Over the many years I have been tasting wines and teaching wine tasting courses, there are certain wines that have stood out in my sensory mind bank and have also stood the test of time with regard to consistency in quality, value and overall pleasure in drinking. It was not an easy choice to make as there are quite a few that I could have chosen. However, for my latest class a few weeks ago, I chose a mix red and white, foreign and domestic, large and small producers, to offer a broad selection of widely available distinctive wines to suit a variety of occasions. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Cheers!
Galen Glen Gruner Veltliner 2021 ($17 at Wegmans or at the winery)
Origin:
Andreas, Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Varietal:
100% Gruner Veltliner
Production/Tasting
Notes: "Brimming with
ripe pear and green apple aromas plus some white pepper. Juicy and
mouth-filling for 12% alcohol, the spritz of carbon dioxide lifting the palate
beautifully. Long, delicately spicy finish that pulls you back for more." (92
Points, James Suckling)
Food
Pairing: Aperitif; light appetizers; shellfish
Alcohol:12%
Joel
Gott Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($14 at Total Wine; a little more in PA)
Origin:
Lodi,
Sonoma, Lake County, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Napa, California
Varietal:
100%
Sauvignon Blanc
Production/Tasting
Notes: Long, cool fermentation in 100% stainless steel tanks;
aromas of white peach, honeydew melon, guava, passion fruit with citrus notes;;
on the palate, tropical fruit flavors giving way to crisp, refreshing acidity
and notes of tangerinc, lime sherbet;fresh-cut green apple; fresh-grated
ginger; grapefruit; long, harmonious finish. (91 points, 31/100 Top Wines 2023,
Wine Spectator)
Food
Pairings:
Alcohol:
13.9%
Talbott Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2017 ($20 at Total Wine)
Origin:
Santa
Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California
Varietal:
100% Chardonnay
Production/Tasting
Notes: Long, cool growing season; deep sand, gravelly soil;
medium-bodied; vanilla, brioche
aromas; lush palate with dense fruit flavors of bosc pear, pineapple, melon.
Food
Pairings: grilled fish or chicken; shellfish
Alcohol:
14.1%
Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva 2020 ($21 at Total Wine)
Origin:
Denominazione di Origine Controllata Cannonau di Sardegna
Varietal:
100% Cannonau (Grenache)
Production/Tasting
Notes: Estate grown; granite, schist, sandstone and
limestone soil; fermentation on the skins in stainless steel vats; 6 months oak
barrel aging; aromas of blackberry, cranberry, lavender, hibiscus, sage; medium
to full-bodied; soft, polished tannins; undertones of chocolate; vibrant
acidity; plum notes on the palate; long, lingering finish with tinge; of
herbal, licorice. (94 points, James Suckling; 91 points, Wine Enthusiast, Vinous)
Food
pairing: roasted meats; aged cheeses
Alcohol:
14%
Château de Nages Héritage Rouge 2020 ($20 at Total Wine)
Origin: Appellation
Costières de Nîmes Contrôlée
Varietals:
70% Grenache; 15% Mourvedre; 15% Syrah
Production/Tasting
Notes: Rolled pebbles over iron-rich red clay; certified
organic farming; manual harvest; native yeast fermentation, warm maceration for
20 days; partial aging in French oak barrels for 12 months; complex array of
red ripe berries (raspberry, cherry), oriental spice, pepper, aromatic herbs;
black cherry; licorice; minerally; long,
lush finish.
Food
pairing: Cheddar, muster; roasted or grilled; lamb; beef;
game; mushrooms; lentils;
Alcohol: 14.5%
Meandro do Vale Meao 2019 ($30 at Total Wine; less at Lisbon Wine in Spirits in Newark, NJ)
Origin: Douro Denominacao de Origem Controlada
Varietals: 44% Tourigo Nacional; 35% Touriga Franca; 15% Tinta Roriz; 4% Tinta
Barroca; 2% Alicante Bouschet
Production/Tasting
Notes: 14 months aging in French oak barrels; ripe black fruit; mulled cherry; dried mint;
earthy; creamy tannins; concentrated but, soft and fruity as it opens up; long,
fresh, complex, chewy finish; (92
points, Wine Enthusiast; 91 points Wine Advocate; 89 points, Wine Spectator)
Alcohol:
14%
Notes
on Wineries and Producers
Galen
Glen Winery
Galen Glen was the first winery to commerically
plant Gruner Veltiner in the US east of the Rockies in 2003. The owners, Galen and Sarah Troxell,
established the winery in 1995 on the Troxell family farm, purchased from
Galen's father. Transitioning from
corporate jobs in mechanical engineering and chemistry, they represent the 7th
generation to farm the land which sits atop a 1000 ft ridge on the fringe of
the Lehigh Valley Viticultural Area.
Their daughter Erin, with degrees from Cornell University and the
Vinifera EuroMaster program, heads the winegrowing program.
Joel
Gott
Established in 1996, Joel Gott wines are known for
their consistent high ratings among prominent wine publications at moderate
price points and are sourced from vineyards throughout California, Oregon and
Washington. A 4th generation vintner, Gott
first made waves among wine critics with his Zinfandel, which has since
expanded to many varietals.
Talbott
Vineyards
Specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Talbot
Vineyards was established in 1982 in the Santa Lucia Highlands, eventually
incorporating two distinct estate vineyards, Diamond T and Sleepy Hollow, whose
1990 vintage Chardonnay garnered 100 points in a Wine Spectator retrospective tasting.
Sella
& Mosca
Sella and Mosca were an engineer and a lawyer,
respectively, who, in 1899, established a winery after becoming entranced with
a property in Alghero and imagining the possibility of recovering the
uncultivated land to produce wines suited to the particular terroir, namely
Vermentino and Cannonau.
Chateau
de Nages
The Rhone Valley estate of the Chateau de Nages was originally
purchased during World War II by patriarch Joseph Torres. Upon his death, the estate was passed onto
his son-in-law Alfred Gassier, whose son Roger, in turn, invested heavily in
planting high quality grape varietals, modernizing equipment and renovating the
farmhouse. In 1993, Roger's son Michel took charge of the estate and focused
single-mindedly was on transforming the Chateau into a premium organic
winery. His daughter Isabel joined the
team in 2022. The Costieres di Nimes
appellation incorporates the Rhone Valley's southernmost vineyards. The Chateau
has been cited over 10 times by Wine
Spectator as one of the Top 10
French Wineries for Value.
Quinta
do Vale Meao
The original property of this renowned Quinta goes
back to 1877 when the matriarch, D. Antonia Adelaide Ferreira purchased 300
hectares of virgin land to be developed into a model farm from scratch. Over the succeeding decades and generations,
grapes were cultivated and vinified under the auspices of the Casa Ferrereinha.
In 1998, Francisco Javier de Olazabal resigned from his position at Sogrape
which had acquired Casa Ferrereinha to dedicate himself, along with his son, to producing high quality
wines wines at the Quinta, namely, Quinta do Vales Meao and the second label Meandro
do Vale Meao. In 2014, the flagship cuvée
was awarded 97 points by Wine Spectator
for its 2011 vintage, and ranked number 4 in the magazine's Top 100 of the
year.
