Barth Rene Pinot Blanc Vignoble de Bennwihr `04 AOC $12.99 (not TJ's) ***

For the past few days, it has been all things mountainous.  It was fitting, now that we were back at sea level, to have this bottle of Vin d'Alsace. 

Arriving after a 5 hour drive that involved a hot-dog, apple cider doughnuts and Mountain Dew, we were greeted with amazing meal of Veal Paprikash, Spätzle, warm spinach salad and an open bottle of Barth Rene Pinot Blanc.  What a great way to end a road trip!

This bottle is a modern take on a crisp, classic wine.  It had a slightly acidic green apple flavor, with an after taste of pear.  Not too sweet, but it has a finish that lingers (that is, until you have your next sip).  As we were eating at Granny and Grandpa's, I was too distracted to study the label. (After S. & I finished off the second bottle, by then, I wasn't really ready to start dissecting the label AT ALL.)

Tipsiness not withstanding, I can assuredly say that this is a great "alternative" white wine - alternative to run of the mill chardonnay that is. Yes, it is a screw top but that helps you to save money - if it had a cork in it, it would have much more and the taste would be the same. I am all about the convenience and taste.  Let's leave the ceremony of uncorking for formal meals. It is variety and pairing that shine in this wine.  With our delicious dinner, we had a bit of France on the table.  It wasn't overly expensive, it balanced the subtlety of the veal quite well, with a slight acid that enhanced the spinach, and well, it was easy to drink.

As I was reading about this wine, I found that it is a family business.  The current winemaker is Michel Fonné who took over the vineyard in Bennwihr, Alsace from his uncle, René Barth.  I think that he has tapped into the American market with quality and price point.  I can't wait to try more of his wines. 

Here is the sunset that preceded our dinner.  

As we were speeding down I-91S, I looked to my right and saw this.  

There was just enough time to grab my Blackberry and snap a picture. 

Vision Cellars Pinot Blanc `99 (not TJ's) ***

How can you NOT love a wine whose label reads "I was born the son of a Texas Moonshine maker. My Father, Sue, was considered by many to be the finest Moonshine maker in all of Texas, because of the fine grains he used to make his corn whiskey. My Mother Elbessie, along with her brothers and sister, made wine from the various fruit we grew."

Of course, I read this AFTER I had tried a sip, liked it and pulled the bottle from the sleeve to find out more about this complex flavor that was slowly intoxicating me. (Ok, the Sam Adams lager before dinner may have be the intoxicating aspect of the meal...).

This is an old, yet lush wine that from the first sip hits you with a slug of sweetness that disappears just as soon as it hits, leaving a slightly dry, slightly sour flavor that is nice. It has a long complex finish.  It may be that because it is an 11 year old bottle of Pinot Blanc, the wine has just aged into a complex fruity amalgam - I am not complaining.  The more I read about Mac the owner/wine maker at Vision Cellars, the more I want to try his other wines.  This is a California winery I could easily grow to love.

Tonight was the night that S came home from her 10 day trip to the Far East. We weren't sure if she'd be hungry or would want a drink when she arrived, so we settled in for a dinner of bratwurst and beer.  She arrived, slightly jet lagged and this bottle was iced and made ready for her "Welcome Home" around the dinner table. I shared a glass, and then vowed to review it at lunchtime.

The next day... a lunch of leftovers and Vision Pinot Blanc - I am not too sure how long this wine has been in J&S's cellar, but by the dust on the bottle, I am guessing a few years.

It is almost unfair to review an 11 year old bottle of Pinot Blanc.  I mean really, what shelf is that on for you to buy?  But I am going to review it anyway.  This wine is delicious, complex and not what I would expect.  It is a lot like a Riesling, but it has the mouth feel of a chardonnay and tastes like a well aged fruity wine, with a fleeting sweetness, a lush swallow, a slightly acidic flash as you taste the fruitiness.  What once may have been peach or pear has turned into a nice, dry indescribable fruit taste.

It went really well with the leftover Paella, Smoked Trout Rilette and Fava bean spread.  Well done Mac, I hope to try more of your wines in the future.

Update 11/10:  I reviewed his Vision Cellars Santa Lucia Riesling `06 $18.00 (not TJ's)**  

P.S. If you have noticed all of the beautiful flowers in the past couple of months of posts, it is because JPH believes that a man should buy his wife flowers every week. Last night, S. came home to a family that missed her and that beautiful bunch of flowers in the picture above.  Maybe flowers are one of those small details that are one of the many puzzle pieces to a happy marriage.  All I can say is that staying here between apartments has had many bonuses, the flowers being just one.  Now I need to find a man to buy me flowers by the time I leave, because I have to admit, it really is a nice touch!

J Wilkes Pinot Blanc `06 (not TJ's) $18.99 ***

I always forget that I really like white wine (when it is good). This Pinot Blanc was the only white wine in my wine rack, so I had it tonight as a default wine.  After taking my first sip, it reminded me that summer is coming, and I must buy more white wine.

For $18.99, you get an elegant bottle with a pretty label in an expensive looking font that is evocative of a Jeffersonian existence where wine is actually kept in a cellar etc etc.  Well, that is part of the romanticism of drinking wine (and probably adds an extra $5.00 to the cost).  I bought this wine from a tasting, so the first time I saw the label was when I unpacked it from my wine carrier. The only reason I am not giving this wine four stars is because I am cheap, and $18.99 makes this a special occasion bottle, not a grab a couple and drink a few with friends.

This Pinot Blanc is a great, all around crisp white, with a hint of sweet when you have it with food. It tastes like it has a slight sparkle (kind of dances on my tongue) and is a nice refreshing glass of wine.  The slight acidity really brightens food when you have it with dinner like we did. My friend said that it seemed to have a citrus taste as well. I tasted apples and a bit of minerality. I was made aware of the pretension of saying "tastes of minerality", when I was at a wine tasting, a woman asked me "What is minerality?  Is it like mineral oil?" I said no,  "Imagine licking slate - in a good way." The Washington Post article I linked to above does a better job of describing minerality.

I think that this is a great date picnic wine. I can easily see chilling a bottle in a sleeve, packing up the picnic backpack, then spreading out the tartan on some green grass, unpacking a lunch, and just basking in the sunshine with a friend and a bottle of this wine.  Can you tell I am getting desperate for summer?  As I type this, it is 41 degrees in NYC, the sky is pitch black and there is a torrential downpour. Tonight, this wine is like a Summer's day in a bottle.

Menu:
Caesar Salad
Panko Breaded Bay Scallops with blackened Old Bay Seasoning