I confess that for a long time I only really, truly loved red wine. I was attracted to oaky California Zinfandel (although ultimately only carnally satisfied by Chateauneuf). I wandered long in the gardens of Rioja, and feasted on Super Tuscan after Super Tuscan. But then I had Meursault. And Condrieu. And lush Alsatian Pinot Gris. And slowly, the composition of my case of wine shifted to the whiter side of pale. Now I find myself drinking white all year long. This wine is made from a blend which I initially questioned as perhaps too… fusion: verdehlo, vermentino, sauvignon blanc and viognier. Luckily, I didn’t read the label first, and so I bought it anyway. It’s sturdy, reasonable, quick-witted and bright; not unlike Senator Sherrod Brown on the Senate floor this week. The vermentino gives a nice acidity, and the steely sauvignon fences in the over-the-top fruit that California viognier can bring. It’s a white wine for winter; comforting and substantial, but affordable enough for parties.
Dec 092009