W and I got married at the end of June! These are the awesome wines we served at the reception at Park Tavern – Halls of Fine Wines in Inman Park carries some of the Valdivieso wines, as well as Hop City Beer & Wine in West Midtown. Of course, your favorite wine shop could easily order them for you if you don’t want to track them down.

Valdivieso Extra Brut Champenoise Sparkling Wine, Chardonnay, 2008 Malbec

Their sparkling wine is made in the style of Champagne – toasty, yeasty, and absolutely delicious with a billion tiny bubbles! Their Chardonnay is not oaky and not buttery, just the way a good white wine should be – with the perfect amount of acid for a refreshing taste. And their Malbec… YUM! Seriously, get a case of their Malbec. It’s insanely fabulous. They have a broad variety of wines in almost every type of grape, as well as reserve labels and single vineyard labels.

Origin: Lontue Valley, Curico Valley, Chile
Next time: Get a case!

Estampa 2008 Sauv Blanc/Chard/Viognier Reserve

This wine was so yummy – the absolute perfect summer wine! This is what I drank throughout the wedding reception, in case I had any spills (you have to watch out for slightly spastic, potentially drunk huggers!). Estampa also has a delightful Carmenere Reserve (2007 vintage, blended with Cab Sauv and Cab Franc), which we didn’t serve since we already had a Malbec… but their Carmenere is one of my new favorites. It’s spurred a recent Carmenere-buying and tasting craze at my house lately – results on that soon now that I’m back to catching up on my wine blogging. Like Valdivieso, this winery also has several collections – Gold, Reserve, and Estate with lots of varietals in each line. And, they get an A+ on a really well-done English version of their website – very savvy and beautiful photos!

Origin: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Next time: Get a case!

Santa Chiara Pinot Grigio

Unfortunately, I can’t find any information about this wine online, except that it is from the Veneto region of Italy. I know it’s less than $20 retail, definitely. Good luck finding this one… If you do, get a bottle, it’s great!
Catalpa Pinot Noir

This Pinot Noir was good but I’d like to taste it again after these few months. I’m doubtful this would be a new favorite Pinot. But it was definitely tasty.

Origin: Mendoza, Argentina
Price: Approx. $12
Next time: Get a glass!

If you’d asked me a month ago what type of wine Burgundy is, I would have shrugged and said that I know it’s a region in France… but I wouldn’t have known what type of grapes make up White or Red Burgundies. Thanks to Highland Wine‘s recent classes, I’m more informed!

Yes, Burgundy is a region in France. As a European wine, they expect you to know about the region. The region determines the climate, the soil, and everything else that goes into the “terroir” and so with those conditions in mind, certain grape varieties will flourish better than others. So… Burgundy is generally one of two grapes: Pinot Noir for Red Burgundies and Chardonnay for White Burgundies. These two grapes are related and do really well in norther, cold weather climates. Also keep in mind that within the regions are many towns that have an even more specific terroir… so if you really want to familiarize yourself with Burgundies, you’ll need a really good map, lots of wine from different areas within Burgundy, luck on good vintages, and a huge attention to detail! Also, because the vineyards are owned by many different people, you still need to rely on knowing who the great winemakers are, not the vineyards they come from. Think of it as a big history/science experiment!

One thing to keep in mind is that for Burgundies, the wines must use 100% of either Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, unlike American and other New World wines, which must only use around 75% of the grape it’s labeled with. Just a thought if you’re comparing French and American Pinots… you’ll need to do your homework to make sure you find a 100% Pinot for a fair comparison.

In terms of organic or biodynamic wines, many of the Burgundian wineries take a biodynamic approach, but you will rarely find it on the label. I’m expecting that to change over time as those features become more important to the general population who is more concerned about how their food and drink are produced and are keeping a more concerned eye on sustainability.

During the tasting, we sampled 12 wines – four whites and eight reds. Price ranges stretch from $18-$91!

I’ll go into more details about the wines we tried below, but an overarching theme that’s come out of almost every tasting I’ve ever been to is this… price does not ensure that you will enjoy a wine. It still comes down to your personal preference about what flavors appeal to you! If you like fruit-dominant wines, then you still will not enjoy an earthy, mushroomy, forest-floor wine with a lot of tannins, even if the winemakers are extremely talented and go to great lengths to manually harvest their vineyards and then charge $100 for their bottle of wine. It comes down to what you like, even among wines made with the same grape. Tasting these wines side by side showed the huge differences that come from one grape. That difference comes from the terroir and the winemakers hand, and your judgment.

Okay, enough chat. Here’s what we tried, and how I felt about them (try them yourself though – you might feel differently! The folks at the wine class definitely differed in their opinions about each wine!).

WHITE BURGUNDIES

2007 Chehalem Inox Chardonnay

I like the winemakers’ style! NO OAK! If you like fresh, crisp whites – not buttery, oaky grossness… then go for this Chardonnay! The word “Inox” translates from French to “Stainless Steel.” This wine was light bodied and very enjoyable. Check out the Chehalem Winery’s website – it’s got some great information on their different vineyards, as well as their commitment to sustainability.

Origin: Dundee, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Price: $18
Next time: Get a glass!
Biodynamic

2007 Domaine Servin Chablis Premier Cru Butteaux (Chardonnay)

This Domaine Servin Chablis (Chardonnay) is imported by Peter Weygandt, whose name you should memorize. The wines he imports are known for their quality, and they come in a variety of price points. Just one of those things to look for if you’re trying to choose between two wines you’ve never had before. Because, let’s face it… there are too many French wineries for us to ever learn them all and they sure don’t help you out by putting any additional information on the back label. You’re just supposed to know, but of course we don’t… not at first anyway!

Another feature on the label to pick up on is the “Premier Cru” designation – meaning that this winery has been given the 2nd highest classification regarding quality. “Grand Cru” is the highest. Butteaux is the specific vineyard name within the town of Chablis.

This wine was also un-oaked, and is 100% Chardonnay. Was it the same as the Chehalem Inox above? NO WAY. They’re extremely different, pointing out that terroir makes a huge difference on how the grape comes through. This Chardonnay from the town of Chablis in Burgundy was much heavier bodied than the Inox. Personally, I liked the Chehalem better because of it’s lighter, crispier qualities. However, know that most of the Chablis Chards are un-oaked.

Origin: Butteaux Vineyard, Chablis, Burgundy, France
Importer: Peter Weygandt
Price: $30
Next time: I’ll pass.

2007 Moillard Domaine Greffet Pouilly-Fuisse (Chardonnay)

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this post, the Moillard website isn’t working, nor is the website of the owner, Vincent Sauvestre. To top it off, their importer, USA Wine Imports Inc. has absolutely no information. So you’re stuck with just my notes.

This Chardonnay from Pouilly-Fuisse is oaked. Compared to the previous two Chardonnays (un-oaked), it was heavier bodied with more acid. I’m not a big fan of oaky Chards, so it was an excellent experiment, but not something I’ll purchase to enjoy in the future.

Origin: Pouilly-Fuisse, Burgundy, France
Importer: USA Wine Imports
Price: $28
Next time: I’ll pass.
Biodynamic

2008 Domaine Raymond Dupont-Fahn Meursault “Les Tillets” (Chardonnay)

Of the four Chardonnays at the tasting, this Domaine Raymond Dupont-Fahn from the town of Meursault was the heaviest bodied, with the most acid. I did prefer this wine to the Moillard Domaine Greffet metioned above. Still, it was oaked, so I won’t be purchasing this one. But for oak lovers, I think you’ll like it… well, maybe not the price though.

Origin: Meursault, Burgundy, France
Importer: Peter Weygandt
Price: $49
Next time: I’ll pass.

RED BURGUNDIES (PINOT NOIR)

2007 Moillard Pinot Noir Tradition Burgundy (Pinot Noir)

This Moillard Pinot Noir had a lovely smell! Then flavors of fruit and earth hit your palate. Very tasty!

Origin: Burgundy, France
Importer: USA Wine Imports
Price: $20
Next time: Get a glass!
Biodynamic

2006 Moillard Chorey-les-Beaune Burgundy (Pinot Noir)

I wasn’t crazy about this Pinot Noir from Chorey-les-Beaune. It had a weird smell, and an odd taste to go with it. Someone at the tasting chimed in that it’s called “forest floor”… I’d describe it as a wet, earthy smell… like wet leaves that have started to congeal together in a really bad way. It didn’t appeal to me at all, but other people seemed to love this wine’s “forest floor” characteristic. To each his own!

Origin: Chorey les Beaune, Burgundy, France
Importer: USA Wine Imports
Price: $28
Next time: I’ll pass.
Biodynamic

2006 Moillard Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru Aux Clous Burgundy (Pinot Noir)

Compared to the Chorey-les-Beaune above, this Pinot from Savigny-les-Beaune was like a ray of sunshine. No moldy forest floor creeping in on my sunny picnic! Wonderful smell. Again, great balance of fruit and earth, but more intense than the Moillard Pinot Noir Tradition Burgundy. Bold, balanced, medium acid… very nice. Also, it’s from the quality-recognized Premier Cru (vineyard) of Aux Clous.

Origin: Aux Clous Vineyard, Savigny-les-Beaune, Burgundy, France
Importer: USA Wine Imports
Price: $42
Next time: Get a glass!
Biodynamic

2005 Domaine de Montille Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Aux Chorey (Pinot Noir)

Unfortunately, this Domaine de Montille from Nuits-Saint Georges was another “forest floor” wine. Despite the fact that 2005 was an excellent year for Burgundies and despite that this wine is classified as a Premier Cru, it just didn’t suit my taste. At least at $80 a bottle, I’m not going to be too upset about it!

Origin: Aux Chorey Vineyard, Nuits Saint Georges, Burgundy, France
Importer: Masciarelli Wine Co.
Price: $80
Next time: I’ll pass

2005 Domaine de Montille Pommard Premier Cru Les Pezerolles Burgundy

This Pinot Noir from Pommard was not as “forest floor”ish as the other Domaine de Montille from Nuits Saint Georges. However, it was more complex than the Moillard Savigny les Beaune that I enjoyed. I definitely enjoyed this wine.

Origin: Les Pezerolles Vineyard, Pommard, Burgundy, France
Importer: Masciarelli Wine Co.
Price: $91
Next time: Get a glass!

AMERICAN “BURGUNDIES”

2008 Walnut City Wineworks Pinot Noir

I had the 2007 Walnut City Wineworks Pinot Noir a while ago, and really didn’t like it. I rated it as an “I’ll pass.” Since then, I’m starting to change my tune on this wine, or at least learn more about it.

It’s sold by the bottle at local Atlanta pizza spot, Varasano’s, and it was pretty tasty the last time W and I were there with friends. No idea what the vintage was.

The 2008 from this tasting was great! Extremely different from the French Burgundies, in that it was extremely light, very fruit focused, and very low acid. If you’re not into tannins, then you should like this one. Otherwise, you’ll find it way too fruity.

Origin: Dundee, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Price: $20
Next time: Get a glass!
Biodynamic

2006 Molnar Family Poseidon’s Vineyard Pinot Noir

I’d had this wine before through Highland Wine’s monthly wine club. It is one of my top Pinot Noir faves! It’s heavy bodied, especially compared to the Walnut City Wineworks, and has more earthiness to it, which adds a nice complexity. See the original blog post for more info.

Origin: Carneros, Napa Valley, California
Price: $26
Next time: Get a case!

2006 Daedalus Labyrinth Pinot Noir

The Daedalus Labyrinth Pinot Noir was an interesting mix. It has some wonderful fruit flavors but also has a small amount of forest floor going in. It was lighter than the Molnar Pinot. Wine Enthusiast gave it a 90 point rating. I’d say I enjoyed it a lot but not enough to make it a new favorite. However, do take some time to explore their very informative website. Daedalus Cellars is a small family-owned and operated winery, and its name is an homage to one of the winemaker’s favorite authors, James Joyce, and displays this quote on the bottles:

“This race and this country and this life produced me, he said. I shall express myself as I am.”
Stephen Dedalus in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Origin: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Price: $44
Next time: Get a glass!

The 2008 Valle de la Puerta Torrontes shows my eagerness for springtime! I enjoy white wines during the winter with specific dishes, but I really love them only in the summer when it’s warm outside and a white wine is just so refreshing.

The La Puerta Torrontes is a delicious light-medium bodied white wine with great apricot and peachy flavors. The sweet fruit flavors are prominent, so you won’t be bothered by too much acidity or alcohol. This wine went really well with the fried, battered scallops we had as an appetizer, although I prefer grilled scallops.

Check out their website if you want to see some of the gorgeous photos of the vineyards. These grapes are grown in the Famatina Valley, which sites between two mountain ranges of the Andes, so the valley is surrounded by these beautiful mountains every way you turn. The photos are spectacular.

Origin: Famatina Valley, Argentina
Where: Muss & Turner’s
Price:$6.50 glass/$20 bottle restaurant; probably around $9-$11 retail
Next time: Get a glass!

To tag along with my Fave Red Wines of 2009, here are my star whites from this past year:

• Man Vintners Chenin Blanc – $9
• Minini Orvieto – $9
• Le Chat Rouge Chardonnay – $11
• Starborough Sauvignon Blanc – $12ish?
• Luna Argenta Prosecco (bubbly) – $12
• Kiona Vineyards Riesling – $12
• Cavas Hill Brut Rose Reserva Artesania Cava (bubbly) – $12
• Borgo Boschetto Pinot Grigio – $13
• Terra Antiga Vinho Verde – $13
• Pascual Toso “Toso” Brut (bubbly) – $13
• 071 Prosecco Veneto (bubbly) – $14
• Villa Cornaro Prosecco – $14 (this is the bubbly that went with Wyatt’s marriage proposal!)
• Fonty’s Pool Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – $14
• Fonty’s Pool Chardonnay – $16
• Holly’s Garden Pinot Gris – $20
• Wolf Mountain Vineyards Plenitude Chardonnay-Viognier blend – $20
• Wolf Mountain Blanc de Blanc Brut (bubbly) – $25

Of course, the Holly’s Garden Pinot Gris label is gorgeous and girly and fun. This wine is special for me because I tried it on my birthday last year as a before-dinner drink. Even better, it was scrumptious. It’s a thin, yellow hued wine with a yummy melon and other fruit flavors. It has a great amount of acid. This wine went down really well solo and with my new favorite appetizer, baked brie with sauteed mushrooms on top. Highly recommended! It would also go well with some spicy Asian food.

Origin: Victoria, Australia
Where: Highland Wine & Crystal
Price: $20
Next time: Get a glass!

The other night, Highland Wine and DBA Barbecue hosted a great wine-tasting centered around wine-pairing with… you guessed it… BBQ! It was really fun, and I enjoyed snacking (making a meal) on the big variety of appetizers and sampler dishes they brought out.

Here’s what we tried:

N.V. Cavas Hill Brut Rose Reserva Artesania Cava ($12) to go with pulled pork and smoked chicken – This was my favorite wine of the night. Stunningly delicious – so fresh and crisp with light sweetness. Now that the weather’s getting chillier, this was a punch of springtime. I’m going back for some bottles of this!

2007 Petit Rimauresq Rose Grenache/Cinsault (Provence, France: $15) with wings and smoked turkey – This rose was more dense and mellow compared to the first wine. Less spring-like and crisp, it reminded me more of baked fruit, maybe like apricots in its heavier qualities. Not bad, but I’d rather have two bottles of the first one and skip this one next time.

2008 Bauer Haus Riesling QBA (Nahe, Germany: $13) to accompany white cheese and corn muffins with honey butter – SUPER SWEET! If your friend likes White Zinfandel, give her this instead. A little of this sweet wine would go a long way for me, but I think it would be really awesome with a spicy asian dish. I’d love a slightly less sweet version of this wine, but I would definitely not turn down a glass of this Riesling.

2008 Terra Antiga Vinho Verde (Portugal: $13) to pair with oysters on the half shell – Ah, one of my new favorite wines from this summer. It’s like honeysuckle. Go get a bottle if you haven’t already. It’s awesome. I didn’t try it with the oysters (they were out of season, and I don’t like raw oysters… enough said)

2007 Winzer Krems Gruner Veltliner (Austria: $13) with bacon wrapped shrimp and boiled peanuts – Nice light sweetness but high on the citrus flavors. It paired well with the shrimp, but overall I wanted less citrus and less acid.

2006 Flora Springs Barrel Fermented Chardonnay (Napa, CA: $21) to go with deviled eggs – I said “no, thanks” to the deviled eggs, but for folks who like a mild oaky, buttery Chardonnay, you’ll like this Flora Springs. For non-oaky, non-buttery Charddonay fans, skip this one and get a Le Chat Rouge instead.

2007 Umani Ronchi Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (Italy: $13) to accompany frog legs and grilled portabella sandwich – This was my favorite red wine of the tasting. It was mild and fruit-forward, not overpowering, just a great humble wine. I see a few bottles of this coming my way soon.

2007 Finca El Origen Malbec Reserva Mendoza (Argentina: $11) to pair with pulled pork salad – This wine packed a punch in terms of jammy and spicy. I didn’t dislike it but I never embraced it either.

2008 Penelop Sanchez tinto Joven (Spain: $14) with brunswick stew – As with most grenaches, the high tannins didn’t deliver the experience I wanted. When paired with a heavy stew, the tannins would be balanced better, but still…

2007 R&B Swingsville Zinfandel ($12) with andouille sausage, red beans, and rice – I think I tried this wine back in the summer at the Smyrna Wine Festival. Recommended.

2006 Vaca Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Small Lot Reserve ($14) with Texas beef brisket – EXCELLENT Cab. Medium tannins (but goes great with food), some spice but not overly so, and full-flavored. Go get some!

2005 d’Arenberg d’Arry’s Original Shiraz-Grenache (Australia: $17) to parnter wth Carolina-style spare ribs – This wine was enjoyable and it definitely goes great with a big piece of meat.

2007 Opolo Vineyards Summit Creek Zinfandel ($21) paired with baby back ribs – Reminded me of a port in its dessert wine similarities. Lots of caramel flavors. I prefer a lighter zinfandel to this dessert bomb but it was fun to drink. Skip mentioned it would pair with chocolate really well… I might have to try that one at some point. A Vosges Barcelona Bar would do the trick.

From Highland Wine’s tasting notes:

Some wines are serious, some are fun, and some are head scratchers. This little treat falls into the fun category. It comes from the sunny south of France, and it comes out of the bottle smiling. Tasting of fresh grapes, warm sunshine and an oak-free birth, Chat Rouge Chardonnay was made to drink on the deck, at Chastain or to enjoy at a cookout. I had it with barbequed pork (eastern NC style, the only proper way to have BBQ and it worked very well!

I usually don’t like Chardonnays. This one was a gem! Light, not buttery, not oaky, and not too alcoholic. Just a nice, mellow wine. Not the fresh fruitiness that I love in a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio or a Reisling, but a delicious Chardonnay. I’m glad I don’t hate all of them. I would definitely get this one again.

Check out the notes from the wine maker as well. Neat little story about the wine-guardian cats from the Beaujolais region of France.

Origin: France

Where: Highland Wine & Crystal

Price: $10.99

Next time: Get a glass!

This yummy white wine from Washington State was around $10-$12 at Harry’s Farmer’s Market. Perfect for summer, it’s crisp and sweet although more on the medium-bodied side without too much acid. Perfect for a day of chilling out by the pool. I had a glass with some baby back BBQ ribs… maybe a weird choice, but it was already open and it turned out to be a nice contrast.

According to the label, Kiona Vineyard is a family-owned winery in arid, central Washington, and “kiona” is a Native American word for “brown hills.” The Kiona Vineyard has a pretty interesting story, with the original vineyard site lacking roads as well as any utilities. John and Ann Williams literally had to pave the way to get this vineyard off the ground.

Where: Harry’s Farmer’s Market

Origin: Washington State

Next time: Get a glass!

Last weekend, I made the trek to Harry’s Farmer’s Market. Besides finding lots of fabulous tomato varieties, they had a great wine promotion – buy 6 bottles, get 10% off! Very nice compared to most retail wine shops that insist a 12-bottle purchase to get the same discount. So… I stocked up on a few new ones, including this Gruner Veltliner made by Austrian winemaker BioKult.

From a design standpoint, I love the bottle! Very contemporary and trendy-looking. It definitely stands out on the shelf. The color is beautiful and the nose is nice. However, I wasn’t in love with the taste. Not bad by any means, but it didn’t blow my socks off. Seemed a little too smooth or creamy for a white wine. It wasn’t overly sweet, nor did it have a lot of acidity. Very middle of the road.

Tasting notes from the wine maker:

Pale silvery straw color. Soft and inviting aromas of citrus custard, minerals, and prairie grass follow through on a supple, silky entry to a dryish light body with touch of white pepper and a dry, soft, lingering lime rind and talc fade. A very nice and refreshing aperitif, or serve with scallops.

Origin: Austria

Where: Harry’s Farmer’s Market

Next time: I’ll pass.

On Monday, Muss & Turner’s hosted an amazing wine dinner featuring five wines by winemaker Stephen Ross Dooley. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve ever been to a dinner where everything was so elegantly planned around the wine! Even better, winemaker Stephen was able to attend and shared a bit of his story – how he entered into the wine business and his general approach to making wine. Also, the other folks at the dinner were all very fun and interesting, so I was very excited to make some new friends!

Now, on to the food and wine info!

The 2008 Pinot Gris paired very nicely with a salad of local vegetables, lettuce, and buttermilk dressing. Everything here was just excellent – very simple but all the fresh, local veggies just felt like summer.

The 2006 Edna Valley Chardonnay was served with an absolutely delectable combo of fresh georgia shrimp, riverview farms grits, and arugula chimichurri. The Chardonnay was of the full-bodied and buttery, so not really my style. However, the shrimp and grits was unbelievably good. (around $22 per bottle)

The 2007 Central Coast Pinot Noir accompanied a serrano “ham salad,” with quail eggs, spanish white anchovy, and cornichon vinaigrette. Overall, this was my least favorite pairing. The Pinot was light but didn’t quite measure up with enough fruit for me. The salad, on the other hand, had a nice flavor – except for the anchovies. I am just one of those people that really don’t like anchovies. My dislike boils down to the texture. Between the skin and little teeny bones, it’s just not a pleasure texture for me. (around $24 per bottle)

The 2006 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir complemented a duck confit, local beet salad, belle chevre, and mint. WOW! This wine and food pairing were fabulous! I often do not like duck… too gamey or too medium-rare. This duck was absolutely amazing though! I often dislike beets as well – but not in this dish. Everything just went together so well in terms of flavors and textures. The Pinot was delicious – very smooth, lots of raspberry fruit flavors. Just fabulous! (around $35 per bottle)

The 2006 Aubaine Pinot Noir totally rocked with the herbed gnocchi, braised riverview farms beef shank, and house made ricotta. I was beyond full after all these dishes, but this gnocchi and beef combo was superb. There was no way I was going to leave anything on that plate! The Pinot was rich but still very smooth, just great! (around $40 per bottle)

The final touch was a spoonful of chocolate mousse with coursely ground salt and other chocolate shavings on top. It was the perfect ending, and thank goodness, a small but wonderful bite!

Thanks, M&T’s and Stephen Dooley – this was a night well spent! Looking forward to having some of these Pinots again.