South of the James

The world of wine can be an imposing thing for many people. Sure, Sideways created a fine wine craze – and elevated Pinot Noir to cult status – for talk to any eager wine drinker, and he or she will eventually go on and on about the dreaded wine snob. Funny thing is, when you talk to wine snobs they go on and on about how they’re not really snobs, but that people really should take the time to learn to appreciate wine. Well, there’s more than a hint of truth in both camp’s sentiments.

As someone who enjoys a nice glass of wine every once in awhile (OK, there are like 50 corks in our kitchen from this year’s consumption alone – and we still have 5 weeks left in the year!), I sometimes shy away from the more haughty denizens of the noble drink. Frankly, whenever I try to talk about a wine’s “nose” or how a particular offering is very “fruit forward,” my imagination runs wild, and I start to giggle. But, being absolutely fascinated by the wine-making process (thanks to a number of tours from Virginia’s very own wine industry), I know that you have to go a bit further than, “this is real good” if you want to discover the veritas in the vino.

There are plenty of wine writers out there, including a few good wine bloggers around Metro Richmond. While, I won’t proclaim oenophile status a la Niles and Frasier Crane, Boone’s Farm just doesn’t cut it any more. Having attended the great Wine Festival in Norfolk a few months back, I decided that I’d eventually put my thoughts out there just to see what happens. So, in the spirit of my favorite upcoming season, I’ve got recommendations about a few delectable white wines (yes, you can drink whites when it’s cold) that will help turn the next few months into your own winter wonderland. These are typically available at your average wine shop or larger retail outlets like Total Wine, Costco, and better grocery stores (Kroger, Harris Teeter, etc).

These recommendations are presented roughly in order by price range, and for more comprehensive tasting notes and ratings, check out the wineries’ websites or grab a wine magazine. The vintage years listed are the most recent available, as the winemakers produce and/or release versions of each on an annual basis.

Ironstone Vineyards, Symphony Obsession (2005) – Made from the Symphony grape, a 20^th-century hybrid of the Muscat and Grenache Gris, it has a crisp taste, is quite fruity, but not too sweet. You can drink this frequently because it’s inexpensive ($6-8), and goes great with poultry, fish, and even pizza (especially Hawaiian style). When you just need a bottle of white to drink, and you don’t want to make a big fuss or go on an adventure, head to your local grocer and grab it. You’ll see why they call it “Obsession.”

Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica Reisling (2005) – Supposedly, this is has a “slate” taste, but it’s kind of peachy to me, and it goes down smooth. It’s not terribly expensive ($15-25), thus it works really well for those times when you are a dinner party guest and need a bottle for your host. It also works well for when you have a limited budget but are hosting guests with diverse tastes in wine and food. The entire time I drank it, I just kept thinking, “Wow, this is nice, really nice.” Then, it was gone

Caymus Conundrum (2005) - Best. Wine. Ever. When I die, I want to come back as the bottle in which this wine is stored. Seriously, this might be the perfect white blend. The winemaker keeps the recipe a secret, but I swear there is some magic pixie dust in there somewhere. This stuff has a cult following in some wine circles, and once you’ve had it, the real conundrum is knowing when to stop. I’ve seen grown men nearly brought to tears after a few sips of this. For you singles out there, this is the perfect wine to impress a date or to make a bad date bearable. For you married types the $20-30 product is Barry White wine…baby-making time!

Rubicon Estates Winery Blancaneaux Viognier (2004) – Acclaimed film-maker and Nicholas Cage’s uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, offers up this doozy, named after his estate in Belize. I had this in San Diego last year, and I’m been itching to fly back just to drink more in that setting. Maybe it was the great seafood pairing, or maybe it was the very nice waiter who made me an offer I could not refuse, but this was velvety smooth with incredible complexity that virtually massaged my tongue. Fair warning: this stuff is usually in $30-40 range for retail, thus it’s not everyday drinking. But it sure is worth it.

Hollywood & Vine Cellars 2480 Chardonnay (2005) – I’ll admit it – I’m not a Chardonnay fan. Maybe it’s because everyone and their mama orders it and California is basically awash in the stuff, but usually it tastes too much like the love child of Granny Smith apples and an oak tree for me to be happy. But, 2480 is different. I was introduced to this over a year ago, and I was hooked. The aging is close to perfect, and it has just enough oak to give it character, but not enough to overpower the flavorful apple hints. The great thing about it is that you can hold on to it for a few years (say 2-3) and it will change subtly but enough to give you a different experience every time. The price tag on this is hefty (usually north of $35), so make this your “I need to impress the in-laws or future in-laws” wine and read up on the story about how it goes its “2480″ moniker so that you can appear charming.

Okay, so there you have it, my first attempt at wine writing. Granted, I’m no Robert Parker, Fess Parker, or even Tony Parker (the French brother in the NBA), but I like wine and I like writing, so I figured that I’d pair them up. I hope you enjoyed what I had to say, but I really hope that you try the wines and enjoy them as much as I do. Remember, if you didn’t like what I had to say, then you got your money’s worth!