A Flowery Song

Background: Low-alcohol (6% ABV) dessert wine from the Golan Heights in Galilee. Kosher for Passover.

Nose: Floral and fruity; peaches, mangoes, and papaya.

Taste: Lightly effervescent, which helps to offset the sweetness. Fresh tropical fruit with citrus influences.

Overall: Very light and refreshing, plus it tastes good and has some acidity. Good accompanying a dessert or on its own as an aperitif.

Background: This resinated white is made from a blend of Savatiano and Roditis, according to the winemaker’s website. At least I think that’s what it says; I don’t actually speak Greek, so other than picking out Σαββατιανό and Ροδίτης I’m at a loss.

Nose: Fresh mown grass, with fir tree overtones.

Taste: Musky and floral, with a lightly acid bite. Earthy, resinous…resin.

Overall: Possibly the best retsina available locally, well balanced and pairing well with fatty fish (or even leftover pizza).

Background: Apparently one of the most popular wines in Greece, though that could just be marketing bumpf. Like most retsina, it’s made from Savatiano and like all retsina, it’s additionally flavoured with pine resin.

Nose: Musky floral scent.

Taste: Fruity and lacking in acidity, with a bit of pine.

Overall: Not impressed.

Background: Inexpensive white wine from the Rías Baixas region of Galicia in northwestern Spain.

Nose: Apple and nectarine.

Taste: Crisp and cleanly fruity, with a rich mouthfeel and a mild acidic backbone.

Overall: Clean crisp wine for a cool crisp evening. Decent.

Background: Dry white representative from St. Julian’s line of inexpensive wines; the “St. J” wines are generally priced in the $5-$8 range from the winery, slightly higher from a retailer (not that any of their wines are likely to break the bank). Fermentation in 80% stainless steel, 20% neutral oak; aged five months on the lees.

Nose: Musty nectarines and lemons.

Taste: Fruity and dry, with notes of tart green apple and cherry. Plenty of acidity.

Overall: Nothing outstanding; food-friendly and easygoing.

Background: Hungarian white wine made with 100% Cserszegi Fűszeres. What, I hear you ask, is Cserszegi Fűszeres? Well, it’s a hybrid of Tramini (Gewürztraminer) and Irsai Olivér. Irsai Olivér is itself a cross between Pozsonyi Fehér and Csabagyöngye. And Csabagyöngye is reputed to be a Bronnerstraube/Muscat Ottonel hybrid. All that is to say, it’s an obscure mutt of a grape from Hungary, and probably aromatic. Produced and bottled by Hilltop Neszmély.

Nose: Honeyed peach and apricot, floral rose hips, and a hint of petrol.

Taste: Off-dry, with good acidity to balance the hint of sweetness. Grapefruit (juice and pith), light minerality.

Overall: Very nice indeed. Crisp acidity pairs well with spicy dishes or shellfish.

Background: This dry white wine from Greece is produced by Cambas Winery from Moschofilero grapes grown at high altitude in the Mantinia region.

Nose: Light and flowery, with some hints of rose petal, peach, and lime.

Taste: Also very light, with fresh flavours of peach and plum and some surprising minerality. Medium acidity and a lingering limestone finish.

Overall: Very laid back and easy drinking. Perfect for sipping in the summertime, which throws the fact that I’m drinking it the day after a light snowfall into stark relief. Good thing I never claimed to be good at adhering to proper seasonal thinking.

The Mission: [C]omparing how more northerly and more southerly vineyards produce different results with the same grapes.

Being from Michigan, the natural choice for North was to go with a local wine, so I rummaged around and found a bottle from St. Julian. St. Julian is Michigan’s oldest winery, and is also the largest. They source grapes from a large number of growers, all of which are located within 50 miles of the winery.

For South, I turned to the sunny climes of California. Honig is located in Napa Valley (Rutherford, to be precise) and has a terrible Flash-infested front page that refuses to work on my computer.
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Appearance: Rich gold.

Nose: Floral peach and rubber.

Taste: Sweet, a hint of acidity. Fruity and rubbery, like the nose.

Overall: Missable.

Background: 2005 saw a radical shift in this Napa Valley winery's approach to Chardonnay. Forgoing the popular treatment of this grape, which involves oak aging and malolactic fermentation, they joined a growing trend by shifting to an oak-free fermentation and aging process.

Appearance: Yellow-green bottle with a synthetic cork. Pours a pale yellow.

Nose: Fresh green apples and aromatic pears.

Taste: Complex yet restrained fruity components. In addition to the fruits from the nose we encounter lemon, pineapple, and honeydew melon. Fresh acidity on the front and a hint of newly baked bread in the silky smooth finish.

Overall: I'd call it a success. If you're looking for a buttery, toasty, in-your-face wine, look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you've always wondered what California Chardonnay actually tastes like underneath the wood and lactic acid, you're in the right place.