July's Times Union New York Wine Club selections are on their way to members, so it's time once again time to announce the selections and share a bit about them.
For our Basic-Level Members this month, we've put together another two-pack of value whites that over-deliver.
First is the Channing Daughters Winery 2009 Scuttlehole Chardonnay, a wine that proves stainless steel chardonnay needn't be one-dimensional and somewhat neutral.The nose is surprisingly expressive and bright, showing layers of green apple, lemon-lime soda, Bosc pear and subtle notes of earthy white pepper. Medium bodied, the palate is lively and very citrusy, bringing more lemon-lime character with fresh-cut apple and pear skin flavors in the background -- all with a great acidic backbone.
Our second Basic Level this month is a non-vintage nearly dry blend of hybrids and vinifera: Red Newt Cellars Salamander White. It has a fruity nose with lemon zest, Gala apple and just a hint of melon. There is a tartness to the citrusy and pear flavors. Short finish but fresh with beach-and-pool acidity.
After doing the single-vineyard comparison last month, we're doing two completely different wines this month.
First up is the Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Riesling Reserve Dry, a stunner of a dry riesling from a strong Finger Lakes vintage. The nose bursts with citrus blossom, herbal tea, pear and Gala apple aromas, leading into a perfectly balanced (yes, I said perfect) palate with ripe pear, apple and lime flavors -- all accented by subtle floral flavors. The laser beam of acidity is beautiful and cuts through the subtle richness and ripeness here.
Our second wine comes from a new label from Adam Suprenant of Osprey's Dominion Winery -- Coffee Pot Cellars. The Coffee Pot Cellars 2008 Meritage, a merlot-heavy blend made with portions of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and cabernet franc. The nose oozes blueberry, currant and plum fruit as well as gentle aromas of fennel seed, white pepper and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied but the tannins are far more intense here, providing grip and plenty of structure to frame the ripe-but-restrained fruit intensity. Spicy and peppery on the finish, this is a wine that will improve with short-term aging.
Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!
Thanks for sharing interesting post.
Posted by: Iraqi Dinar | August 12, 2011 at 02:31 AM