A little bit of white

Regardless of the distant time between posts, I still drink my share of wine. In this first post of the new year I simply want to highlight a few affordable imminently quafable whites.

Currently at the top of my list are New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs from Marlborough. I've yet to have one I didn't like. Which means that I usually don't bother paying more than $20. This one from WhiteHaven always hits the spot and comes in around $16. Typically this is that perfect summer drink. But I personally enjoy these whites year round. The WhiteHaven has characteristics green flavors of cut grass and crisp lemon tartness. I drink it very cold.

This summer I visited the small town of Santenay in the Bourgogne of France. I did bring back a number of Burgundies, even one Santenay, but this isn't one of them. I bought this bottle because the 2005 I brought back is not ready to drink yet. And, this bottle is more affordable, even though it is a Premier Cru. Very nice.

The next couple bottle are definitely ones I recommend more for summer drinking. Gewurztraminer and Gruner Vetliner are both very light bodied grapes. They make the kind of wine you want cold on a hot day. I remember opening these on some of the last hot days of early fall. You can find them at incredible affordable prices if you shop around.


This bottle of Gruner Veltliner just below is sometimes as cheap as $9 for a full liter instead of the standard 750ml bottle. Gruner is a great picnic wine. Light, crisp, and fun. I try to keep them around for summer parties. It's the kind of wine to open when you were considering a beer but want something a little lighter and refreshing. In my experience it often has a lower alcohol content as well.

This Gobelsburger is a little more expensive. If I remember correctly it runs in the $13-15 range and is also very tasty and light.

This last white is not as cheap as the rest but comes from a large Sonoma county winery, Chateau St. Jean. I visited this winery a number of years ago and was not overly impressed by all the wines. But a couple stood out. I bought a rare Sonoma Malbec that was very pleasant from the reserve tasting room. This Chardonnay was also decent but certainly in the California style. Full bodied and buttery smooth. Pleasant for sure.