by Dan Perkins
Here in California where wine is a snobby business there are some folks who will turn up their noses to one of my favorite wine varietals... When you ask them why; their response is somewhat typical... “I’m a member of the ABC club.” ABC? -- Anything but chardonnay!
Yes, it’s true. There are some folks out there who will take issue with a well oaked, full ML (malolactic fermentation), California chardonnay. I don’t get it either. But here are some of the reasons they may feel this way.
First, for quite some time the only white wine that seemed to get any serious consideration was chardonnay. This is due, in part, by comparing older white varietals having been hand crafted in their countries of origin like Germany, France and Italy with those here being mass produced for “box” wine along with significant residual sugars made most, such as Chenin Blanc, French Columbard and various Rieslings, unappealing.
But, ahhh! The children have grown up and now US producers are making some incredible white varietals. Secondly, the financial success of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay gave opportunity for wineries to explore other varietals and expand their profiles employing the same quality and production standards resulting in superior wines.
So, you may be one who has recently graduated from pink to white and chardonnay is now your “go to” wine or you have since moved on to reds and you really don’t care much for whites anymore... Well, my friend, once you go red you can still go back; but now you have options... Here are some great white wine alternatives...
Sauvignon Blanc... yes I know; it might as well be chardonnay. But this
little grassy, lean and mostly acidic wine is being produced with more
emphasis on the varietal characteristics and finds itself to be a much
more food friendly wine, especially pairing against thick, buttery
sauces. One of our favorites happens to be a second label SB from Mason
Cellars in Napa called Pomelo, a giant, sweet grapefruit like citrus,
which is what you’ll taste in this bargain wine. By-the-way... Fumé
Blanc is the same as Sauvignon Blanc. The word fumé was used by Robert
Mondavi, as a marketing tool back in the early eighties, to give this
lackluster varietal some new appeal... it worked and many wineries
followed suit
.
Viognier... (pronounced vee-own-yay) A fragrant wine, one you just want
to smell... okay drink too! I love this wine. Very expensive to produce
for vintners because the grapes are tiny and a vine will yield much
less fruit than other varietals but done right... Wow! Most of the good
viogniers here in the states come from the Santa Barbra/Paso Robles
area where the focus is on Rhone varietals. Many are fermented in steel
tanks keeping their varietal character of honeysuckle and orange
blossoms intact. Try Dover Canyon or Andrew Murray Vineyards as stellar
examples of how this wine should taste without breaking the bank! Or
better yet, Clay Station: Made from Lodi fruit and available for under
ten bucks!
Pinot Gris (Grigio)... Gris, the French word for gray gives this wine
it’s name due to the gray colored grapes that produce this white wine.
It is a cousin of pinot noir (French word for black). Very popular in
Italy as their staple white wine; here the best Pinot Gris are being
produced in Northern California and Oregon. Try King Estate or
MacMurray Ranch Vineyards.
Riesling... This is the wine to have with Chinese food! Need I say
more? I have had some amazing Alsatian Rieslings and it was like
drinking a delicious bowl of fruit with the consistency of olive oil.
Great Rieslings are not only known for their complex flavors but their
mouthfeel as well. Elegant wines they are. But here in the states they
are young, bright and as refreshing as a spring shower. I highly
recommend Greenwood Ridge White Riesling or Esterlina Riesling; both
producers are from Anderson Valley.
Of course I need to mention there are great Pinot Blancs, Grenache Blancs, Gewürztraminers, and yes, Chenin Blancs, however some of my absolute favorites tend to be blends of the white Rhone varietals. By mixing the amazing depth and characters of the individual grapes some wine makers, like Eli Parker and Joey Tensley, make some amazing wines. Which brings me to my favorites! Check out Epiphany Cellar’s “Inspiration.” A steal at just $20 this wine will knock your socks off! And if you want something a bit more lusty go for their Camp 4 Vineyard Roussanne (again, $20), amazing! Finally, if you can get your hands on some Tensley Camp Four Blanc (2005 or 2006) buy it! Very limited production but if you taste it... you’ll be sending in your application to join the ABC club!
Cheers!
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