#best Chardonnay 2022

[trinityhill]

Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2022

Discover the Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2022, a top pick with vibrant flavors and a refined finish. Enjoy the best of 2022's Chardonnay.

[ripeteeth]

Top 3 wines? 👀🍷

Oh shit this is so hard!

3. 2022 Clos Cibonne, "Tradition" Tibouren Rose, Côtes de Provence, France

This is a serious rosé. It's still in the Provençal tradition - light and very dry - but this one edges from summer on into fall with notes of dried currants, cranberries, and bitter almond. It's aged under flor yeast, as Manzanilla sherry is, which minimizes the wine's exposure to oxygen and imparts a slightly salty and nutty aroma. It's made from 90% Tibouren and 10% Grenache grapes.

2. 2021 François Mikulski "Les Meix Chavaux" Meursault, Burgundy, France

I was lucky enough to get to taste this at an event a few months ago. This is an incredible wine from an incredible producer. Completely made from Chardonnay grapes, it's an intense, luscious wine with notes of apricots, peaches, white flowers, and almonds. This basically ruined me for the rest of white Burgundy, it's that fucking good.

1. Vilmart et Cie, "Grand Cellier", 1er Cru, Champagne, France

This is my current sparkling wine obsession. Aggressively effervescent in the way I like best, this has very fine bubbles that attack your palate with flavors of brioche and green apple. I've been telling my mom that I think the most amazing thing to pair with this would be a granny smith apple pie with cheddar melted on top. This is a delicious grower-champagne, a category of wines made not by major producer houses such as Veuve Cliquot, but instead by the wine-growing farmers themselves.

I'm just now realizing all my top picks are French. This wasn't intentional! I really waffled and nearly chose a Catena Zapata Malbec from Argentina or the Fontelloro Super-Tuscan that I'm obsessed with. Oh well

[wine-picks]

🇦🇺 🍷 Happy Monday! Enjoying lovely 2022 Wakefield Estate Label Chardonnay (89 pts, $17) from #Australia tonight. Arrived in LCBO VINTAGES last weekend and consistently a best buy! Full review: https://rebrand.ly/wr6kg98

[khushi156]

Best White Wines in Singapore: Top 5 Picks

San Martino - Pinot Grigio BLUSH DOC 2022

San Martino - Pinot Grigio Blush DOC 2022 is a top-rated white wine that stands out for its unique blush hue and exquisite taste. Ideal for those looking to buy white wine in bulk or shop white wine online, this wine offers the best quality available in Singapore. Its versatile flavor profile makes it perfect for any occasion, whether casual or formal. When exploring all white wines, San Martino's offering ensures you have a premium selection to enjoy. Discover the exceptional quality of this wine today.

Mario Gagliasso - Langhe Chardonnay DOC 2022

When it comes to white wine, the Mario Gagliasso - Langhe Chardonnay DOC 2022 stands out as a top-rated choice. For those looking to buy white wine in bulk or simply shop white wine online, this exquisite Chardonnay offers a remarkable tasting experience. Known for its exceptional quality, it’s a must-try for all white wine enthusiasts. Considered one of the best quality white wines in Singapore, it's perfect for any occasion. Explore more and enjoy the finest white wines available.

Giovanni Rosso - Roero Arneis DOCG 2022

If you're searching for the best quality white wines in Singapore, Giovanni Rosso's Roero Arneis DOCG 2022is a top-rated white wine worth trying. This exquisite white wine offers a crisp and refreshing taste, perfect for any occasion. For those looking to buy white wine in bulk or shop white wine online, this option stands out due to its exceptional quality and delightful flavor profile. Explore all white wines and enjoy one of the finest selections available. Cheers to finding your next favorite white wine!

Casa d'ambra- Le ninfe Bianco NV

If you’re a white wine enthusiast in Singapore, the Casa d'Ambra- Le Ninfe Bianco NV is a must-try. This top-rated white wine offers a unique blend that stands out among all white wines. When you shop white wine online, consider adding this exquisite bottle to your collection for its best quality and remarkable taste.

For those looking to buy white wine in bulk, Casa d'Ambra- Le Ninfe Bianco NV is a great choice, ensuring you have the finest wines for any occasion. Available at MrVino, you can easily shop this top-quality white wine online and enjoy the best white wines in Singapore delivered to your doorstep.

Casa D'ambra - Complicita Biancolella DOC 2022

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Experience the exquisite taste of Casa D'ambra - Complicita Biancolella DOC 2022, a top-rated white wine known for its exceptional quality. Ideal for those looking to buy white wine in bulk, this wine offers a delightful blend of flavors, perfect for any occasion.

Whether you're looking to shop white wine online or explore all white wines available in Singapore, Casa D'ambra stands out for its unparalleled taste and elegance. Recognized among the best quality white wines in Singapore, it's a perfect choice for wine enthusiasts seeking premium selections.

To explore and purchase this outstanding white wine, visit MrVino.sg.

[capellilavita-blog]

GlenWood Chardonnay Timeless Elegance

This year marks a major milestone for GlenWood Vineyards, as 40 years ago owner Alastair Wood, purchased the land, with a vision to produce world-class Chardonnays. Twenty-four years later his vision is still as bright, as not only has GlenWood earned global recognition, but has become known as the Home of Chardonnay in Franschhoek.

A haven for Chardonnay enthusiasts the current portfolio comprises the Grand Duc Chardonnay 2022, Vigneron’s Selection Chardonnay 2023 and the GlenWood Chardonnay 2024.

Reflecting their noble heritage the Grand Duc Chardonnay 2022 scored 93 points at the 2023 Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge. Previous vintages were awarded a 5-star rating in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Platter Wine Guide, 91 points in the Tim Atkins Special Report on South African Wines, as well as a Gold medal at the 2020 Michelangelo Wine Awards. Without a doubt, an investment wine, winemaker, Natasha Pretorius, describes the wine as a yellow straw colour, with rich vanilla and ripe pineapple aromas. The gentle use of oak results in a palate with toasty vanilla notes, carrying through to citrus and marmalade flavour on the aftertaste. Available from the Tasting Room at R740 per bottle.

Cellar Master, DP Burger, who has been at GlenWood for more than 30 years was closely involved when it came to only selecting the best grapes for the Vigneron’s Selection Chardonnay 2023, which is currently available from the Tasting Room at R350 per bottle. A magnificent yellow straw colour with subdued aromas of tropical fruits and vanilla. A creamy palate with prominent citrus flavours and dried orange peel on the aftertaste, results in a full, rich and nutty wine. Truly a handcrafted work of ‘art’ this vintage scored an impressive 92 points at the 2023 Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge, as well as a 5-star rating in the 2023 Platter Wine Guide for a previous vintage.

[thegrapedcrusader]

Christmas Wine Guide 2023

I'm sure I only did my last festive wine guide around 6 months ago. Time is flying and Christmas will be here before you know it. Here's my guide to what you should be drinking this year with the usual irreverent categories..... Happy Christmas everyone!

The "Champagne is getting a bit pricey isn't it?" sparkling choice - Jansz Premium Cuvee NV Tasmania - £14.49 Waitrose

The rugged region of Tasmania probably isn't the first place you think of for elegant and charismatic sparkling wine but the clever chaps at Jansz are certainly making it work. This blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is terrific and punches far above its price point. Some stunning value here (currently £4 off in Waitrose) and a regular for us at home.

The "I want to take something a bit different round to my friend's house" wine - Orange natural wine Recas Estate 2022 - £14.40 Tanners

If you're not the only person that rocks up with a natural orange wine from Romania then you're at a very civilised gathering indeed. This blend of Fetească Regală, Muscat Ottonel, Riesling and Pinot Grigio is full of rich apricot and orange notes and has a slightly nutty / brioche finish. This never fails to impress when I open a bottle and being sulphite free is an added bonus.

The "Christmas spirit (no not that spirit)" option - Altamura Distilleries Premium Vodka - £32.50 Master of Malt

Until a few years ago I thought my vodka days were behind me (and even then they were cheap mixer days at best). Having begun delving into the world of fine vodka a few years ago however I've been stunned at some of the offerings available. This vodka is crafted from 100% Altamura wheat, a heritage grain cultivated for over two millennia in Italy's Puglia region. The resulting vodka has a citrus and aniseed flavour which whilst excellent in a high end cocktail is even better on its own with a few ice cubes.

The "You have to have a Pinot Noir with Christmas dinner" option - Domanie de la Metairie d'Alon Pinot Noir Village 2021 - £17.99 Majestic

I've long been a believer in the incredible match that Pinot Noir proves to a Christmas dinner. Typically I've gone New World, particularly Central Otago (NZ). This French example from close to Limoux in southern France really impressed me recently. An elegant and fresh wine with hints of cherry and liquorice that will work well if you're organised and eating relatively early in the afternoon.

Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas!

Richard

[grapegoddess]

Adventures in Mexico

As a young wine director in NYC back in the early oughts I found myself in charge of two beverage programs for Chef Richard Sandoval - one very cocktail focused - but the other, in mid-town, with a Vera Cruz style seafood menu allowed me the ability to create an interesting wine list.

I was asked to find some wines from Mexico to add to the list, and at this point in my short career I had never even seen let alone tasted a wine from Mexico at a tasting, so I searched the far corners to find a wine I felt could fit my experimental and artistically curated list. I was able to source only 4 wines I felt could fit, unfortunately most of them commercial offerings such as L.A. Cetto and Santo Tomas but I did notice Italian varietals seems to fare well in the warm and dry Baja peninsula as well as Chenin Blanc with its naturally high acidity.

Fast forward a decade or so to my first trip to Valle de Guadeloupe in 2017 - deliciously surprised by this burgeoning culinary and wine destination. I began to keep my eyes and ears open to this South of the Border Region - almost out of reach in terms of earths margins for vineyard environment. The region was growing, it was finding it’s own new voice and bucking tradition in the best way. During the pandemic years I was able to make a few trips down and watch as both the newer winemakers, wineries and growing regions found footing and began to create something really interesting. 

In November 2022 I decided to move to Baja temporarily, exploring not only the wines and the amazing farm to table - fusion, Mediterranean and of course traditional Mexican cuisine - but also the pulse, the energy and the ideas of the new guard, creating wine centric events - combining music, art, graffiti, tattooing and taking risks with varietals, blends and techniques. The following stories will seek to introduce and tantalize you to take notice, taste, visit and live like the people I have met and the wines I have discovered as we shared bottles and stories here in the Valle.  

My first Mexican Wine - L.A. Cetto Chenin blanc c. 2003 - I remember telling my staff it reminded me of a day at the beach - tropical, ripe, with a hint of sea air. The wine now is still ripe with Melon, Tangerine, Mango - with a touch of RS and has lost that briny tension unfortunately.

The Wine which made me question my life choices - Ventana al Alma Chardonnay - I don’t drink much Chardonnay and usually its from a cool climate, picked at a low pH without new oak and not overly ripe - keeping it’s natural acidity. With only 600 bottles made, this minimal intervention wine is 13.7% ABV with 4 months in 2nd use French Oak tasted more like an aged Chenin - the acidic profile wasn’t as intense but it was honeyed with a touch of oxidation but no real new oak characteristics - clearly picked at a lower pH this wine was an eye opener.

Lastly - the experience that made me realize that the Valle needed to be explored and it’s soul discovered was in spending time at Bloodlust wine bar - a garlic bulbed shaped dome in the middle of a Greek Amphitheater like outdoor dining and stage area where both live and DJ music events happen - the food has been delicious on every visit, the partnerships with Coffee roasters, wineries, artisanal spirits and local chefs abound and the community they are creating is like nothing I have seen in the states. It’s like a collective - where young people (Remember the drinking age is 18) flock in their anti-cool fashion to taste wine and hear music. 

Please follow me as I explore the wines and winemakers, the chefs and creators who are putting Valle de Guadeloupe on the map as a destination and giving it its own voice, unique in the wine world and unique to Mexico.

[jessebeckerms]

Rheinhessen: Weingut Thörle

Location: Saulheim, Rheinhessen, Germany Hectares: 28 Farming: certified organic People: Johannes and Christoph Thörle Website: https://www.thoerle-wein.de/

The village of Saulheim lies in Rheinhessen’s northern interior. Technically within the Nierstein district, one of Rheinhessen’s three Bereiche, Saulheim is about a 20-minute drive west of the town on the Rheinfront with its famous red slope. Saulheim is where brothers Johannes and Christoph Thörle have been steadily transforming their multigenerational estate since taking over in 2006 into one of Rheinhessen’s leading wine producers. The previous generation, Rudolf and Uta Thörle recognized the potential of Saulheim’s limestone soils and began to plant more Riesling and Pinot Noir in the hills around Saulheim. With their sons taking the mantle, Weingut Thörle is today certified organic and practicing biodynamic. The Rieslings have taken on a clearly defined and laser-focused style, while their Spätburgunder ranks among Germany’s best. 

Amid Thörle’s 28 hectares are three vineyards that would qualify as grand cru among Germany’s wine elite. These are Saulheimer’s Schlossberg, Probstey, and Hölle. Schlossberg is the coolest of the three, with deep clay and limestone marl soils, and gives the most elegant Riesling of the estate. Probstey is south-facing with exposed limestone at the vineyard’s heart. Voluminous complex Riesling and Silvaner are the results of Probstey’s sun and soil. Hölle, as the name suggests, warms up quickly and is wind-protected. The ground of Hölle is calcareous clay loam giving opulent Riesling and Spätburgunder while retaining precise acidity and an intense mineral impression. 

Johannes Thörle insists upon spontaneous fermentation and vinification in stainless steel tanks and aging in oak ranging from traditional large Stückfass to tonneau to Burgundian pièce, depending on the wine. Spätburgunder is fully destemmed, and after the Gutswein, most of the reds see a small percentage of new oak. While Riesling and Spätburgunder are the main varieties at Weingut Thörle, Silvaner, Sauvignon Blanc, and Burgundian varieties are all excellent here. For all the attention (and high ratings) the Thörle Rieslings and Pinots have gotten, Silvaner should not be overlooked here; the Probstey Silvaner is incredibly salty and smokey. There’s also an impressive Chardonnay reserve, planted in 1993, shortly after the variety was first permitted in Rheinhessen. The work of Johannes and Christoph Thörle has only just begun.

Weingut Thörle Riesling trocken Rheinhessen 2022

Weingut Thörle Silvaner "Kalkstein" Saulheim Rheinhessen 2022

Weingut Thörle Spätburgunder Rheinhessen 2020

Weingut Thörle Spätburgunder "Kalkstein" Saulheim Rheinhessen 2020

Weingut Thörle Spätburgunder Saulheimer Probstey Rheinhessen 2020

Weingut Thörle Spätburgunder Saulheimer Hölle Rheinhessen 2020

[menuandprice]

Cafe Mambo – Paia, Maui, HI

Happy Hour at Cafe Mambo – Paia, Maui, HI

Updated 10/25/2022 by the Maui Happy Hours team

Happy Hour at Cafe Mambo Paia from 3pm-6pm Daily

Happy Hour Appetizers - Chips and Salsa $6 - Onion Rings $8 - Fries $6 - Mambo Fries (Pork & Cheese) $10 - Cheese Quesadilla $8 Happy Hour Beers $4.50 - Corona - Peroni - Bikini Blonde - Big Swell - Seasonal Happy Hour Cocktails $7.50 - Margarita - Lilikoi Margarita - Mango Margarita - Bloody Mary - Mimosa - Maui Sunrise - Mambo Gin Happy Hour Wine $5.50 - Pinot Grigio - Chardonnay - Sauvignon Blanc - Tempranillo - Champagne —————————— Address: 30 Baldwin Ave, Paia, HI 96779 Phone: (808) 579-8021 Website About: Cafe Mambo Maui has been serving locals and tourists in the eclectic surfer town of Paia since 2003 and was once voted “Best Lunch” and “Best Burger” by readers of the Maui Times. It’s a funky, vibrant restaurant serving a creative menu of locally sourced burgers, fajitas & salads. Located in the seaside village of Paia, Maui, Cafe Mambo is the perfect stop when leaving for a day on the Road to Hana. Popular items at Cafe Mambo include their Crispy Duck Burger, Loco Moco, Mambo Burger, Seared Ahi Burger, Fish Tacos, and more. Cafe Mambo strives to use as many organic and local, Maui-grown ingredients as possible. Happy hour at Cafe Mambo is from 3pm-6pm daily and features discounted appetizers, beer, wine, and tropical cocktails.

According to these Cafe Mambo patrons

“Great happy hour drinks and starters. Friendly quick service at Cafe Mambo.”Susan G., October 2022 “I’ve only visited the beautiful island of Maui twice. Once with my wife then again with her family joining. Both times we ate here. I love the fun laidback atmosphere, especially by the window seating. The crispy duck burger was one of the tastiest things I ate on the Island!”Justin G., September 2022 “First family vacation to Maui we had been on the road , just enjoying the beautiful sights on the road to Hana. We stopped in for a late dinner. The people were not only friendly , they also delivered a awesomely good meal. The seared AHI Burger exceeded my expectations, the Hawaiian burger was excellent as well. We’ll definitely be coming back to Cafe Mambo whenever we come back to Maui.”Cecy C., September 2022 “Cute little restaurant with a wide selection of options. The food was presented well and tasted great. The drink selection is very strong as well. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a great meal in a casual atmosphere. Also, please note that it’s easier to get in to Cafe Mambo than the restaurants down the hill. Well worth the short walk!”Kyle C., September 2022 “We went there mid September on a Friday night around 7pm. They closed at 8pm. The had their famed crispy duck fajita and the fresh fish fajita. Both came with an assortment of guacamole, sour cream, tomato sauce, salad etc served on a different plate, along with the fajitas and the duck and fish each on different plates. We loved both! The duck was juicy and crispy; but too oily. The fresh fish unfortunately overcooked. This is a nice , original place to hang. Easy going, great after surfing when hanging out with yiur friend. The staff was super friendly even we were the last guests before closing.Chris I., September 2022 “This restaurant is such a cute little spot to get a casual bite to eat, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We chose Cafe Mambo for an early dinner after doing the Road to Hana and were not disappointed.We ordered Onion Rings (with the Curry Sauce), Tofu Nachos, Roast Duck Fajitas. My favorite dish was the Roast Duck Fajitas. Our server mentioned this is what they are known for and I can see why. I loved how they served the fajitas in the unique metal dish for all the ingredients. The Roast Duck had a very nice sweetness to it.Also, take advantage of Happy Hour. We will definitely be visiting this restaurant again (maybe even for breakfast or brunch).”Keith K., February 2021

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[thejuice-preceptwine-blog1]

STE. CHAPELLE by MAURINE JOHNSON

Spring began early in the 2020 season. Bud break and bloom were about three weeks ahead of average.  A cold snap in the fall of 2019 reduced yields on most varieties, but the quality remained outstanding.

Here at Ste. Chapelle, the 2020 vintage is a tale of two harvests.  The early ripening varieties such as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Muscat, Merlot and Syrah ripened about two weeks ahead of schedule.  We started harvest with grapes for sparkling wine cuvee on August 17 and continued to harvest through the end of September.  Yields were lower and the quality is outstanding.  Flavors are intense and bright with good balance and acidity. Reds are deep in color and concentration and whites are fruity and aromatic. Some good fruits can be extracted from Best vertical masticating juicers

The later-ripening varieties such as Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon have ripened on a slower, more average schedule.  October has been very warm during the day with a few record highs.  This has allowed the Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling that coveted hang time for increased varietal character and aromas.  We anticipate finishing up the harvest around October 30.

SAWTOOTH by MEREDITH SMITH

First off, I have been very happy with this harvest and I am excited to see the results in 2022 and 2021. Harvest started a week early this year and looks like it is going to end two to three weeks ahead of last year. Yields have been down, but aromatics, flavors, and intensity are present. Acids seem to be a little different, but overall, total acidity has held its ground.  

The whites have this beautiful expression of aromatic fruit, true to the varietals. There are lots of green apple on the Chardonnay, and citrus with the Riesling and Pinot Gris.  Our Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Grenache Rose, and Riesling are all spot on.

The reds are rich in color and on the palate with layers of complexity showing up in a number of varietals fairly early. Malbec is very fruitful with layers of flavors and I could tell when it arrived that is will be a nice vintage for Malbec.  Syrah is having another stellar vintage. The aroma, palate and complexity are all there similar to 2013–one of my favorite Syrah vintages. Petite Sirah and Petite Verdot are both showing deep rich color and flavors. One block of Petite Verdot shows a very nice expression of dark fruit.

[annekeam]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: LA CREMA Half Zip Pullover.

[paso-robles-wineries]

YES, the stellar reviews from Wine Enthusiast Magazine @wineenthusiast, Tasting Panel Magazine + @sommjournal are in + they are stunners! Ultra boutique winery, @chateaumargenewinery, that crafts small-batch, premium wines received 98 points, 96 points, 95 points, 94 points, 93 points, nothing lower! Now we know that both the critics + sommeliers are swooning over their Bordeaux-style, Pinot Noir + Chardonnay wines that were up against some of the best in the world in these competitions. Plus their farming practices are organic + sustainable 🍃. (When speaking to Bordeaux or Bordeaux-style wines, the 5 noble grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec + Petit Verdot.) SOMM Journal is so impressed that they are featuring @chateaumargenewinery in an article on boutique Paso Robles CAB producers that is coming out in their Nov 2022 issue. Owner/grower/winemaker Michael, + his beautiful wife Margene, approach their wine with thoughtfulness + skill that shines through in their highly regarded wines. And of course their vineyard terroir paved the way for their wins. It therefore follows that vineyard choice + vineyard practices stand at the heart of all their wines. Many factors went into deciding where to plant their estate (Bordeaux varietal focus) + where to acquire the cooler climate Pinot Noir + Chardonnay grapes. Notably, Michael knows every block, every row in the estate vineyard + shares the equal vision with his outsourced vineyards' managers - to grow the best possible fruit, picking at the perfect time + letting the elegant character of the vineyard speak clearly in the outstanding, finished wine 🍷. So kick back, relax + savor the best! @chateaumargenewinery is a must-visit winery. The wines are stellar, the vibe is relaxed, the tasting garden setting is tranquil + of idyllic beauty (roses abound) + the people are most friendly. If a trip to Paso isn’t on your menu anytime soon, you can purchase their wines online - what greater gift for your special everyone. Open for tastings + interesting tours Fri-Sun by appt. Call 805-238-2321 or go to LINK IN BIO. VIRTUALLY TOUR Chateau Margene, text CMargene to 805-800-8614. (at Chateau Margene Winery) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckdj9l_LuiU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ripeteeth]

Hi!! First: congrats on becoming a sommelier! And relatedly, for the three q’s meme, in your opinion:

1) Best bottle of white and/or red under $50

2) best bottle of white and/or red under $30

3) the wine that’s tickling your fancy the most right now

Thanks! And god, it’s so hard to single it down to best, but here are some that I’m loving right now!

1. Under $50

2020 Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, California

As a general rule, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Au Bon Climat. A truly iconic winery founded by the legendary Jim Clendenen, Au Bon Climat has been instrumental in influencing the style of California Pinot Noir away from the overly jammy and blowsy big fruity alcohol bombs to something a lot more refined and elegant, similar to those made in Burgundy. In fact, Au Bon Climat is the only winery where I belong to their wine club and get regular shipments, all because I’ve never had a wine I’ve disliked from them, but I have had many I love. They’re my go-to for introducing someone to getting more serious about wine, and this particular Pinot is a beautiful example from a famous vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills, Sanford & Benedict, and from a parcel of vines over 50 years old, imparting a ton of flavor and character. I get notes of cherries and rosemary from this.

2. Under $30

2022 Greywacke “Wild Sauvignon” Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

I’m a complete slut for New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Truly, they are just SO fucking good. Sauvignon Blanc is such a fun vibrant grape and the NZ climate brings out the best in it, with a moderately cool climate that preserves the acidity well, but also with a lot of sunlight that brings out notes of tropical fruit, green bell pepper, and jalapeño. (One of my favorite wine facts is that Sauvignon Blanc grapes have pyrazines, which are the same aromatic chemicals that give bell peppers and chili peppers like jalapeño that characteristic green vegetal flavor. So there’s a good reason you’re tasting these things in wine, even if the peppers have never been in the wine! Science, baby!)

My current favorite is 2022 Greywacke “Wild Sauvignon” Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand. It’s vibrantly green and lush and tastes almost athletic to me. Lots of papaya and green mango, something grassy and herbal, this is a perfect summer wine. I like to bring it down to the beach near my dad’s place and just drink it all day at the lake. I think Total Wine frequently carries this, so it shouldn’t be hard to find.

3. Wine tickling my fancy most!

2019 Left Foot Charley, “Gitali” Blanc de Blancs, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan

If there’s something to know about me, I’m deeply passionate about Michigan wines. Michigan is where I grew up, not far from the Fennville and Lake Michigan Shore AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) and all of this pursuit of wine knowledge is in the hope of starting my own vineyard and winery there. Michigan has always had some great sleeper wines that you can get for a goddamn steal, since many people aren’t aware of how good they can be (to be fair, there is also a lot of really really bad wine), and Left Foot Charley is one of my two top favorite producers in the state (the other being Mawby). These two producers are really serious winemakers and they fully believe that Michigan is ideally situated for becoming the sparkling wine capital of the U.S., something I fully agree with and support. That said! This is a really delicious dry sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and in the traditional method, which is the same method used in making Champagne. The bubbles are very delicate, small, and explosive, and it has beautiful notes of yellow apple, toasted brioche, and yellow cherry.

[thegeekx]

Best Wine and Alcohol Advent Calendars 2022 | Holiday Recipes: Menus, Desserts, Party Ideas from Food Network

Best Wine and Alcohol Advent Calendars 2022 | Holiday Recipes: Menus, Desserts, Party Ideas from Food Network

If you’ve been really curious about wine recently, but haven’t had the opportunity to wet your whistle during the year, this Advent calendar is a wonderful way to get yourself familiarized with various wine varieties, like Pinot Noir, Rosé, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Inside the calendar, you’ll find 24 different mini bottles, each amounting to nearly a full glass! credit

[capellilavita-blog]

5-𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙂𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙒𝙤𝙤𝙙

Continuing their commitment to producing quality Chardonnay, GlenWood Vineyards in Franschhoek was recently awarded a 5-star rating for their Vigneron’s Selection Chardonnay 2022 at the launch of the Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2024. An event attended by key role players in the wine and media industries.

More than 8 000 wines, brandies, and husk spirits were judged for this year’s guide, with over 900 producers entering their products, continuing the guide’s reputation as the most comprehensive indication of the quality of local wines and wine-related spirits. Of this voluminous number of entries, only 226 wines secured five-star ratings.

A brand that has stood the test of time, producing world-class Chardonnays, GlenWood Vineyards has become known as the Home of Chardonnay, Franschhoek. Its story began in 1984 when owner Alastair Wood had the vision, to build the brand (and land) from scratch, and over the years has established an enviable reputation for the outstanding quality of its wines.

Cellar Master, DP Burger, who has been at GlenWood for more than 30 years was closely involved when it came to only selecting the best grapes for the Vigneron’s Selection Chardonnay 2022. Available through the Tasting Room at R300 per bottle, the wine, which is a beautiful yellow straw colour, has a subdued nose with vanilla and marmalade aromas. On the palate you are met with citrus peel and butter notes, resulting in a crisp and lingering aftertaste. A lengthy and refined wine with a steely minerality on the finish.

“This latest accolade is not only a humbling experience but reaffirms my winemaking team at GlenWood’s passion in crafting the perfect Chardonnay for all year round enjoyment,” says winemaker Natasha Pretorius.

For more information visit https://www.glenwoodvineyards.co.za/.

[thewineauctionroom]

New Post has been published on https://wineauctionroom.com/one-of-the-best-new-wines-of-the-last-decade-is-from-tasmania/

One of the best new wines of the last decade is from… Tasmania

By Jancis Robinson, OCTOBER 15 2022

One of the most successful wines to have been launched in the past 10 years is made from grapes that travel 30 hours from vineyard to winery, including an overnight ferry journey. The Tolpuddle vineyard is in the Australian island state of Tasmania. Since 2011, it has been owned by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith, who ship the freshly picked grapes via Launceston and Melbourne to their winery in the hills above Adelaide in South Australia, about 1,300km away. Tolpuddle makes almost equal quantities of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

  In only its second vintage (2013), the Pinot Noir picked up three trophies in the 2015 International Wine Challenge (IWC), including Best Australian Red. In total, Tolpuddle wines have won 17 trophies in Australia and the UK. The 2020 Chardonnay alone won five awards at last year’s Royal Melbourne Wine Show. There is every likelihood that Tolpuddle would also have picked up trophies in the Decanter World Wine Awards, a rival competition to the IWC also held in London, but Hill Smith, who is also Australia’s first Master of Wine, is co-chair of the Decanter awards so does not submit his own wines for scrutiny.

  It seems appropriate, however, that Tolpuddle wines should be judged in the UK, since they take their name from the Dorset village famous for its “martyrs”. These were 19th-century labourers, dispatched to Tasmania as convicts for the crime of setting up an agricultural union. Their leader George Loveless served some of his sentence working on a property on or very close to where the vineyard is located. The 23.7-hectare vineyard was originally planted in 1988 on a site selected by the late Tony Jordan for Domaine Chandon, the Australian sparkling wine outpost of Moët & Chandon. (Jordan had a record of scouting out sites for vines, having spent four years travelling round China in search of the perfect spots for LVMH to produce sparkling wines and still reds.) Jordan planted the original vineyard along with wine producer Garry Crittenden of Mornington Peninsula, just south of Melbourne, and local landowners the Casimaty family. The idea was that, with it being virtually the closest bit of Australia to the South Pole, the cooler temperatures would provide suitably high-acid fruit for fizz. At this stage Jordan was also shipping fruit for Domaine Chandon 3,370km across the Nullarbor desert from the cool, far south-west of Australia in order to keep his sparkling wine refreshing enough.

  Australian wine producers are much less fettered by geography than their European counterparts. During the journey, either to Domaine Chandon or Shaw + Smith’s winery, the grapes have to be kept as cool and intact as possible so they don’t start to ferment. This requires refrigerated trucks and picking the fruit in shallow crates so that the berries aren’t crushed by the weight of those above them. According to Hill Smith, Tolpuddle’s 30-hour journey virtually replicates what is common practice with grapes grown on their own estate, of keeping freshly picked grapes in a cool room before fermentation to maximise freshness. Since acquiring the Tolpuddle vineyard, Hill Smith and Shaw have tweaked it considerably, pulling out clones that were specifically designed for sparkling wines and substituting mainly Burgundian ones, improving pruning techniques, building a dam to ward off frost and buying a further six hectares of neighbouring land.

  They never intended to buy land in Tasmania until they set off on a road trip through the island in 2011. At that time, Australia’s top winemakers were desperately looking for cool-climate vineyards, and the potential of Tasmania was just beginning to be appreciated by producers, if not yet by consumers. Some of the grapes from Tolpuddle vineyard were bought by Hardys for the blend of its flagship Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, for instance, and another big company was paying A$7,000 a ton, twice the going rate, for the fruit from one of the vineyard’s blocks of Pinot Noir. On their road trip, the cousins asked a young local winemaker Peter Dredge to organise a tasting of the best Tasmanian wines and found that “all the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays we loved came from Tolpuddle”, recalls Hill Smith. “So, some time later, we had an overdraft, no idea who would manage the property, nor where the wine would be made, but Martin, who is not given to spontaneity in any form, was amazingly set on it.”

  They can’t have regretted their purchase. Tolpuddle has done much to raise awareness of Tasmania as a still wine region. Extraordinarily, the first vines to be planted in any quantity on the island were the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. When global warming really sets in, then presumably this will eventually be substituted for the much earlier-ripening Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that dominate the island’s vineyards today. For now, Domaine A, which is under new ownership, is the only Tasmanian winery to have shown consistent mastery of Cabernet, the most famous red wine grape of Bordeaux. The current buzz here is making Tasmania’s answer to super-fashionable — and ever less affordable — red and white burgundy. Wine-minded climatologists like to compare “degree days” during the grape-growing season, when heat rises above a certain base temperature for growing.

Tolpuddle Wines Now Available at wineretailroom.co.nz 

  Tolpuddle, which is in the Coal River Valley, notches up an average of just 1,180 and the widely accepted minimum of 500mm of rain a year, while the averages for Dijon in Burgundy are 1,319 and 775mm respectively. Tasmania is being planted apace with vines but it’s still tiny compared with the rest of Australia’s wine regions, representing less than 1 per cent of national production. As Hill Smith observed when presenting Tolpuddle’s first 10 vintages to a roomful of sommeliers at Trivet restaurant in London last month, “You will spill more wine in a year than Tasmania produces.” The wines were truly exciting and, at about £65 or $70 a bottle retail for the latest vintages, 2020 and the even more approachable 2021, compare favourably with their Burgundian counterparts.

  I was swept off my feet a decade ago when I tasted the first Tolpuddle vintage, 2012, especially the Pinot Noir. The 2012 Chardonnay now looks not so much refreshing as positively tart. In this first year, they had the grapes pressed on the island and shipped juice, not grapes, to the winery in South Australia, exposing it to too much oxygen, so there was a problem completing the conversion of harsh malic acid to softer lactic acid. But that was the only real disappointment in this line-up of 19 wines, all screwcapped so they’re free of any cork taint or oxidation. (Vintage 2019 was the victim of wildfires and smoke taint, alas an increasing phenomenon in the wine world, so the 2019 Pinot Noir was sold off in bulk and the 2019 Chardonnay lacks the class of other vintages. But that was hardly the fault of the talented winemaker Adam Wadewitz, who arrived in time to make the second 2013 vintage.)

  Hill Smith also told us about his finest hour. Tolpuddle is the only Australian wine to have featured in the annual tasting of some of the finest wines in the world, organised by the fine-wine-buying club Ficofi in Paris every December. At this glamorous event a few years ago, Aubert de Villaine, the Burgundian figurehead then in charge of the world-famous Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, approached Hill Smith and said he’d been advised that he must taste this Tasmanian upstart. I advise anyone with a taste for burgundy to do so too.

  Favourite Tolpuddle vintages

Chardonnay 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021

Pinot Noir 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021

Tasting notes on Purple Pages of JancisRobinson.com.

Tolpuddle Wines Now Available at wineretailroom.co.nz