Wining and Dining By the Shore - Selection from the Philly Wineguy's Cellar

 In late July, friends met down the shore for their annual summer wining and dining soirée.  We'd previously decided that I should select wines from my cellar that would be appropriately for a warm weather repast.  I chose a sparkling Rose, a couple of whites and reds, all from the Finger Lakes or Virginia except for the bubbly.  (You can read more about the Linden Winery from Virginia and its Petit Verdot in my previous post about my winery visits there.)

For extra fun and amusement, I had the guests try to guess the country or region of origin and the varietal(s).  More often than not, one of the imbibers would knowingly or unknowingly utter the correct answer after some hints on my part, which was impressive as identifying wines in a blind tasting is notoriously tricky and difficult.  Despite all the tasting I've done over the years, I am not especially good at it except for the most obvious wines. Usually, I will note familiar tasting profiles but then mix up the varietals.  So kudos to those guests who were on the mark.

    

As for the wines themselves, overall it was thumbs up, however, the Goldfinch Chardonnay caused some dissension among the ranks as I expected.  It was aged in French oak and as such did not go down well among those who have an aversion to oaked Chardonnay.  Now I am usually not a fan of the oak, but depending on how it influences the wine, I can appreciate those wines that have a nice balance of toasty-ness with the fruit, and acidity.  I actually tasted and compared the other Chardonnay from Prejean which was aged in American oak and had a slight preference for the French oak.  In any case, I do recommend visiting Prejean as they produce some nice quality wines and you can choose whether to taste the oaked Chardonnays or not.

Ampulheta Magica "Aplauso" Bruto Rosé Vinho Espumante NV

    

Origin: Bairada DOC (Portugal)

Varietals: Touriga Nacional, Baga

Production/Tasting Notes: Traditional champenoise method (secondary fermentation in bottle); 9 months cellaring for settling; one month of remouage; 2 months cellaring in bottle before release; light fruity sweetness - wild berries, strawberries, raspberry; thin, light bubbles; fresh, lively; balanced acidity; slightly creamy.

Food  Pairing: seafood; fish; pasta; light hors d'oeuvre; cold salad

Alcohol: 11.5%

 

Prejean Goldfinch Vineyards Chardonnay 2021

    

Origin: Finger Lakes (Seneca), New York State

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay

Production/Tasting Notes: Estate bottled; barrel fermented in grand Vosge French Oak;

Food pairing: poultry; seafood;

Alcohol:  12.6%

 

Prejean Dry Riesling 2021

    

Origin : Finger Lakes (Seneca), New York State

Varietal: 100% Riesling

Production/Tasting Notes:  Estate bottled; crisp; aromas of lime, orange peel, mineral; tropical fruit, apple flavors

Food Pairings: salmon; pork; Asian cuisine

 

Alcohol: 13%

 

Rock Stream Cabernet Franc 2020

    

Origin: Finger Lakes (Seneca), New York State

Varietals: 100% Cabernet Franc

Tasting Notes: Cherry and black raspberry aromas and flavors; hints of vanilla, dark chocolate; smooth, dry finish;

Food  Pairing: roast chicken; pizza

Alcohol: 12%

 

Linden Petit Verdot 2020

    

Origin: Loudon County, Northern Virginia

Varietals: 87% Petit Verdot; 13% Cabernet Sauvignon      

Production/Tasting Notes:  Double sorting before crush; whole berry fermentation; malolactic fermentation with cultured yeast; French oak aging (9-22 months); separate pressing and fermentation before blending; robust; notes of blackberry; dark fruit; earthy; steely tannins; full bodied.

Food Pairing: braised beef; lamb; mushrooms

Alcohol:  13.3 %