I tasted some absolutely fabulous wines in 2014! Of the twenty-seven (27) vintages I’ve reviewed this year, the five (5) white wines noted below are personal favorites. Please be advised that the prices quoted are approximate, are subject to change, and may vary.
2013 Giovanni Almondo Arneis Bricco delle Ciliegie, $24.00 (Italy): The Almondo family has tended Arneis (pronounced ahr-NAYZ) vines for generations. The old vines of the single vineyard, Bricco delle Ciliegie, are rooted in sand that covers an old ocean bed. And the sandy soil seems to be the preferred habitat of Arneis, as the wines Almondo produces are quite extraordinary. I first sampled Almondo’s 2012, which was, indeed, excellent… But the 2013 is even better. It is a medium bodied wine that is both fruity and floral on the nose; and these characteristics carry over onto the palate, along with a marvelous minerality that is reminiscent of a first-rate white Burgundy. Your best bet is to Google it and see what comes up. This is definitely a wine worth seeking out.
2009 Adega Cachin Peza do Rei Blanco, $19.99 (Spain): This intriguing wine is a blend of three varietals: 70% Godello; 20% Treixadura; and 10% Albariño. According to wine writer Jancis Robinson, Godello “combines the structure of white Burgundy with the finesse of a juicily mineral grape.” Treixadura is a blending varietal that adds body and light lemony aromatics to wines. Albariño, which has recently emerged as a distinct varietal on its own terms, produces wines exhibiting clean ripe fruit flavors that are refreshingly high in acidity. The 2009 Peza do Rei Blanco is reminiscent of a fine white Burgundy – elegant, dry, refreshing – but at a fraction of the cost. If you’re searching for a respite from over-oaked Chardonnays, this may be your answer.
2012 Ca’ Rugate Monte Fiorentine Soave Classico, $19.99 (Italy): Ca’ Rugate was established by the Tessari family in 1986 and covers 30 hectares of rich, volcanic hillside in the commune of Monteforte d’Alpone in the heart of the Soave Classico district. Year after year, Ca’ Rugate retains the honor of being Decanter magazine’s favorite Soave producer. The 2012 Monte Fiorentine is a single vineyard bottling made from 100% estate grown Garganega that is vinified in stainless steel and rounded out by several years of bottle aging. Forget all the negative notions you may have about Soave. This is a beautifully balanced wine that is rife with aromas of exotic fruits, complex & medium-bodied on the on the palate, and rich in flavor. Highly recommended on all counts.
2013 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, $30.00 (South Africa): The 2013 Chardonnay from Hamilton Russell possesses the elegance, acidity, and balance that is reminiscent of a great white Burgundy… but it also exhibits the concentrated ripe juicy fruit of a New World Chardonnay. As wine critic Stephen Tanzer notes, it “Conveys a powerful impression of intensity without weight.” The wine is rich and concentrated, yet, at the same time, bright and refreshing. There’s a taste of citrusy lime at the outset, but this soon opens up to a nice roundness and intensity at mid palate that continues through the long, lingering finish. This wine should cellar well, age gracefully, and continue to be at the top of its game through 2019.
2013 Mussel Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, $12.99 (New Zealand): New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs have no parallel anywhere in the world. Explosive yet taut, they are alive with an exotic grapefruity/lime/passion fruit intensity that is also refreshingly herbaceous on the palate. Made in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels, they possess a crisp, razor-sharp focus for which they are rightly revered. The 2013 Mussel Bay is typical of this uniqueness. It is incredibly pungent on the nose, grassy & citrusy on the palate, and buttressed by a marvelously refreshing acidity. This is an incredibly delicious wine… and the price – I paid a mere $12.99 – is equally incredible.
Cheers!
TAD
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