Whites After Labor Day
To
me wine is seasonal primarily to the extent that I’m drawn
to certain dishes at different points on the calendar. To
complement the lighter, fresher fare that makes up a large
part of my diet during the warmer months, I’ll often choose
wines that are lower in alcohol, un-oaked, and produced from
varietals that feature prominent acidity, because of their
invigorating liveliness. In cooler weather the dishes I
gravitate towards seem to call for wines that are naturally
richer, fuller and perhaps more potent. This does not,
however, translate to white in summer and red in winter. In
particular, there’s a satisfying, palate-warming category of
white wine that balances dishes such as hearty meat stews
surprisingly well: those made from white Rhone varietals. At
their best they have some of the same powerful palate impact
that big red wines do, minus the tannin. In fact, the very
greatest of white Rhones, Hermitage Blanc, often strikes me
as a red wine masquerading in white wine clothing. At its
finest it’s a spicy, lush, earthy wine layered with flavors
that have little in common with the primary fruit sensations
you encounter in the majority of other young white wines. In
other words, just the texture and flavor profile you want to
complement so many of our winter dishes.
Most white wines
made from Rhone varietals fall far short, however, of the
top quality Hermitage Blanc standard. In fact, even many of
the wines from this tiny Appellation Controlee itself
promise more than they deliver. It’s difficult to balance a
white wine and have it taste interesting if its flavors are
draped on a scaffolding of strong alcohol and low levels of
acidity. Many wines made from white Rhone varietals end up
sharing a tendency to lose structure to the point where they
taste out of shape, even flabby. Low acid and high extract
is a characteristic of most of the varietals that originate
in this part of France, the notable exception being
Roussanne. Lower yields in the vineyard, which help build
more concentration into the finished wine, are essential to
creating an interesting flavor dynamic. But they also
adversely effect the price.
The following
review of cold weather white wines made from varietals
native to the Rhone Valley discusses only a small percentage
of the examples I tasted. In general, I have found this to
be a disappointing group, so choosing carefully is
important. The current round of tastings was consistent with
this pattern. In particular, I’ve found that Viognier, the
most impactful wine on the American market made from white
Rhone grapes, is largely forgettable at a price point of
much under $25 retail per bottle. The Viogniers I have long
considered standard-bearers for the varietal in California
(Joseph Phelps, Arrowood, Alban) are considerably more
expensive. All the wishful thinking that surrounded
re-discovery of this exotically perfumed grape, backed up
unfortunately by massive plantings throughout California,
has yet to yield much in the way of other exciting results
though. The top quality wines stand out because there are so
few of them. Some are harvested too early and taste dull and
one-dimensional; others are almost formless and cloying.
Even the best are not noted for intriguing flavor nuances.
Still, all the following wines, whether made from Viognier
or not, are recommended. Because they’re so far out of the
mainstream, these are certainly wines to talk about and
would represent an interesting discovery for many red wine
fans who want to branch out by trying a white with some
features that are more familiar. The wines are listed in
ascending order of quality.
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Yalumba Le Jean-Luc Tablas Domaine Domaine Tablas |
