Alexana Pinot Gris (2014)

It was back in December that my sister and brother-in-law took my husband and I wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. They know it's something we enjoy and there's no shortage of great wineries to explore each time we visit. This time our tour took us to Alexana Winery an 80 acre vineyard of largely Pinot Noir but also other varietals. I enjoyed the wine tasting in their gorgeous tasting room and managed to catch a glimpse of the sun through the large windows as it momentarily peaked through the rain clouds and cast its light on the lush green expanse that is their vineyard and the Willamette Valley. If an atmosphere could influence the wine experience for the better, this place could indeed do just that. I loved the wines, purchased this bottle of Pinot Gris but reserved my final opinion until I opened the bottle last evening.

Pinot Gris as you may know is the same grape as Pinot Grigio. The same - yet largely different. Pinot Grigio, the Italian treatment of the varietal, in my opinion tends to result in strong citrus notes and a clear crisp finish. Pinot Gris from the Alsace region of France tends to be a little fuller bodied with more green apple, pear and tropical fruit notes and is a little “smoother around the edges”. Generally, where the varietal is grown outside of these two regions, winemakers name the wine after the preparation style it more closely resembles – Italian Pinot Grigio or Alsatian Pinot Gris.

As you may have guessed the Alexana Pinot Gris, as is the case with most Willamette Valley representations of the varietal, is a reflection of the Alsation style. I found this wine extremely enjoyable sans the fancy showroom and majestic view. On the nose, honeysuckle and pear.  On the palate much the same with that slightly rounder mouth-feel I adore in a Pinot Gris. Because it is a fuller bodied style of the grape vs. Pinot Grigio, the food pairing expands to dishes beyond salads, fish and seafood. Of course it would pair well with all of those but in addition, try with my Baked Chicken and Wild Rice or Pan Fried Pork Chops with Chismol. Click the links below to print or save the recipes.

Also, just a reminder, if you can't find some of the wines I review in your local wine shop, most wineries can ship to most states and the wine can be ordered from their websites.

Alexana Winery

Baked Chicken and Wild Rice

Pan Fried Pork Chop with Chismol

La Pincoya Sauvignon Blanc (2014) Wine Review

What is the most popular wine grape varietal worldwide? Sometimes I think about that when enjoying a great wine.  What if I had to choose just one varietal to enjoy for the rest of my life, what would it be? Though I doubt it would ever come to that, if I had to make a choice, for me it would be Sauvignon Blanc.  You’ve seen me review several and in general those from the Marlborough region of New Zealand populate the top of my list. Today’s Wine Wednesday feature the 2014 La Pincoya Sauvignon Blanc is a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from the San Antonio Valley region. 

The wine is named after Pincoya a mythological female water spirit of the Chilotan Seas who is believed to control the abundance of fish and seafood to the area with her ritual dance.  If she faces the sea during her dance there will be an abundance and  if she faces the mountains with her back to the sea there will be a shortage. Ironically, or maybe not, this wine is the perfect pairing for fish and seafood.

On the nose, slightly floral with notes of honey and citrus and on the palate, a balanced acidity and also a minerality and herbaceousness - different than the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs - but what will cause me to reach for this one again when wine shopping. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc before and I’m certainly glad I tried this one. I’m reminded how a varietal can vary depending on the terroir and if I was limited to only one varietal I think these differences in time would become even more discernible and pronounced. For recipe pairings try Tempura Fish Tacos and Grilled Shrimp with Wasabi Remoulade. Now, to answer the question I opened with.... the most popular wine grape varietal worldwide is Cabernet Sauvignon followed in second place by Merlot. My favorite, came in at number 8! Click the links below to print or save the recipe pairing suggestions. 

Tempura Fish Tacos

Grilled Shrimp with Wasabi Remoulade

Domaine Pinchot Vouvray Le Peu de la Moriette (2014) Wine Review

Floral, if you’ve never tried a floral wine, I wish you would. It’s something you have to experience to really grasp, but once you do, you’ll “get it” and if you’re like me you’ll enjoy it from time to time. The Chenin Blanc varietal is a wonderful example. Today’s Wine Wednesday feature, the 2014 Domaine Pinchot Vouvray Le Peu de la Moriette is from the Vouvray (Voo-VRAE) sub-region in the Loire Valley region of France where the primary varietal grown is Chenin Blanc. Thus, a wine labeled as Vouvray is most definitely Chenin Blanc and from this particular region. The grape is widely cultivated in growing regions across the world, but here, they made it famous or perhaps it's the other way around.

If you prefer sweet wines and haven’t tried Vouvray, you may discover a new love. Vouvray comes in many styles ranging from sec (dry) to moelleux (sweet) to even pétillant (sparkling). The Domaine Pinchot Vouvray Le Peu de la Moriette in my opinion is more of a tendre (off-dry) slightly sweet.  On the nose were hints of pear, honey, citrus (lime) and yes, those floral notes. It had a wonderful slightly silky mouth feel with more than a tease of sweetness on the palate followed by an assertive crisp acidity. If you are new to Vouvray look for a demi-sec (semi-sweet) for your first experience and then venture into your preferred direction but you may find you’re right where you want to be with the demi-sec.

For food pairing try Salmon with Dill Sauce or Salpicao (Brazilian Chicken Salad) To print or save the recipes, click the links below. 

Salmon with Dill Sauce

Salpicao (Brazilian Chicken Salad)

Curious Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Wine Review

Today’s Wine Wednesday feature is the 2014 Curious Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc.  I know what some of you are thinking, kiwi fruit must be listed among the tasting notes right?  Actually, it’s not.  In this case, kiwi is a reference to the bird, a national symbol for New Zealand. So important is the bird to New Zealand that New Zealanders have become known internationally as kiwi. The winemakers’ description on the bottle reads, “The curious kiwi loves sticking his beak into an aromatic glass of wine instead of burrowing and digging.”  You see a kiwi is a flightless bird and also the only bird to have nostrils on the end of its beak. They have a keen sense of smell and poke their beaks in the ground sniffing for food.

Well, here’s what my “beak” detected in this Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region. I’m a big fan of Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs and this one is among the finest I’ve tried. On the “beak” or rather the nose, was that wonderful citrus note signature to the Sauvignon Blancs from this region but also subtle apricot or white peach and a grassy or herbal note that I found quite intriguing setting this one apart from some of the others. On the palate a burst of citrus but yet a slightly rounder mouth feel than what I’m accustomed to making it seem a touch more centered than some - a well balanced wine.

The wine store I visited was offering a special on this particular wine, buy one and get the second for 5 cents. Of course I was skeptical that they were for some reason trying to unload a bunch of it.  However, I went for it and I’m excited to say it was a GREAT deal! The wine was $17.99 and the second bottle just 5 cents.

I now see what they were up to, reel me in with the deal and keep me coming back for a great wine.

For food pairing, try with Tempura Fish Tacos or Grilled Swordfish with Lime Crema. To print or save the recipes, click the links below. 

Tempura Fish Tacos

Grilled Swordfish with Lime Crema

2011 Morillon Blanc Wine Review

Botrytised is the word of the day on this Wine Wednesday. Botrytised grapes are wine grapes affected by a grey fungus known as “grey rot”. The fungus grows in wet humid conditions and in some cases it can destroy crops.  When the humid conditions are followed by drier cooler weather conditions it can cause the grapes to become partially shriveled or raisined. When picked at a certain time during infestation, the grapes can result in particularly concentrated and intense wines most often sweet dessert wines like Sauternes. In desirable situations like this, the condition has come to be referred to as “noble rot”.

The 2011 Morillon Blanc unlike the typical wines affected by botrytised grapes is a dry wine. This wine comes to us from winemaker Jeff Carrel who doesn’t have a vineyard or a winery.  He buys small parcels of grapes, those for this wine from a special parcel in the Languedoc region in the south of France known as “garde miel” (honey pot) then rents cellar space and make his wines.

This wine is 100% Morillon (another name for Chardonnay) though I find this to be unlike any other Chardonnay I’ve had before. The color, indicative of being made from botrytised grapes, is a deep intense golden color. The nose struck me like aromatherapy, stimulating the senses with floral notes as well as honey, melon and spicy pear. The wine starts slightly sweet on the tongue followed by a silky round mouth feel then a juicy delightful acidity as you swallow followed by a long finish with lingering notes on the top of your palate of toffee and caramel. The evolution in the tasting of this wine was really quite exciting – what an adventure! Each time I went back new notes seemed to present themselves.

Because of the nature of this wine, though it is a white wine, I would consider it a full-bodied wine.  Try with strong cheeses and creamy pasta dishes like my Prosciutto Pasta Roulade or Scallops with Fettuccine Alfredo. To print or save the recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below.

Prosciutto Pasta Roulade

Seafood Penne Alfredo