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46 replies

A Summer on the Wild Side.

VM Vino MeMember
Two years ago (2004) Otis came up with the idea of exploring a new wine region to expand our horizons. We called it the "Summer of Vouvray" after the region we chose to explore. Tasting notes and information on the region were posted in this thread. Last year was the Summer of Rosé.

This year, we came up with the idea of exploring white wines outside the main stream. Otis thought of the name (no doubt after listening to some Lou Reed). Hence the name "A Summer on the Wild Side".

The idea is to experiment with less popular white wines. Some more obscure than other. White grapes which are NOT on the wild side include Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc or Gewurztraminer and Viognier. They are just too popular and commercially available.

I decided to start this thread for the TN's. I will add my notes here as the Summer progresses. Anyone who wants to join us in a walk on the wild side is welcome. Feel free to post your notes here (or post them in a seperate thread and just let us know what you tried here).

VM
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S stefaniawineMember
Wish I had a nice one to start off with but:

2004 Wilridge Winery, Semillon, Artz Vineyard, Red Mountain Appellation $16

Dark golden color. Strong stinky nose of charred oak. The charred oak totaly dominates this wine smothering little hints of lemon and apple. Thick textured. My comment live was "This is what happens when you spend to much time with your barrel salesman." 70 points.
S stefaniawineMember
2003 Tablas Creek Roussanne (think it was $24)

Pale golden color. Nose was smokey and spicy at first showing strong spicy oak but settled into pear, white flowers, honeysuckle and beeswax. Dense and rich with lemon, honey, pear, marzipan and more honeysuckle. A good line of acidity kept it well balanced and the oak faded into the background. A little short on the finish, I don't think the wine has come together 100% yet. 90 points, probably better in 6-12 months.
wineismylifewineismylifeMember
  • 2003 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Kamptaler Terrassen - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal (5/13/2006)
    WIML85,PURPLE85,NOWA,WS79

    Tasted May 13,. 2006 in the swimming pool as part of the WinoDepot Tasting With Friends event for May 2006. Opened and served immediately in a Spiegelau Authentis Rot Wein glass. Hay color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of citrus fruits, minerals and toasted almonds. Flavors of minerals, whetstone, a bit of lemon zest and some orange sherbert on the finish. Later on a little white peach as well. Moderate acidity. Short and simple finish. A one dimensional wine in my opinion but certainly better than the Wine Spectator rating. Drink over the short term as this one will likely not improve so no reason to hold. Based on the $19.54 per bottle I paid locally at retail I’d say this wine from a value standpoint is bordering on acceptable. (85 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker
N nekulturnyMember
2003 Pierre Boniface Apermont from the Savoie region of France.

Made from the Jacquere grape this is an excellent summer quaffer. A large--for a white--floral nose with touches of mown grass, peaches and citris. Attack is crisp and leads to a pleasantly full mouthfeel with a lingering finish. This really screams summer on the porch and I think shellfish on the grill would be an ideal match. This wine is somewhere between a Chasselas with backbone and a mellow Muscadet.

Only downside is these fade fast--I'd hold off until the '05s hit the stores.
VM Vino MeMember
2004 Boutari Moschofilero Naoussa - Greece, Macedonia (5/23/2006)

This was brought to the CWM "obscure white grape" offline last Saturday. The grape is Moschofilero. This was a good Summer outdoor wine but not much more. Very crisp and refreshing with a pretty melon filled nose. Decent acidity and white fruit. Short finish. 84 points.

VM
VM Vino MeMember
Other wines that were poured at the recent CWM "obscure white grape" offline include (with the grapes involved):

2004 Conreria d'Scala Dei Priorat Les Brugueres- Grenache Blanc
2003 J. C. Pichot Vouvray Les Larmes de Bacchus- Chenin Blanc
1998 Loimer Grüner Veltliner Langenloiser- Gruner Veltliner
2001 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Muskateller Kabinett Trocken- Muscat
2003 Hans Wirsching Silvaner Trocken- Silvaner

Notes have been posted on these wines in seperate threads.

VM
H highdesertwineMember
tlily wrote:
quote:
2003 Tablas Creek Roussanne (think it was $24)

Pale golden color. Nose was smokey and spicy at first showing strong spicy oak but settled into pear, white flowers, honeysuckle and beeswax. Dense and rich with lemon, honey, pear, marzipan and more honeysuckle. A good line of acidity kept it well balanced and the oak faded into the background. A little short on the finish, I don't think the wine has come together 100% yet. 90 points, probably better in 6-12 months.


I wrote almost identical notes when I tried this two weeks ago. I gave it 89 points, only because it paled in comparison to a 2003 Four Graces Pinot Blanc I was trying at the same time. What a seamless, honey-kissed, perfect white wine!
M mwagner7700Member
  • 2002 Unionville Vineyards Vidal Cool Foxy Lady Ice Wine - USA, New Jersey, Hunterdon County (6/14/2006)
    Looks like a viscous apple juice. Nose of apricot and honeysuckle. Not as powerful on the palate as I would have hoped. There's a slight sour/metalic note in the back on the medium length finish. Has a nice honey flavor. Not a bad wine, but at $25 for a 375, I won't buy again (even if I weren't boycotting NJ wineries). 87-89 points. (88 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker
VM Vino MeMember
I had an excellent off dry Welschriesling in Austria from Feiler artinger when I visited their winery last August. My note:
quote:
2003 Feiler-Artinger Welschriesling Auslese - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee Hügelland, Rust (8/16/2005)
The Wines of Feiler-Artinger (Austria) (Feiler-Artinger Winery, Rust, Austria): This wine floored me. I could not believe the quality for the price (this is a $25 wine from Germany). 12% alcohol. Aged in stainless steel. A killer tropical fruit and gardenia nose. Clean pure pear notes with some floral overtones. Nicely balanced. Needless to say I bought this. 92 points.

VM
M medoMember
Something interesting from spain:

2005 Palacio de Menade Verdejo Joven
alc. 12,5 %

This was my first experience with the white Verdejo grape. A light green in the glass with a woderful nose of gooseberry and exotic fruits like pineapple and ripe apricots. I was first thinking of a Sauvignon Blanc, because we tasted the first few sips blind. The palate was medium bodied with nice flavors of mangos, grapefruit, tea roses and well integrated acidity.
I will watch out for more Verdejos from Spain, cause this was really fresh and interesting stuff for only 7€/9$!

88 pts imho.
S seaquamMember
Earlier this week we had a bottle of 2004 Calona Okanagan Sovereign Opal Artist Series. Sovereign Opal is a weird little grape that's a hybrid of Muscat and Marechal Foch, and I understand that it's exclusive now to one vineyard. In any event, it's not bad for a sumer quaffer-- lots of floral and melon notes, bit of strawberry, just slightly off-dry, medium-length finish. Around 83-84 pts.

I guess I've now done my wild side walking for this summer. Smile
steve8steve8Member
2004 Rudolf Rabl Gruner Veltliner Spiegel

I bought this a few months ago at a local wine tasting event. I can't remember the exact price, but I'm pretty sure it was in the CDN$25 ballpark. I liked it at the tasting, but one can never be sure after having tasted (and not spit) many wines.

Pale yellow-green colour with green apple, floral and stone aromas. Medium bodied white, crisp acidity with good citrus and vanilla flavours and a decent minerally finish. Very refreshing on a hot day and paired well with grilled whole jerk red snapper and corn with citrus butter. 89 points.
M medoMember
2005 Cardeto Colbadia IGT / Umbria Italia
13% alc.

A blend of Trebbiano, Procanico, Grechetto and Drupeggio. Brillant white-yellow in the glass and the nose shows nice flavours of gooseberry and a mix of exotic fruits. The palate is dominated by rich and fruity flavors of pineapple, white peach and apricot completed by a lively acidity. Great QPR for 8€/10$!

86 pts.
bmanbmanMember
I'm looking forward to trying the following when it is released here next weekend:

2004 ‘LES VIGNES RETROUVÉES' BLANC VDQS Côtes de Saint-Mont (Plaimont)

""Situated in the heart of Gascony (the land of Cognac), this wine is made with the indigenous grapes Arrufiac, Petit Courbu, and Manseng. A Gold-Medal winner at the 2005 Concours Général de Paris.

Tasting Note: Pale gold colour. Highly aromatic with gooseberry, grapefruit and smoky notes. Remarkable depth. Enjoy as an aperitif or pair with seafood.""

Anyone familiar with any of these grapes?
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