Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Tweet about Brancott Estate Wines and Enter to Win a Trip to New Zealand

Brancott Estate Wines

Brancott Estate Wines is offering to send one lucky wine lover on a trip to New Zealand — just for tweeting their mind!

Now through June 13th, 2011, Brancott Estate is challenging wine enthusiasts to craft a 140-character version of a tasting note of one of the wines from the producer's portfolio — which includes an award-winning range of Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Noirs and a Pinot Grigio. The hash tag #WhatIf must be incorporated into the tweet. Two roundtrip airline tickets to New Zealand will be the reward for one tweeter's efforts in using creativity and judicious care to articulate their take on a Brancott Estate wine.

Additional information and complete rules and regulations can be found on the Brancott Estate Facebook page.

Disclosure: ABC Wine Reviews was not compensated in any way for this promotional post nor are we affiliated with or sponsored by Brancott Estate wines.

(Source: Brancott Estate.)

Monday, May 30, 2011

Columbia Crest "Two Vines" Pinot Grigio 2009

Columbia Valley, Washington State (wine review and rating)

Columbia Crest "Two Vines" Pinot Grigio 2009

Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington State
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $7.99 (1.5L bottle)

Our review: Yellow-gold in color, this wine has aromas of tree fruit (apple and pear) with slight floral notes and hints of honey and cider. Similarly defined fruit flavors develop quickly on the palate, and there is a good balance to the acidity. The finish adds a bit of spice and some minerality.

Our rating: This being Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, we thought we'd try a few inexpensive 1.5L bottles of wine, which are more appropriate for backyard barbecues and family gatherings than sit down dinner parties. First up is this Washington State Pinot Grigio, which we purchased for not much more than the 750ml bottle. We think this is a nice example of a typical relaxed summer wine. According to the fact sheet on the winery's website, there is no oak cellaring, though this wine has a bit of unrefined "oakiness", particularly in the finish. It adds some character to the wine, but it's not terribly well developed. It doesn't detract, but doesn't add much either. We rate it about Average overall, and certainly worth considering, especially to accompany simple grill fare like chicken, ribs, and the like.

Taste profile from the winemaker: Opens with enticing aromas of fruit salad and a fragrance reminiscent of orchard blossoms. Luscious flavors of green apple are joined by subtle hints of pear and citrus. Crisp and refreshing, this wine is perfect for sipping on its own but is a natural with food as well.

Winery website: Columbia Crest.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio 2010

California (wine review and rating)

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio 2010

Origin: California
Blend: Pinot Grigio (76%), Aromatic White Varieties (21%), Sauvignon Blanc (3%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Suggested Retail Price: $7.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: This wine has aromas of lime and lime zest with notes of apples. The flavors on the palate are similar, slightly more sweet than tart, though a little flat without much depth or development. The finish adds some minerality, is lengthy but a bit on the thin side.

Our rating: This is a decent effort, but not a particularly memorable one. More of a party wine to serve with a variety of hors d'oeuvres than a dinner wine to serve with a specific dish. (Toward this end, you can usually find this wine in 1.5L bottles for less than $10.) We confess to being curious about the "aromatic white varieties" that make up almost a quarter of this blend since they don't seem to distinguish this wine in any meaningful way. We previously rated the Woodbridge Pinot Grigio 2008 on the high side of Average; we rate this vintage somewhat lower, just Average.

This bottle of wine was received as a sample for review.

Taste profile from the winemaker: A heady array of citrus, lime, and tropical fruit notes, this is a crisp wine with a citrusy finish.

Winery website: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Sebeka Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Western Cape, South Africa (wine review and rating)

Sebeka Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Origin: Western Cape, South Africa
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $5.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Aromas of citrus and spice are exhibited by this light golden colored wine. The moderately tart fruit flavors on the palate tend a bit more toward tree fruit (think green apple) though definitely have some citric character to them. There's also a brief tropical fruitish sweetness about mid-palate. The finish adds some chalky minerality.

Our rating: Years ago, long before we started this review blog, we purchased this label frequently as an inexpensive wine that was versatile enough to accompany a wide variety of dishes. It then shot up in price -- the 2006 vintage was priced at $9 when we reviewed it in 2007 -- and we stopped buying it on a regular basis. By last year, when we reviewed the 2008 vintage, it was back down to $6, which we thought a good value. We're slightly less enthusiastic about this vintage, which comes across as somewhat muddled and not well-crafted. It retains its versatility -- we served our bottle with an Asian-inspired pork dish -- but it seems so generic. We rate it about Average overall.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Layers of fresh citrus flavors, balanced with a crisp acidity and subtle mineral texture." (from the bottle label)

Winery website: Sebeka Wines. As of the date of this review, this website hasn't been updated in years (a bit of a disappointment).

Monday, May 23, 2011

Espiral Vinho Verde NV

Espiral Vinho Verde NV
Origin: Portugal
Blend: "Selected native grape varieties"
Alcohol Content: 9.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $3.99

Our review: Pale straw with greenish/gold highlights, this slightly effervescent "green wine" has aromas of citrus with a hint of sweet tree fruit. The palate is very citrusy, on the tart side but not excessively so. A bit of lime zest is introduced into the brief finish.

Our rating: We're fans of Vinho Verdes for several reasons: they are versatile enough to accompany almost any cuisine; are low in alcohol, making them ideal for brunches, lunches, or simply sipping in late afternoon; and are typically relatively inexpensive. This wine not only meets all three criteria -- especially the price, at just $4 -- but it's pretty good as well. We enjoyed our bottle as an aperitif, a nice introduction to what proved to be an excellent meal of grilled seafood and vegetables (accompanied by another bottle of wine ... but that's another review). We rate this wine Above Average. (As with most Vinho Verdes, this wine has no vintage but is stamped for export with a 2010 date on it. These wines are intended to be consumed soon after bottling, so always look for the most recent date possible.)

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc 2010

California (wine review and rating)

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Origin: California
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (76%), French Colombard (15%), Semillon (5%), Verdelho (3%), Aromatic white varieties (1%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Suggested Retail Price: $7.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Pale gold to the point of being nearly colorless, this wine has aromas of tropical and tree fruit with slight notes of flowers. The profile on the palate, however, is more citric in character, tart with little depth to the flavors. The finish adds some minerality and a bit of citrus zest.

Our rating: There's a surprising amount of complexity to this wine, no doubt influenced by the unusual blend of grapes used, though our overall impression is diminished somewhat by the relatively weak flavors. We served our bottle with broiled white fish, a nice choice; a light lunch that includes seafood is probably the best pairing here. We previously rated the Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc 2008 on the low side of average; this vintage is markedly better, rating on the High Side of Average (and a good value, especially if it can be purchased at less than the suggested retail price).

This bottle of wine was received as a sample for review.

Taste profile from the winemaker: Expresses sharp citrus and tropical fruit character woven together with enticing spice and lemongrass nuances. The ripe tropical aromas give the impression of a sweet wine, but the dry, crisp flavors —with hints of lime on the finish—make a perfect complement to seafood.

Winery website: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi.

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