#TJ Doc Jefferson

[stories-me]

Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 4/12/2023: 

TJ “Doc” Jefferson, the Mad Scientist Who Went From Crime to Cure: 

Appearance: (See above). 

What he’s from: Everyday Heroes. 

Affiliation: Redemption. 

Background: 

TJ “Doc” Jefferson grew up in the harsh streets of Chicago. He lived in a run-down trailer with his mother and brother, and they struggled to make ends meet. At the age of thirteen, he started cooking meth for a local gang, the Rolling 98s. It wasn’t much, but it was a way to make money and survive. 

As time passed, Doc’s reputation grew. He was smart, and he had a talent for chemistry. He moved up the ranks of the Rolling 98s, and by the time he was sixteen, he was refining heroin in an almost factory-like setting. They were using him, and he knew it. But what else did a poor boy from Chicago do? You smartened up and got the hell out of there, that’s what. 

One day, a school counselor caught Doc’s attention. She saw something in him, and she believed he had potential. She encouraged him to apply for a scholarship to Caltech, a prestigious university in California. Doc was hesitant at first, but he eventually took the counselor’s advice and applied. He was accepted into the program, and it was the opportunity of a lifetime. 

He ghosted the Rolling 98s, running to California with a new name and identity. He attended college, got a job, and eventually forgot all about his earlier life. From California, Doc moved to Miami. He made new friends. He started a life filled with sunshine and the feel of sand on his feet. 

But the past had a way of catching up, and old ghosts sometimes returned. One day, a close friend from Doc’s new life overdosed. The autopsy report said heroin, and the newspapers said it was the purest they’d ever seen. It was Doc’s own formula, and it almost broke him. 

As a kid, it had seemed like a game, but years later it had become all too real. And all too tragic. 

From his beachfront laboratory, he experimented, working frantically and tirelessly until he found a path to atonement in a simple chemical formula. He’d found a way to neutralize opioids and cancel the addictive response. This is when he truly realized that his brilliance had consequences. 

Doc’s breakthrough formula quickly caught the attention of the medical community. He was invited to present his findings at a conference in New York City, and it was there that he met Dr. Samantha Patel, a renowned addiction specialist. She was fascinated by Doc’s work and invited him to collaborate on a project to develop a non-addictive painkiller. 

Doc was hesitant at first, but he eventually agreed to work with Dr. Patel. They spent months in the lab, experimenting and refining their formula. It was a grueling process, but Doc was determined to make a difference. He knew that his past mistakes had caused so much pain, and he wanted to make amends. 

Finally, after months of hard work, Doc and Dr. Patel succeeded. They had created a non-addictive painkiller that was just as effective as traditional opioids. It was a game-changer, and the medical community hailed it as a breakthrough in the fight against addiction. 

Doc had finally found a way to use his talent for good. He had turned his life around and made a positive impact on the world. He knew that he could never erase the mistakes of his past, but he hoped that his work would serve as a beacon of hope for those struggling with addiction. 

Years later, Doc sat on the beach in Miami, watching the waves crash against the shore. He thought about his journey and all that he had overcome. He knew that he had been given a second chance, and he vowed not to take it for granted. 

Three days later, several well-dressed men and women turned up and brought him into a group called “Redemption”, where he could help even more people. 

How he is like me: 

We both are on a journey to change our lives. In addition, we both want to turn our lives around. Him by creating an addiction-free painkiller, and me by becoming less defensive. I suppose I might do this by trying to stay calm and not get as frustrated as I could. 

Kelsey’s Notes: 

His new life became who he was, his past was just that- the past-a memory. 

Sometimes the only way to cure a bad memory is for time to pass, and in that time making good choices makes those memories seem even more distant.   

He realized that consequences can be good OR bad.  

He helped make drugs and, in some way, might of thought this is the only way he can help people overcome their pain, he just wasn’t impacted by the addictive consequences.  

           Until it hit close to home 

He mostly wanted to survive, and sometimes we get looped into finding an easy way out when it comes to our family’s survival. 

Getting a real job, the right way doesn’t always make you the money you want, and life can get expensive.  Not everyone can hold a 9-5 job with health benefits or a way to build savings for the future. 

His character is a good reminder of persevering through whatever might be difficult or holding us down in life.  

The tough part is persevering through it all when life gets tough.  That’s where our support system and having people we can relate to comes in handy.  They serve as reminders to keep going and moving our life in a positive way (esp. when it requires hard work that we aren’t always willing to do) 

[tj-hearteyes-kippen]

we keep this love in a photograph

Have the world’s latest fix it fic! It would have died in my Google docs if it weren’t for tyrus week but it seems like a worthy contribution.  ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19926391

~~~

It started after costume day.

When he got home, he had a notification that Kira had tagged him in a photo. Of course it was advertising the two of them in their dumb ‘costumes,’ because TJ couldn’t escape his shame. The caption was mocking him. “The best costume partner a girl could ask for” it read. No one else would, but TJ could hear the emphasis put on the word girl. He scrolled away without liking it, not wanting to think about it anymore, but of course the next picture on his feed was one Buffy posted. It was her costume day photo which Cyrus was in, looking absolutely miserable, and TJ had never wanted to die more.

***

Buffy had cornered TJ at the basketball courts in the park later as she was on a warpath to protect her best friend, but it only took one nervous glance from TJ back to where Kira was sitting for her to start putting things together.

The way Buffy’s expression flipped from fiery anger to a more careful, calculating look was kind of terrifying as she looked at Kira over TJ’s shoulder. TJ wanted to curl up into a ball and put his face away forever. Apparently over the past week or so he had entirely lost the ability to mask a single thing he was thinking. Buffy flicked her eyes between the two of them once more.

Patient and understanding aren’t two words TJ ever would have used to describe Buffy before, but that’s exactly how she was as she slowly coaxed an explanation out of him.

Buffy didn’t look particularly surprised, but she didn’t say anything indicating that she already knew all of this and TJ could have kissed her if it wasn’t for, well, you know. “Thank you for trusting me.” she said calmly, but the anger was creeping back onto her face.

***

Buffy was insistent that even a shred of the explanation would make Cyrus feel better, and TJ could do vague so he decided that maybe just telling Cyrus that she found something out about him wouldn’t be too bad.

“I’m sorry.” is what Cyrus said in response, leaning into TJ and bumping their shoulders together. TJ’s head jolted up in surprise.

“You’re sorry? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you. That sucks.”

“You’re not even going to ask me what she knows?”

“I mean, I’m curious, obviously, but you don’t have to tell me. Not if–if you wouldn’t have told me without her interference then I don’t want to push. I don’t want you to feel pressured. That’s not fair to you.” Cyrus paused, heaving out a sigh. “But whatever it is, I won’t judge you. I could never hate you, TJ.”

TJ’s fingers were toying with the edges of his hoodie sleeves. Cyrus was being way nicer than he deserved. “You don’t even know what it is. What if it’s really bad? Scary?”

Cyrus gave him a hesitant smile. “I trust you. Against my best interest, maybe, but I do. I always have.”

TJ sort of hated that Cyrus didn’t hate him, because it made him feel so much guiltier about the whole thing. “I’m still really sorry. I should have called you at least.”

Cyrus placed a hand on his knee, unaware of the way it made TJ’s heart rate speed up. “It’s fine. I’m not mad anymore.”

***

TJ wanted to say that things went totally back to normal after they talked it out. They kind of did. He and Cyrus were talking again. They texted all the time, they hung out at school. It should have been normal. But TJ could feel something hanging over him every time they were together. He wasn’t sure if Cyrus could feel it too. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

Before, they had such an easy friendship. TJ never had to overthink. But now, everytime he caught himself smiling for too long, everytime he would reach out to drape an arm over Cyrus’s shoulder, he panicked. It was normal for them maybe. But it was stupid. Obvious. Obvious enough for Kira to see and TJ spent every minute with Cyrus worried that other people would see it too.

He was in a tough spot. He’d already almost lost Cyrus twice and both times were a nightmare. He didn’t want to take the risk of trying to push Cyrus away even just a little bit.

~~~

TJ was really starting to hate Instagram. It felt like he was being mocked every time he opened it, with photos of friends, teammates draped over each other in the easy comfortable way that TJ had gotten so used to and he missed it. He missed not thinking so much.

He decided to come out to Cyrus. He had thought, initially, that he would be better off keeping that part to himself. But he hadn’t anticipated the way it would feel to keep sitting on a secret that was apparently dangerously close to surfacing.

He cornered Buffy first, just to make sure he wasn’t making a galactic mistake.

Her eyes were soft and supportive when TJ asked her if it was a good idea. “I’m tired of being paranoid.” He said.

“He’ll always support you. He cares about you a lot, you know.”

TJ smiled. “Yeah, I’m starting to get that. Thanks Buffy.”

Buffy was right, as usual, and Cyrus didn’t just support him. He waited for TJ to choke it out, then gave him a small smile. “Yeah?” He asked gently and when TJ nodded, he quietly added, “me too.”

TJ wasn’t sure if things were going to change after that. He was a little worried things would be awkward after they put everything out on the table like that. Cyrus, for his part, almost seemed more tactile than usual. As if with no notice of TJ’s recent hesitance, Cyrus had started leaning into TJ when TJ threw an arm over his shoulder. When he caught TJ smiling at him for too long, he would give these sunny smiles right back before blushing and looking away. TJ figured that it was because of the fight. After the whole gun situation with Reed finally got resolved TJ was extra touchy-feely for a few weeks because he was so thankful to be on speaking terms with Cyrus again. But it didn’t slow down after a few weeks, it almost seemed like Cyrus was doing it more.

When they walked together, it was Cyrus now that was pushing up close to TJ’s side, making their hands brush together as they passed. TJ wanted to grab it. TJ wanted to grab Cyrus’s hand so bad but he wasn’t sure how that would be received. He used to think it would be overwhelmingly negative but that seemed less certain that it used to.

Cyrus was leaning all the way into TJ’s side after school at the spoon when TJ had an epiphany of sorts. Cyrus had initiated this. Cyrus had been initiating a lot of this kind of stuff recently. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was supposed to do about it though.

Buffy had this face that she had been making at the two of them a lot lately. She looked like she knew something (which, she did actually, because TJ told her). He could tell that she was holding her tongue a little bit.

~~~

He was jealous, if he really boiled all his emotions down to their core. He spent a lot of time with Cyrus and his friends. He had to watch Marty and Buffy at the spoon sharing fries and making jokes and unsubtly scooting closer together and all they had to endure was good natured teasing. He had to watch as Andi and Jonah and Amber all danced awkwardly around each other while Cyrus and Buffy insisted that they would figure it out eventually.

The thing was, it was a really nice photo of him and Cyrus. He wanted to post it, especially when the others were posting pictures from the day, but he decided a group shot would be safer. He still had an arm draped over Cyrus, and their smiles were just as wide, and it was generally a nice picture. It was a fine post. Not perfect, but fine was enough for now.

At the last minute he decided to post the one with Cyrus too, as the second one in the series. It wasn’t that weird. TJ wasn’t ashamed of his friendship with Cyrus. It was just a picture.

~~~

TJ found himself going to Buffy for advice again. If all of this ended up working out, he needed to get her a fruit basket or something.

“So,” he started casually, “we have the semifinals on Friday. Do you think Cyrus would like it if I gave him my other jersey to wear?”

Buffy gave him a huge smile. “Give him the jersey.”

“Do you think he’ll get it?”

“He should, he thinks that tradition is the cutest. But I’ll make sure to knock some sense into him if I need to.”

“You’re a good friend, Driscoll.”

She looked smug. “I know.”

TJ was intensely nervous walking around with his other jersey in his bag. He was basically the only one of his teammates who hadn’t yet offered the extra jersey to a girl he was interested in, for obvious reasons. It felt like a neatly folded weight in his backpack, but he was determined.

He waited until after school when he and Cyrus were walking together like they’d gotten in the habit of. He waited for a lull in the conversation, and then turned to Cyrus and said, “Hey, you know how we have the semifinals Friday?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t miss it!”

TJ grinned. “I know. Anyway, I have something for you.”

Cyrus placed his hand over his heart, giving a theatrical gasp. “A surprise? For me? You shouldn’t have.”

TJ was digging through his bag and he already had his hand on his jersey, but looked up with a smirk and paused. “I shouldn’t have? Oh, well I guess I’ll just leave this here then.”

“No! I changed my mind, you should have!”

TJ laughed and pulled his jersey out of his bag, thankful for Cyrus making the moment light. “If you insist.” He held the jersey out to Cyrus. “I was going to give this to you to wear to the game, if you want?”

Cyrus looked up at TJ with wide eyes. “For real?”

“For real.”

“I would love to.”

Cyrus was wearing TJ’s jersey over one of his button up shirts which was objectively dorky and totally not the correct way to wear a basketball jersey and TJ thought it was the cutest thing he’d ever seen. The game had come down to the wire so the last couple of minutes but Jefferson managed to pull it out in the end. The last couple minutes had been pretty intense and if the way Cyrus had dramatically dropped his forehead onto TJ’s shoulder was any indication he seemed to think so too.

“Think about me next time! My heart can’t take it, it’s too stressful!”

“Yeah, okay, next time we’re in a close game I’ll remind the boys your feelings are at stake.”

“Good.” Cyrus said with conviction.

“Hey, we need to get a picture.”

“We do?”

“Of course we do! You’re wearing my jersey, I want to post it.”

“Well then I guess we do.”

They called Buffy over to take a couple of pictures for them while she made fun of them for being “sappy” and “embarrassing.” TJ preferred to go with “really adorable,” but to each their own. The picture TJ posted was one from the back with his arm over Cyrus’s shoulder, showing off their matching numbers. He was sort of proud of his caption, proclaiming Cyrus as “the best other jersey half a boy could ask for.” No one else would get it really, but it was still satisfying to do. He hoped a little that Kira saw it. Cyrus had picked the one where he had surprised TJ by leaning up onto his toes and pressing a kiss onto TJ’s cheek.

The championship game was a week later. The last few minutes were surprisingly calm, in TJ’s eyes. It was like things were moving in slow motion. They were up by 6 with two minutes left, hardly a sure thing, but TJ had never been more certain that they were going to win. He blacked out a little bit after the final buzzer sounded.

If the end of the game was moving in slow motion, the few minutes afterward were going at double speed. He went through the handshake line with the other team, he got congratulated by his coaches, he hugged his teammates, and someone came down onto the court to give them their trophy. Suddenly it was in TJ’s hands and after a team photo was taken everyone’s parents and friends came rushing down onto the court. TJ was still holding the trophy as he scanned for Cyrus, who rushed down and jumped right into his arms. TJ spun him around a little, laughing as Cyrus yelled “You did it!”

There were a number of pictures that made the sports page in the school paper, but TJ’s favorite, the big one front and center was one of the two of them. TJ had one hand still holding the trophy and the other was wrapped around Cyrus’s waist, looking into each other’s eyes seconds before their first kiss.

[until-theend-oftheline]

Sebastian Stan Writing Challenge

I’m still taking a break from the quickies so I decided that April should be Sebastian Stan months cause why not? This challenge center around Seb and a handful of his characters. I listed the one you can write below. All the prompts are something either Seb or one of his characters have said at some point.

Due Date: April 30th (don’t worry about timezone. As long as it’s the 30th somewhere it counts.)

Word min: 500 words

Word Max: 5k words

Style: It can be a drabble, one shot or beginning of a series. Do not put in in the middle of an ongoing series since I plan on reading them and don’t want to read 10 parts of something to understand the entry. If you create a series only part one has to be posted before the due date.

Fandom: Sebastian Stan

Will you read and reblog my fic?

You betcha :D I am behind on reading for previous challenges so patience is a virtue here

When Do I Post?

Right now. Sign Ups start now and end when there are no more prompts or when the due date rolls around

Genre: Anything you want. You have to be over 18 if you write smut and you always have to warn accordingly! Fluff, angst, AUs, and crack are all welcome. I prefer none AUs - so fics that take place in the cinematic universe the character you choose is from. I don’t wanna limit you here though so if AU is what floats your boat, make it AU.

Limits on what you can write: No Mommy/daddy kinks, no non/dub con, no A/B/O, no merpeople. No underage. No incest or selfcest. No half animal anything, please. No glorification on cheating(it’s okay as a plot device but use it with thought), no wife, s/o (even exes) or actor hate in rpfs!

Format: State in your A/N that it is for my (until-theend-oftheline) Kari’s Sebastian Stan Challenge. And use the #Kari’s Sebastian Stan Challenge in the first 5 tags.

Pairing and word count also have to be easy to spot in your header!

Submit: After you posted on Tumblr you have to add yourself and your fic to this doc.  If you don’t do this you will not be added to the masterlist I create when the challenge is over. If you got questions - just ask :D

Doc link it case tumblr is an ass: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O0jY0nRXEOfcNggtmM124Ex54N1xgJCnQeaap9sg7WM/edit?usp=sharing

How do I join?

You pick a quote (all are something either Tom or one of his characters said) and a pairing off the list. Send me the prompt number along with a backup just in case and your pairing of choice. ASKS ONLY!! REPLIES, REBLOGS AND IMS WILL BE IGNORED!

There are no limits on the pairings but I only allow 1 person per prompt so think before you sign up. If you don’t think you will be doing it then don’t take the spot from someone else. For now 1 person can sign up 2 times (one prompt per story).

All pairings must be x reader (romantic or friendship) general fics - no selfcest!:

Sebastian Stan (rpf)

Bucky Barnes

Jefferson

Chris Beck

TJ Hammond (if you write him be respectful of and true to his sexuality please)

Hal Carter

Chris (from Destroyer can’t for the life of me remember his last name!)

Ben (The Apparition)

 Prompts:

1 If we do this, we accept the consequences

2 Do you love me? @docharleythegeekqueen (Jefferson x Reader)

3 Who the hell is Bucky?

4 You’re my mission @steebrogurz (Tj Hammond x platonic!reader)

5 Hey! Pick on someone your own size!

6 You don’t have one of those, do you?

7 I’m invisible. I’m turning into you. It’s a horrible dream.

8 It always ends in a fight

9 What was her name again?

10 They only love us when they aren’t busy hating us @blacktithe7 (Sebastian x Reader)

11 You always manage to abandon me when I need you the most

12 I didn’t get all the gay genes, but I did get the style ones @peterman-parker (Bucky Barnes x reader)

13 How did I even become this person? @writing-mermaid (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

14 Breasts are awesome @shreddedparchment (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

15 What is she thinking?

16 My friend just died. I don’t want my commander to die too.

17 So why all the cloak and dagger?  @becs-bunker (Chris Beck x Reader)

18 You know what the issue is with this world? Everyone wants some magical solution for their problem and everyone refuses to believe in magic @docharleythegeekqueen (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

19 You have to open your mind. @jewelofwinter (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

20 You don’t abandon family @peterman-parker (Sebastian x Reader)

21 Two lives forever at odds. Double the pain; double the suffering.

22 What’s crazier than seeing and not believing?

23 Do you think you can rescue me again? @jewels2876 (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

24 What do we need that for? We use it once and it’s gonna end up in the garage

25 Did you burn something? @averyrogers83 (Sebastian x Reader)

26 I’m gonna fog up your glasses next time @jewels2876 (Sebastian x Reader)

27 I definitely don’t think I’m well @dracris33 (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

28 I keep talking to you and every time I look at you, you just keep looking forward! @queen-of-the-avengers (Sebastian x Reader)

29 I don’t know. I’m Romanian. @queen-of-the-avengers (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

30 Well I gotta get in there, right? @shreddedparchment (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

MCU WRITING CHALLENGES

@ifyougetkilled-walk-it-off @captain-rogers-beard @dolphinpink310 @grace-for-sale @docharleythegeekqueen @rebelslicious @thorne93 @hillywooddestiel @peterman-parker @queen-of-deans-booty @acreativelydifferentlove @avengerscompound @blacktithe7 @becs-bunker @roxyspearing @blacktithe7 @cassiefanfic @readitandweepfics @kayla-of-shield @fangirlextraordinaire @thatfanficstuff @danijimenezv @hopes-archer @marvel_madam08 @averyrogers83 @thelookingglassalice @slowlywithfreedom @awkwardfangirl2014 @dottirose

[wineanddinosaur]

The 28 Best White Wines for 2021

For years, the most popular white wine grape on the planet has been Chardonnay. Winemakers love this French grape because of its ability to grow anywhere, as well as its malleability in the winery. We have become used to a certain style of Chardonnay in the U.S: deep, golden-hued wine with dollops of vanilla and butter and often a smack of sweetness from its high alcohol content. But we have evolved. We still dig deep and big Chardonnay, but winemakers across the major wine regions in the U.S. and abroad are showing that there’s more to this grape than wood and butter.

All of this is to say that, in my fourth year as VinePair’s tastings director, I have seen how diverse wines from this grape can be. It’s a grape consumers and wine pros alike should be paying attention to in 2021, which is why I’ve included a lot of Chardonnays on this list.

That said, there is so much awesome white wine that I want to share with you — some made with grapes you know and love, and others you may never have heard of. The bottles on this list are wines that I sip and immediately want to share, teach about, and watch wine lovers get excited over. I’m hoping this list will do that work.

These are the wines I feel we should celebrate this year. White wines from Austria and Oregon made from the same grape with different expressions. Blends from the Rhône that shine, and aromatic Italian island varieties thriving in the Central Coast. For me, wine is all about exploration. I want to try it all, at any and every price point. As I stated in my red wines roundup, wine is for everyone. Whether the white wine is $14 or $84, there is always a new white wine to experience, or a new style of something you love.

Enjoy this list, and know that this is just the beginning. These wines will start you off, but if you like what you see and taste, explore more in the region and style of that wine to see how diverse white wine can be.

Under $15

Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap White 2019 ($10)

South African wine is so innovative. The region is full of exciting blends and unique styles of varietal wines. From the most affordable to the most age-worthy, there is so much to explore. This wine is a great start. The blend is wild, but it works. For the price, it’s a nice, earthy wine and smells like almond granola, pears, and honey, with calm acidity. Keep an eye out for more awesome things from this country.

See Review

Saget La Petite Perrière Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($11)

This is a great option if you like the steely angles of wines from Sancerre. You get wafts of white pepper and pears, with bracing acidity. The fruit is ripe, the mouthfeel is bone dry, and it’s affordable enough to buy a few bottles for a picnic. Make sure you bring some goat cheese.

See Review

Loveblock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($13)

Wines from this region all have very similar aroma profiles: bell pepper and sweet cut grass aromas, with gassy acidity. The style is pretty consistent. This bottle has all of that, but in the right places. The bell pepper is muted a bit by a nice saline quality. Instead of being overly sweet, it’s fruit-forward, allowing the lively acidity to hold everything in place. It’s a kiwi Savvy B to seek out.

See Review

Line 39 Chardonnay 2018 ($10)

Party time! This wine smells like mangoes and pineapples, and the acidity winds through the wine like a good time. It’s under screw cap and ready to get down. What I’m saying is that there are a lot of cheap bottles of Cali Chard out there. This one is a solid grab and go.

See Review

Cavit Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT 2019 ($8)

This is the best deal on the shelf if you’re staring at a bunch of Pinot Grigio. You may know this wine already. It’s everywhere. But I feel I just need to reinforce the workhorse nature of this bottle. It’s crisp and refreshing. The fruit is balanced with the acidity. It’s a straight-up legit, solid, everyday white wine that will please all the palates.

See Review

Famille Perrin Luberon ‘La Vieille Ferme’ Blanc 2018 ($8)

Citrusy and thirst quenching, round and juicy, this is a great wine for well under $10. This winemaker has a knack for making balanced wines at a very low price, and this is one of them. It’s solid, and a great grab and go. Feels like a case buy.

See Review

Château Chatelier Bordeaux Blanc ($12)

There are some places in Bordeaux that make wine white fetching well-deserved high prices. But there are a lot of exciting options from this region that are well below $20 and are delicious for everyday drinking. Bordeaux is often blended with Semillon for a smack of sweetness and Sauvignon Blanc for a shot of acidity. The result is something like this great bottle. Salty and bright with grippy fruit, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

See Review

Decoy Chardonnay ($14)

This is another great cheap bottle of Chardonnay. It’s tart and smells like bananas and vanilla. It’s not very oaky, but it does have wooded vibes and good depth for the price.

See Review

Herdade do Esporao Reserva Branco ($13)

Some of the most solid, affordable, and balanced white wines on our market are from Portugal. So when you see one, grab it. This wine is bright and balanced, with fun, fizzy acidity. The palate is round, refreshing, and will raise an eyebrow or two.

See Review

Jadix Picpoul de Pinet 2019 ($13)

In the town of Pinet, locals nosh on piles of sea urchins and bivalves fresh out of the salty Mediterranean — washing it all down with their local, cleansing and refreshing Picpoul de Pinet. This bottle — crisp and vibrant with mildly tart fruit — will take you there.

See Review

$15-$30

Anne Amie Vineyards Pinot Gris 2019 ($19)

Last year, VinePair had the chance to taste a lot of wines from Oregon and discovered that the state has so much more to offer than just Pinot Noir. White wine grapes like Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and Pinot Gris are also thriving there. If the latter varietal interests you, this bottle is a great starting point. It has nice, broad depth with good acidity to hold up the slight weight.

See Review

Treleaven Reserve Chardonnay 2019 ($20)

New York, stand up! The Finger Lakes has become a national focus for wines made from Riesling. And man, are they great. But Riesling’s lean balance shows in other white wines from this ancient glacial land, such as this Chardonnay. This style is soft and creamy, with moderate acidity balancing a slight grip on the palate.

See Review

Gundlach-Bundschu Estate Vineyard Gewürztraminer 2019 ($21)

If you have never tried wine from this grape, then this is a great start. Gewürztraminer is a very expressive wine and can overwhelm the senses if even slightly out of balance. This bottle is harmonized in every layer. It smells like honey flecked with white pepper and has deep fruit balanced by frothy, vibrant acidity. You could sip this with some pad Thai or spicy wings, or you could just sit and enjoy it alone. It’s that balanced.

See Review

Jefferson Vineyards Viognier 2019 ($30)

Virginia is one of America’s most exciting up-and-coming wine regions. Thomas Jefferson would be proud. Speaking of TJ, this wine comes from land he once owned. The Viongier grape is quickly finding its spiritual home here and showing some true balance. This one smells like orange blossoms and honey. It has good depth and moderate acidity and a nice medium weight on the palate.

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Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2018 ($23)

This is a great Riesling for people who are not sure they like Riesling. It’s lush and alive with bracing acidity and a subtly sweet vibe. It’s very balanced and easy-drinking. Instead of the normal spicy food pairing recommendation, I’m going to say the subtlety here is real, so a legit cheese selection or a berry tart is the way to go.

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Inama Vin Soave Classico DOC 2019 ($15)

The wines of the Soave are so satisfying. If you like Pinot Grigio but need just a little more weight, these wines — plus a Caprese salad — are a whole afternoon. This bottle is one of the best on the market and will show how this region rolls; a shy depth on the fruit with a welcoming broad palate.

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Mullineux ‘Kloof Street’ Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2019 ($17)

Here’s another reason to focus on South African wine. This is such a classic yet unique representation of Chenin Blanc. It’s deep, filling your brain with salted honey. Vibrant acidity comes in fast like a sun beam livening things up. It’s that brightness that makes this usually weighty white stand out. If you like Chardonnay, give this wine a try.

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Alpha Estate Single Vineyard ‘Turtles’ Malagouzia ($19)

It takes a minute to sound out Mah-la-goo-zee-ah, but you’ll fall in love with the wine before you learn how to pronounce it. There is a whole world to explore in Greek white wine, as they have unique aromas and structures not seen in other wine regions. This wine smells like honey with a whiff of aloe. It has a wispy refreshment kind of mouthfeel, and you’ll find yourself grabbing a bunch of bottles of this for a summer day.

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Tablas Creek Vineyard Vermentino 2019 ($28)

Beyond the many styles of Chardonnay, there and so many white wines to explore in California. Vines from all over the world are thriving in the Golden State’s soils, thanks to winemakers’ skilled hands. This very Italian grape is making itself home in Paso Robles. This wine is like walking past a honeysuckle bush while eating a juicy pear. It has a crack of crispness on the palate and will make you forget your love for Pinot Grigio — if only for a second.

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Ridgecrest Estate Grüner Veltliner 2019 ($24)

I’m telling you: Oregon is coming for you with great white wines. The state is almost becoming Grüner Veltliner’s new home. This wine is all creamy lemons and apples. It has a nice slight depth with a bit of a grip. What a great addition to the already impressive diversity of American wine.

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$50 Plus

Dutton-Goldfield Rued Vineyard Chardonnay 2018 ($55)

The Russian River alone produces a wide variety of Chardonnay styles, but what I find interesting about this one is that it has direct connections to the grape’s home in Burgundy while being uniquely American. This wine is laser-sharp, yet grippy and deep. There is a subtle hint of oak, and enough acidity to balance everything out. It represents the elegance that only California sun can give Chardonnay.

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Hyde de Villaine Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay ($76)

Carneros, one of the cooler subregions of Napa, has the right moderate macroclimate for stunning Chardonnay. Please be sitting down when you first sip this golden wonder. It’s so balanced, it’s maddening — with whiffs of fancy French butter and hints of caramel that are harmonized by wiry acidity winding through the wine like a whisper. Sharing this bottle will be an exercise in patience.

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Jermann ‘Were Dreams’ Venezia Giulia IGT 2017 ($63)

If you listen to VinePair’s “Wine 101” podcast, you know how much I love Friulian wine. While there are many absolutely wonderful white wines from grapes like Ribolla Gialla and Friulano, this region is also known for excellent wines made from French varieties (some of the best Merlot in the world, in my humble opinion). If a Chardonnay could be soulful, this is what it would feel like. It smells deep and nutty, like almonds and honey. There is a lean channel of acidity running through the wine and letting the depth sink into your palate. What a great wine.

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Domaine Matrot Meursault Les Chevalières 2018 ($71)

With all the Chardonnay being made around the world, we can never forget its true home, Burgundy. And specifically, the chaotic soils of the Côte de Beaune, where this grape emanates it’s inherent characteristics like nowhere else. This wine is bone dry, with a layered creamy depth on the palate. The acidity is nervy and keeps depth and brightness in their corners, holding everything in place. The mouthfeel of this wine will make you stop for a second and think.

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Raul Perez Ultreia ‘La Claudina’ Godello ($71)

Godello deserves your attention. It was once almost extinct. Then, it was brought back to life as a focused, low-yielding Spanish grape, making refreshing and concentrated white wines that sing with cured meats and fancy cheeses. This bottle has a slight grip that contrasts the rich, deep fruit. But that depth is lifted by just enough acidity that brings in aromas of caramelized pears and honey.

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Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Clos du Bourg’ Première Trie Moelleux ($77)

South Africa is killing it with Chenin Blanc, but like Burgundy, we can’t forget this grape’s original home in the Loire Valley of France. I feel that sometimes, wines from Vouvray can be a bit confusing. This bottle is a good starting point. It has good depth and grip, with moderate acidity balancing the sweet weight and wafting up aromas of honeyed fruit. Pairing this wine with goat cheese is a dream.

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Weingut Hirsch Lamm Gruüer Veltliner ($58)

Gruner Veltliner is not only doing well in Oregon. It’s also pumping out liters and liters of delicious, everyday wine from its home, Austria. You may miss them, as they come in the form of Alsatian bottles — tall Riesling-like bottles with screw caps. But they are here, and they are awesome — sometimes aging up to 15 years and drinking well all the way through. Tart fruit balanced by fizzy acidity with a depth of fruit, this wine will lift in the palate like a spritz.

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Domaine Monier Perreol Saint-Joseph Blanc ($50)

The grapes Roussanne (Rue-san) and Marsanne (Mar-san) from the Rhône region of France are a match made in heaven. Roussanne’s deeply aromatic, sometimes oxidized nature is naturally complemented by Marsanne’s lean verve. These wines are so deep, wide, expressive, and satisfying that you’ve got to give them a chance if you haven’t already. This bottle shows all of this — smelling like flowers and honey, with moderate acidity allowing just enough weight to rest on the palate.

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The article The 28 Best White Wines for 2021 appeared first on VinePair.

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