") does it very well indeed.

Structured and full-bodied, the 2002 hints of pear and fragrances, and perhaps a bit of lemon. The winemaker uses malolactic fermentation to soften the wine and yet give it a mouth-pleasing acidity. For those of us who take no pleasure in overly oaked and buttered Chardonnays, Viognier offers a wonderful alternative as a way to start a meal, or in this case of a recent wine party that I hosted, a way to begin a bacchanalian orgy of imbibition.

*Carl Doumani, the original owner of Stags' Leap Winery (he sold to Beringer in 1997), had a small war going for years with Warren Winniarski of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars over the use of the name. Lots of lawyers made money, and in the end, the area received its own AVA designation "Stags Leap District" along the Silverado Trail on the East side of the Napa Valley. So now several wineries use the AVA name and further confuse the issue for many consumers.