WineFoot.com

By Duane Pemberton
Winery website: http://www.kilikanoon.com.au/

Even though Australia is primarily known for its outstanding Shiraz, it’s also home to some very good white wines as well – like this 2012 Riesling from Kilikanoon. It’s dry, finishes very well and for sure plays along very well with various kinds of food.

Technical Data: 

• Residual Sugar: 1.8g/L – dry
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Price: $20 (AUS)

On the nose: Green apple, mango, blood orange, grapefruit, pear and white peaches.

On the palate: Beautiful acidity going on here with notes of stone fruit, green apple and citrus which linger on in a superbly clean finish. A world-class Riesling but is a bit pricey for one from Australia – I think in the USA market it may have a tough time competing with the likes of Rieslings from Washington such as Poet’s Leap or Eroica. 

W.E.P. Rating: 95%

Sauvignon Blanc is a classic Napa white grape that has got a lot of play over the several decades but has – in many ways – fallen out of the limelight because all too many started tasting the same and folks seemed to have gravitated towards the “buttery chardonnay” from that region.

Duckhorn Winery has been producing wines from this grape for a long time now and I had the chance to sample both its flagship “Duckhorn” label as well as its more moderately-priced Decoy brand.

Decoy Sauvignon Blanc: W.E.P Rating: 90%

Technical Data:

• 79% Sauvignon Blanc, 21% Semillon
• Harvest Information
• Harvest Dates: August 25 — September 9, 2009
• Average Sugar at Harvest: 22.2° Brix
• 20 Vineyards Harvested
• 100% Stainless Steel Fermentation
• Alcohol: 13.0%
• 0.65 g/100 ml titratable acidity
• 21 days fermentation at 55°F
• pH: 3.25
• Bottled: January 2010
• Released: February 2010
• Price: $18

Nose: I get some nice citrus notes right off the bat along with a touch of kiwi, grapefruit and hay.

Taste: Really nice acids – much better ones to me than the Duckhorn Sauv Blanc. The citrus and grassiness along with the grapefruit and kiwi action make this a very shelfish-ready go-to wine. I appreciate the finish on this wine for the most part but the finish can be a touch hot. With that said, i’d still hit this wine up with some fresh oysters.

Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc: W.E.P Rating: 75%

Technical Data:

• 75% Sauvignon Blanc,
• 25% Sémillon
• Harvest Dates: August 21 — September 9, 2009
• Average Sugar at Harvest: 22.6° Brix
• 7 Napa Valley appellations
• Cooperage: 100% French Oak Château-style barrels (60 Gallons) 15% Barrel-fermented in new oak 5 months sur lie
• Alcohol: 13.0%
• 0.61 g/100 ml titratable acidity
• 21 days fermentation at 50° F
• pH: 3.35
• Bottled: February 2010
• Released: April 2010
• Price: $27

Nose: Honeysuckle, vanilla, kiwi skin and some pineapple mixed with green apples and grapefruit.

Taste: This is a very “generic-tasting” Sauvignon blanc in that it has the typical grapefruit action going with a slight hint of grassiness but to me offers nothing compelling for its price that can’t be found elsewhere. I know the finish will lose some folks who are used to oaked-whites as the kick of Semillon starts coming through with the pineapple/vanilla combo that is actually quite tart. It’s a well-made wine in its own right, however, it’s a bit pricey compared to what else is out at similar quality at lower prices.

Hailing from the greater Wenatchee Washington area, Saint Laurent winery makes a big deal of owning its own fruit which in this day and age can be a good thing. While it’s clearly not a guarantee of great wine it can help and it certainly hasn’t hurt the flavor of the 2009 Riesling.

Its winemaker, Craig, has a good pedigree and has worked with some of the better winemakers in Washington State, including the infamous Charlie Hoppes.

Technical Data:

Estate Vineyards Riesling, from Malaga Vineyards

R. S. 2.4%

Alcohol 11.7

Bottled March2010

Cases 400

Price: $12

Nose: Stone fruit – peaches, apples and a hint of pear that I pick up right off the bat. I’m also getting some nice minerality and a bit of ivory soap.

Taste: Apricots, green apples and bosch pears flood the initial attack with a nice group of back-up singers in the form of peach-skins, blue-stone and something tastes like Tide laundry detergent smells. Good crisp finish that brings out some good acidity and structure – would be an easy pairing with seafood ceviche, scallops or even some lightly-spiced thai-foods and sushi.

A solid effort for $12 and frankly one that should be a no-brainer, go-to everyday Riesling.

W.E.P. Rating: 110%

On the web: www.saintlaurent.net

Plantegenet Wines is located in the “Great Southern” region of Australia – where an English migrant named Tony Smith bought some land and planted grapes. He started off with Cab Sauv and Shiraz – later planting Riesling. While I know many folks don’t think about Australia for great Riesling, I can tell you that after my time with this bottle- I’m a believer.

Technical Details

Alcohol: 11.7%v/v

Total Acidity: 7.3 g/L

pH: 3.05

Residual sugar: 1.1 g/L

Brix at harvest: between 19-21.4

Price: $22

Nose: Green apples, tons of minerals – I’m getting some river-rock action, copper, and steel. I also get a nice touch of grapefruit as well.

Taste: Right off the bat, you could swear this wine was made in Alsace – the dry, mineral-driven aspects of this wine can’t and shouldn’t be ignored. It has a super-clean, palate-cleansing acidity that I’m willing to commit adultery with. The finish layers on tons of minerals, granny smith apples, grapefruit, kiwi and some hints of rhubarb. This is a kick-ass wine and one that really needs to be saught out by dry riesling lovers everywhere.

W.E.P. Rating: 120%

On the web: www.plantagenetwines.com

Winery Website: www.noveltyhillwines.com

For the past few years now, lots of washingtonians have been super excited about what’s been going on at Woodinville-based Novelty Hill Winery – it’s winemaker, Mike Januik is one of the state’s superstars and rightly so. His wines have a stellar track-record of kicking ass and taking names – he is held in high regard by both industry professionals and by the many fans of his work.

It was for good reason that the family-owned Novelty Hill Winery hired this guy to make its wine – and they’ve provided him a world-class vineyard in Eastern Washington called Stillwater Creek.

2006 Chardonnay – Stillwater Creek:

Technical Data:

Case Production: 1,375

Alcohol: 13.5%

pH: 3.35

Total Acidity: 0.50 grams/100 ml

Barrel fermented in new and one-year-old French oak

Malolactic fermentation

Sur lie aging for nine months

Price: $22

Nose: Creamy pineapple chunks covered in vanilla – a touch of honeysuckle, minerality, and toastiness.

Taste: Toasted marshmallows with hints of kiwi, pineapple, green apple peel and vanilla bean. Extremely luscious mouth-feel in a wine that does a great job of balancing the fruit and acidity. The finish lasts for days on end – easily one of the better-structured chardonnay’s I’ve had in a long time.

W.E.P. Rating: 110%

2006 Viognier – Stillwater Creek:

Technical Data:

• Barrel fermented in 100% French oak
• Sur lie aged for nine months
• Blend: 100% Viognier
• Case Production 192 cases
• Alcohol 13.5%
• pH 3.51
• Total acidity 0.59 grams/100 ml
• Price: $22

Nose: Here we go – the nose on this wine is serious business – we’re talking HUGE amounts of pineapple, granny-smith apples, fresh carnations, a hint of flintiness and sour patch candy.

Taste: Take a fresh pineapple, top it with some kiwi, pear peel, some watermelon rine and shove it into your mouth – the explosive fruit of this wine cannot be underscored well enough in text. I get some hints of petrol, sandstone as well.

One of the best balances of fruit to acidity I’ve had in a white wine this side of Europe. I would hit this wine like the fist of an angry god – bring it on. For all you red wine snobs out there, you NEED to try this wine – this is the quintessential gateway white. This viognier is perhaps the best I’ve had at anytime, from any producer anywhere. It’s so well balanced that I’m a bit verklempt.

W.E.P. Rating: 120%

2005 Syrah – Sillwater Creek:

Technical Data:

• Aged in a combination of new and one-year-old French oak barrels for 18 months
• Gravity racked every 3 – 4 months
• Blend: 98% Syrah and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Case Production: 1,909 cases
• Alcohol: 14.1%
• pH: 3.72
• Total acidity: 0.53 g/100 ml
• Price: $22

Nose: Gooseberries mixed with wild, freshly-cut game – some white and black pepper corns mixed with a nice blueberry jam and pie crust overtone round things out.

Taste: Bring on the stinky-socks covered in venison and peppercorns – then shove some fresh blueberries in your mouth and that’s what you have going on in this wine. Subtle hints of cocoa round out this quality syrah.

It has an insane amount of fruit that leaps onto your palate but it’s kept in check with a good sense of toasted leather notes. Excellent balance of fruit, oak and alcohol – this is a complete no-brainer wine for the money and one I’d highly recommend.

W.E.P. Score: 100%

There’s little doubting that many in the Wine industry regard Charlie Hoppes as one of the State of Washington’s more premiere winemakers. His passion and know-how are about as good as you can find anywhere.

When he first kicked out his original “Optu”, it wasn’t called Optu it has the name of Meritage – and while the name has changed, it still consists of a blended wine which is made to be greater than the sum of its parts.

For the first time, Fidelitas has laucnhed an Optu white wine which I find really interesting as it sets to raise the bar for Charlie and Fidelitas in its efforts to help elevate the seriousness of white wine. All too many times, in many wine circles, white wine can sort of get a bad rap – red wine snobs; jeesh.

2007 Optu White Wine:
Technical Data:

- Vineyards: 54% Gamache Vineyards, 35% Stillwater Creek Vineyards, 11% Rosebud Vineyards
- Varietal Composition: 54% Sauvignon Blanc, 46% Semillon,
- Aging: 9 months: 40% new French oak
- Alcohol: 14.5%
- Release Date: Fall 2008
- Price: $32

Nose: Pineapple, kiwi, lemon, vanilla with hints of pea-gravel and limestone.

Taste: Flavors of vanilla-toasted pineapple rings right off the grill floods the front palate which is closely followed up with nice notes of grass, hay, lemon drops and lingers with hints of kiwi. I also get really green – raw – asparagus tips on the end as well. Excellent acid/fruit balance.

This is an exceptional white wine that really needs to be tried by those who “think” they dont’ like Semillon or even Sauvignon Blanc – the balance of fruit and toastiness from its oak aging is very well done.

W.E.P. Score: 90%

2005 Optu Red Wine:
Technical Data:
- Varietal Composition: 55% – Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% – Merlot, 6% – Cabernet Franc, 3% – Malbec
Vineyards: Weinbau Vineyard (40%), Conner-Lee Vineyard (20%), Kiona (18%), Stillwater Creek Vineyard (9%), Champoux Vineyard (9%), Boushey Vineyard (4%).
- Oak Aging:  21 months – 50% new French and American Oak
- Alcohol: 14.9%
- Release Date: Fall 2008
= Price: $40

Nose: Bell pepper, leather glove, blackberry, black cherry poprocks, euchaliptus, dry mud, clay and road-tar.

Taste: Floods of black fruit – I’m talkin, blackberry, black plum, black cherry and black raspberry – if it’s black, it’s in here. An insane amount of fruit with a smooth transition across the mid-palate into a finish that lingers for months.

This wine is has an excellent layering effect of black-fruit flavors – HUGE, BOLD black flavors in fact, I’m sure there will be folks who try this wine who won’t “get it”. Also, you’ll want to decant this wine for several hours to enjoy it at its fullest. It could easily lay down for 10 years or more but who wants to wait that long to drink good wine?

W.E.P. Score: 95%

Winery Link: www.rieslingrules.com
Winery Contact email: info@rieslingrules.com
MSRP: $20.00

There is perhaps no other winery I know of in the United States which are bigger zealots of Riesling – we’re talking about Pacific Rim here folks. Started-up a few years ago by the famous wine-mogul of Bonny Doon  Vineyard in Santa Cruz California, Pacific Rim snagged a winemaker dude from France named Nicolas Quille and have been producing quality wines ever since.

This single-vineyard designate Riesling is meant to showcase what the local region of that vineyard is capable of and presents a challenge to Nicolas and his team of finding the best way to preserve that in a bottle of wine.

Technical Data:

Alcohol is 13%
Acid is 0.74%
pH is 3.09
Residual Sugar is 1.0%.
Fermented in 100% stainless steel

Nose: Lemon drops for days, combined with cement dust, river-rock and wet modeling clay. Passion fruit and crisp green apple help round things out.

Taste: Floods of orange zest, fresh-squeezed lemon, kiwi fruit and gravel. Great tropical fruit finish that cuts thru the palate like tiny razor blades.

Overall Summary:
This is a really good bottle of dry riesling which should be highly sought-out by you and enjoyed. There’s a great deal of things to like about this wine- it’s well-balanced, has excellent acidity and a very pure essence of the fruit.

This would be an excellent wine for most any well-seasoned seafood dish, herb-chicken or even certain picnic foods. For $20, this wine brings a good amount of quality and when you consider the actual store-price could be a bit cheaper, it’s a good value.

W.E.P. Rating: %100

Foods I’d hit with this wine:
Shellfish
Lobster bake
Corn chowder
Certain asian foods that aren’t too spicy

Winery Website: www.ventanavineyards.com
Winery Phone #: 831-372-7415
MSRP: $16.00

Ventana Vineyards, located in the greater Monterey California area, has won so many awards for its vineyard that it literally is the most award-winning vineyard in the USA and this wine completely backs that up.

All to many people kick Gewurztraminer to the curb during the year and tend to only pick up a bottle during Thanksgiving – screw that. If you’re into the Thai-style cuisine or any sort of spicier foods then you really should be picking up more Gewurztraminer and enjoying it more often.

Technical Data:
Appellation: Arroyo Seco AVA – Monterey, California USA
Varietal: Gewürztraminer
Vineyard: 100% Estate Ventana Vineyard
Total Acidity .64 g/ 100ml
pH 3.30
Alcohol 13.5%

Nose: Holy Lord and all that’s pure, holy and sacred – there’s a TON of obnoxiously-good fruit going on here with mildew-laden footlocker with floods of pears, green apple, cinnamon and some lightly toasted pistachios – I’m also picking up hickory wood mixed with pear, lemon zest orange peel and apricot. Hints of cinnamon and nutmeg round out the back-end of the nose.

Taste: Excellent mouth feel with superb acidity and a great lingering finish..nice lemon-lime action on the back-end and some peach-skin. A huge, long finish that’ll still be there a week later – helping you feel the love.

Overall Summary:
Ventana has really made this wine extremely food friendly – it’s easily the best Gewurztraminer I’ve had, period – in fact, I’m not sure I can think of any that I’ve had recently which come close.

This wine absolutely rips it up and takes your senses for a joy-ride – there aren’t too many Gewurztraminer’s you can find that beg you to do nothing but sniff them for an hour before you even taste it.

So stop being a hater and enjoy a bottle of Gewurztraminer today – if you find the 07′ Ventana you and your palate will thank me.

W.E.P. Rating: 130%

Food I’d hit with this wine:
Spicy Thai
Turkey and gravy
Spicy sausage in a home-made mac&cheese
Roasted chicken in jerk rub

Winery Link: www.whitmancellars.com
Winery Phone: 509-529-1142
Related Articles: Steve Lessard Interview

I really think that over the next 3-5 years we’ll see Viognier step up on a very national and global scale of being one of the big “go-to” grapes as a very food-friendly white wine choice. It has the complexity we love, the fruit we cherish and has tons of potential for even further greatness. Once more drinkers catch the “Viognier bug” we’ll see it really pick up. My wife and I have been diggin’ on Viognier for several years now – it really is the perfect migration wine for those who are burnt-out on Chardonnay.

Whitman Cellars in Walla Walla Washington has received a large number of accolades since it launched in 1998 by founders John Edwards and Larry * Sally Thomason. They hired winemaker, Steve Lessard in 2002 and haven’t looked back since.

Steve’s ability to churn out quality wines at the prices Whitman sells them for has proved to be a good model for the company overall as his efforts provide – what most folks think – is a good balance of quality and price. His background at top California producers like Stag’s Leap paved the way for his passion to take the best fruit he can get his hands on in Washington and make wines from that fruit that’ll strike a chord with people.

Technical Data:
*  Blend: 100% Viognier
*  Vineyard Source: Cougar Hills, Willard
*  Total Acidity: 0.68 grams/100ml
*  pH: 3.52
*  Alcohol: 13.8%
*  Aged for 2 months on New French Oak
*  Production: 497 Cases
*  Price: $19.00

Nose: Lemongrass with hints of marshmallows, lavender, Post Grape Nuts cereal, some beach sand and spice and Kiwi peel.

Taste: Grapefruit pulp, white concord grape skin, starfruit, kiwi and a hint of toasty lime. Incredibly clean finish which lingers quite nicely with spice and tropical fruits. Excellent balance of acidity, fruit and oak.

Overall Summary:
There will be some folks who don’t like this wine – the kind of folks who are now what I call “stainless purists” and that’s fine. Personally, I prefer low oak and this wine pleases me because it doesn’t have too much oak – just enough to give it that ever-so-slight texture and toastiness. It has a good mouthfeel, good flavors and would be a natural pairing for spicey foods and shellfish.

At $19 it’s priced at a point of many Washington Viogniers we see coming out right now and I fully understand that for most people,that’s a bit on the high side for their white wine purchases. However, I think it does a very good job of delivering “the goods” for its price and would easily recommend it to folks.

W.E.P. Score: 100%

Winery Phone: 509-786-4449
Winery Website: www.pontindelroza.com

Pontin Del Roza is a small family winery located just outside of the town of Prosser Washington which has been producing crafted wines since 1984 and has an annual production of about 4000 cases.

The Pontin family has a history of more than 200 years of winemaking which includes the countries of Italy and France so its a no-brainer why its owner Scott Pontin, would continue that tradition.

Technical Data:
*  Alcohol: 13.2%
*  Residual Sugar: 1.7
*  Vineyard Source: Estate
*  Aged in 100% Stainless
*  MSRP: $10.50

Nose: Big-time green apple, bosc pears and hints of kiwi. I also get the scent of a Tonka toy truck which has been left outside in the rain for too long – sort of a slight rust smell.

Taste: Grannysmith apples soaked in pear juice with a hint of spice – touched slightly with Fabreeze. Nice long finish that lingers very refreshingly on the palate.

Overall Summary:
I really like this wine and for its price of $10, it’s a complete no-brainer if you want a fruity white wine that finishes very clean and has some excellent flavor components going on. The lack of oak really pays off big-time in this wine as all that insane fruit-flavors I crave can really shine through without being beat down like a red-headed stepchild from the oak.

There have been few white wines at this price which bring on the pleasure as this wine has done – you should really seek it out if you can. It may be a touch sweet for some folks, but I love the overall balance of sweetness and acidity it brings to the table. In fact, you could pour this stuff for me on a tire and I’d still hit it.

W.E.P. Score: 120%