On Friday night my neighborhood tasting featured wines for dungeness crab, wherein I sandwiched (blind) a viognier and a Vouvray between four whites.
2013 Beringer Vineyards Chardonnay Luminus Oak Knoll
Not shy on oak with notes of green apple, honeysuckle, lemon curd and browned butter. Dry (in a horizontal of six whites, it was notably the dryest), mouth-filling and elegant with a long-lingering aftertaste. Tastes expensive, and should cellar well. Winery price on the '14 is $38, I got the '13 for $15 on closeout. .
2015 ÀMaurice Cellars Viognier Columbia Valley
Pretty, pretty nose of white flowers with kiwi fruit and white peach. Perenially one of the best viogniers made in WA.
2014 Buty Chardonnay Conner Lee Vineyard Columbia Valley
The ripeness of the '14 is quite evident in this wine. There's no residual sugar, but ripe flavors of lemon custard, apple, baked butternut squash and brioche gang up on your palate for a big, mildly cloying, finish.
2014 Raeburn Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Apples and creamed corn, RR spice; bright and yet silky/viscuous on the palate with a big malolactic presence. Delivers a lot for $18--this is the #1 selling chardonnay at our best independent local retailer.
2014 Guy Saget Vouvray Marie de Beauregard Chenin Blanc
What a lovely CB. Generous on the palate with acacia flowers, orange peel, lime peel, white nectarine, and spice. Bright and complex, made a great impression on my new world-centric group--they voted it WOTN.
2014 Wente Vineyards Chardonnay Morning Fog Livermore Valley
Delightful intensity with bright, complex orchard and citrus fruit; another major QPR winner from Wente Second place.
And some others Bob and I enjoyed this week:
2011 François Gaunoux Meursault Le Clos de Tavaux Chardonnay
Finally a good bottle (the last was both corked AND oxidized). Nice diesel nose ushers in lemon curd and apple fruit which are joined by a bit of raw walnut on the finish. Some oak evident but not intrusive. Extremely enjoyable.
2014 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
White peach, honeydew and pear; a little fat and subdued but it does grow on you.
Plus this red:
2004 Pierre Morey Volnay 1er Cru Santenots Pinot Noir
Brownish color, a little cloudy Musty, earthy nose with stewed plum fruit and, oddly, buttermilk. Self-destructs in minutes. I presume it got cooked before I acquired it.