Waltzing with Whites

With winter so close and the temperature dropping, many wine drinkers abandon the cool whites that got them through the summer months and turn to warm, hearty reds. Rich Cabernets, lush Pinot Noirs, and sumptuous Rhone-style wines abound on hibernal dinner tables. I myself have always favored reds, throughout the year, and even for a Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey I often recommend a full bodied spicy Zinfandel.

But lately I’ve been finding, both in social and in professional wine circles, that many people can’t tolerate red wines and complain of headaches or a host of allergic reactions that they simply don’t encounter with whites.

Because a number of our readers may fall into this group, I thought why not take a look at whites that can fight the chill of winter and stand up, as well as reds do, to the season’s sumptuous menus. My search began. I wanted wines that were medium to full bodied, that had forward noses with complex aromas, that delivered bold, lingering flavors, and that had plenty of length. I also wanted wines with elegance and subtlety; wines that relied on their winemaker’s skill rather than on oak chips and tried-and-true formulas based on mass-market appeal.

Now, if price were no object, finding such wines would not be too difficult. I’d just open a LeRoy Puligny-Montrachet or a Haut-Brion Graves—if I had one. But with TableWine’s $20 price cap, it presented more of a challenge. Indeed, when I set out on my shopping expedition, I didn’t think, I would find more than a handful of reasonably priced whites that met all these criteria

Well, I’m happy to report that, with the help of my seasoned wine merchants, I found a dozen beautifully made white wines that could waltz through the courses of almost any holiday dinner with all the finesse and elegance of a Fred Astaire.

In selecting your white wines, let your own taste preferences be your guide. If you like creamy, buttery, oak flavors then by all means go for a Chardonnay. On the other hand, if you prefer a more herbaceous, spicy wine go for a Sauvignon Blanc. Keep in mind that some new world versions of this varietal, especially those from New Zealand or Australia, can have notes of tropical fruit. If you prefer a more austere wine, with mineral flavors, like flint or slate, and plenty of backbone, you might enjoy a white Cotes du Rhone.

One of the greatest disservices to white wines’ reputation is serving them too cold. I often find that many restaurants keep their whites far too chilled and then make matters worse by keeping the bottles in huge ice buckets when they’re brought to the table. Save the ice bucket for Champagne and let a chilled white sit on the table (unless you’re dining in sub-tropical climates without air conditioning). You’ll notice how much more of the wine’s character will appear as the bottle comes closer to room temperature. When serving at home aim for and  50-54º F for medium-bodied whites and 54-61º F for fuller bodied wines—I prefer the higher end of the scale myself.

Finally, be prepared to spend a little more for character. I have discovered that while there are plenty of wonderful, everyday whites out there below $15 or even $10, more than likely you’re going to have to pay a little more for some complexity and body.

As is our custom, we first tasted these wines by themselves and then with food. For our menu, we chose a hearty turkey and bean soup that was enhanced with some whole-cranberry sauce and laced with a hot chili and cranberry oil. It was so rich and flavorful that one taster likened it to Thanksgiving dinner in a bowl.

1999 Quivira, Sauvignon Blanc, Fig Tree Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley ($14.99)

Pale straw in color, this text-book Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma is made with a touch of Semillon. It has a deep nose of lemon, flint, and ripe peach. It’s bold on the palate, with beautifully blended, lingering flavors of vanilla, lemon, and under-ripe peach. Well structured with good acidity, it has a nice mellow finish of peach. This wine has a kind of warming quality to it. It was wonderful with the food. The first star of this tasting.

1999 Santa Barbara Winery, Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley ($11.99)

This rather unusual Sauvignon Blanc is made from the Musqué clone of the varietal grown in the cool Santa Ynez Valley, which gives it its big, aromatically distinctive nose of Muscat and dried fig, with some lemon notes. Pale gold in color, it’s tart on entry and delivers dry, bitter-almond, vanilla, and lemon flavors. It has an unctuous mouthfeel and good acidity. There’s good length to the finish, with lemon and almond notes. This wine has loads of character and stood up well to the hearty soup.

1999 Domaines Perrin, Perrin Reserve, Cotes-du-Rhone ($9.99)

Pale straw in color, this wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc (50%), Bournoulene (20%), Marsanne (10%), Rousanne (10%), and Viognier (10%). It has an elegant, clean nose of fennel, with some mineral notes. It delivers dry flavors of lemon and grapefruit complemented by some mineral and creamy notes. The wine has good structure and acidity and a nice bitter-almond finish. This is an austere wine, and it went well with the food.  Imported by Vineyard Brands, Inc., Birmingham, AL.

1999 Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone ($14.99)

Pale gold in color, this wine has a big nose of slate, citrus, and a touch of orange blossom. Dry and full bodied, it has a silky mouthfeel. It delivers tart, dried-fruit flavors of apricot and fig. The flavors linger on the palate. This is a lush wine and has a good finish with nuances of minerals and figs. It was even better with the food. Imported by The Stacole Company, Boca Raton, FL.

2000 Martin Schaetzel, Tokay-Pinot Gris, Cuvee Reserve, Alsace ($17.99)

Pale straw in color, this Alsatian Pinot Gris has a big, forward nose of lemon, peach, and melon. It’s also forward on the palate with a rock-candy, maybe even honey, sweetness that vies with its crispness. The flavors linger and there’s plenty of good acidity. It has a long finish, with dried-fruit and peach notes, as well as a bit of tartness. This wine complemented and enhanced the soup. Imported by Vinifrance Imports, Inc., Arlington, VA.

2000 Routas, Coquelicot, Vin de Pays du Var ($14.99)

This wine from Provence is named after the French word for poppy. Pale straw in color, this blend of  Viognier (70%) and Chardonnay (30%) has a huge, beautiful nose of vanilla, butter, and almond that eventually shows some honeysuckle. “A damn sexy nose,” commented one taster. Medium bodied, it’s big on the palate and delivers a counterpoint of lingering honeysuckle and lemon-citrus flavors. It’s well structured with good acidity and has a nice finish with violets and some spice. It complemented the food. Imported by USA Wine West, San Rafael, CA.

2000 Gianolio, Roero Arneis, DOC ($11.99)

This wine from Italy’s Piedmont region is pale straw in color. It has an inviting, “evening” nose of flinty slate. Quite forward on the palate, it delivers dry, rich flavors of ripe nectarine and orange citrus complemented by some mineral notes. The delicious flavors are long lasting. The wine is beautifully structured with some crispness and it has plenty of length. The finish is orange zest. It was good with the food. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Signature Selections, So. Kearny, NJ.

1999 Sartarelli, Tralivio, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, DOC ($14.99)

This single-vineyard Verdicchio is pale gold in color and has an elegant nose of white flowers, minerals, and some citrus. On the palate, it delivers dense, concentrated, lingering flavors of walnuts, minerals, and burnt sugar. It’s delicious, with loads of character. It has an unctuous mouthfeel and a ripe-peach finish. “Just lovely,” commented one taster. It stood up to and complemented the food. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Vias Imports, Ltd., New York, NY.

2000 R.H. Phillips, Toasted Head Chardonnay, Dunnigan Hills ($13.99)

Pale gold in color, this wine has a big nose of butter and toasted almonds. It’s a beautiful nose that despite the toasty aspect is not at all oaky. On the palate, it’s big and crisp, with vanilla, crème brulée and orange-citrus flavors that seem to go on and on. It’s well structured with good acidity for food.  It has a very long, buttery, caramel finish. Just luscious. It rated a “wow” with the food. One more star of this tasting.

2000 Thierry and Guy, Fat Bastard Chardonnay, Vin de Pays d’Oc ($11.99)

This wine from the Languedoc region of France is pale gold. It has a perfumy lemon nose with mango nuances that leaps from the glass. On the palate, it’s medium bodied with floral flavors of rose and hints of bitter minerals. “This is not your mother’s Chardonnay,” quipped one taster. It has a good finish, with lemon-citrus notes. This wine has plenty of character, but don’t expect a California style chardonnay. It was very good with the food. Imported by Click Imports, Seattle, WA.

2000 Clos Julien, Chardonnay “Talley Vineyards,” San Luis Obispo County ($19.99)

Light gold in color with green tints, this wine has an attractive nose of cream and grass, with subtle butterscotch nuances. Medium to full bodied, it’s packed with rich flavors of butterscotch and toast, with delicate citrus notes. This wine is beautifully structured with plenty of good acidity. It’s creamy on the palate. It has a long, caramelized butterscotch finish. It was very good with the food. Another star of this tasting.

1999 Merryvale, Starmont Chardonnay, Napa Valley ($19.99)

Light gold in color, this wine has a seductive pear nose with hints of lemon and an understated herbaceousness. Medium to full bodied, it delivers buttery, lemon, and burnt-sugar flavors with some citrus underpinnings. Nicely structured, there’s a judicious hint of oak throughout. It has a good toasty oak and lemon-citrus finish. This is an exemplary California-style chardonnay. It was great with the food.

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