BY ROBERT WHITLEY
The next big thing in wine is never a sure bet, and it often takes several years to confirm the call.
Albarino and gruner veltliner are perfect examples. These two white wines from Spain and Austria, respectively, were once relatively unknown to U.S. wine consumers. Now you can hardly stumble across a wine bar that doesn’t pour one or the other, or both, by the glass.
The rise of albarino was widely heralded; gruner, not so much. Without much fanfare, the crisp Austrian white was suddenly everywhere.
With that caveat, I’ve chosen three wine “things” I suspect you will be hearing more about in the coming year.
Furmint — The principal grape in the renowned sweet Tokaji dessert wines of Hungary is furmint. The same grape is used in the production of dry furmint, which is perhaps the most popular white table wine served in the trendy cafes and bistros of Budapest. Dry furmint is a medium-bodied white that strikes a compromise between crisp, firmly structured whites such as gruner or albarino and richer whites such as chardonnay. The vintners of Hungary’s Tokaj region have banded together to mount a push to get dry furmint on the radar in the U.S., hiring a Napa Valley marketing company to beat the drums. The biggest obstacle furmint faces in the U.S. is the Hungarian language. Pronouncing producer names is a serious challenge. So for starters, stick with Royal Tokaj, which makes a dry furmint I’ve enjoyed over the past few vintages.
Washington — The state of Washington is poised to challenge California and Oregon in the hearts and minds of U.S. wine consumers. With tremendous expansion of vineyard plantings over the past couple of decades, Washington’s wine industry has matured into a powerhouse, with a significant emphasis on the so-called Bordeaux grape varieties — cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, petit verdot, cabernet franc — and red Bordeaux-style blends. Chateau Ste. Michelle, long the industry leader in Washington, is at the forefront, but there are scores of others — Maryhill and Betz come quickly to mind — making beautifully structured, cellar worthy wines from the Bordeaux grape varieties. And for the most part they don’t come with a hefty price tag.
Rueda — This region in central Spain produces arguably Spain’s most popular whites, at least within the Spanish borders. The principle white grape is verdejo, with viura and sauvignon blanc. The finest whites are either 100 percent verdejo or use verdejo as the primary component. Verdejo is a high acid grape variety that makes a crisp wine with firm backbone and distinct minerality. Rueda benefits from its Atlantic influence in that regard, with cooler nights and colder winters than wine regions closer to the Mediterranean. Verdejo is an exceptional food wine, particularly when paired with steamed shellfish or all manner of grilled fish. Jose Pariente and Fuente Elvira are two top producers.
Best Value
Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer’s enthusiasm for the recommended wine.
Peter Lehmann 2013 Shiraz ‘Portrait,’ Barossa Valley, Australia ($17) — Australian wines first made inroads in the United States more than a decade ago with a bevy of red wines that undercut California on both quality and price. The Aussies have lost some of that early muscle, but a handful of producers can still bring it in the “value” arena. Peter Lehmann’s “Portrait” Shiraz is a meaty, intense example of Barossa Valley Shiraz, showing blueberry and boysenberry fruit with a hint of minty eucalyptus. Rating: 90.
Tasting Notes
MacRostie 2012 Chardonnay, Sangiacomo Vineyard, Carneros ($44) — This single-vineyard chardonnay from the renowned Sangiacomo Vineyard is straight out of the textbook. It strikes a balance between ripeness and structure that is essential to top-notch chardonnay, in my humble opinion, and it shows the classic notes of lemon oil and brioche that made white Burgundy famous for this grape variety. MacRostie is an underrated producer, but over the years those who’ve paid attention understand that MacRostie chardonnays and pinots are some of the best in California. Rating: 94.
Silverado Vineyards 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Miller Ranch, Napa Valley ($22) — Although it has changed stylistically over the vintages, the Silverado sauvignon blanc has long been a benchmark for this grape variety in the Napa Valley. Where Silverado once plumped up its sauvignon with a dash of chardonnay fruit, it now blends a small bit of semillon into the mostly sauvignon blanc final blend. It works because of the quality of the fruit that comes off the Miller Ranch. This vintage is a good example, showing complex aromas of citrus, melon and white peach, a nuance of dried herbs and a lingering finish that begs another glass. Rating: 92.
Calera Viognier Doux, Central Coast ($32) — Calera’s viognier doux is an exceptional dessert wine just in time for the holidays. It exhibits aromas of apricot and mandarin orange, with excellent balance and a lingering, clean finish. Serve this with holiday cakes and cookies, or fruit pies, or even soft-ripened cheeses. Rating: 91.
Clayhouse 2013 Grenache Blanc / Viognier, Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles ($23) — This Rhone-style white blend from Clayhouse makes the most of both grapes, exhibiting the pear and granny smith apple aromas associated with grenache blanc and the honey and stone-fruit profile of viognier. It’s clean and fresh, well-balanced, and a welcome alternative to richer and heavier or leaner and more acidic whites. Rating: 90.
Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru. To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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