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Refreshing Warm Weather WinesBy Darryl BeesonThough one on these wines, the Morgan Pinot Gris, is a dry white wine, the others retain a touch of sweetness offset by a balance of bracingly crisp acidiity. All make for wonderful warm weather food pairings. Beringer Gewürztraminer, California 2003 Grapes for the 2003 Beringer Gewürztraminer were grown in White Hills Vineyard in California’s Central Coast, where cool Pacific breezes and morning fogs maintain moderate daily temperatures, enabling the delicate floral and stonefruit flavors of this varietal to develop evenly throughout the growing season. A few concentrated hours of sunshine in the afternoons helps the grapes achieve a full, ripe character that contributes to a long, smooth finish in the resulting wine. To retain Gewürztraminer’s delicately balanced aromas and flavors, Beringer’s winemakers used the traditional technique of a long, cool fermentation. Immediately following crush, the must (grapes and skins) was chilled. Temperatures were kept cool throughout fermentation and just before the wine reached dryness, winemakers chilled the must even further, capturing fresh white peach and fragrant honey characteristics. The resulting wine has heady aromas of citrus and orange blossom leading into rich flavors of stonefruit and spice. Beringer Chenin Blanc, Californi 2003 The long, warm days and cool nights in California’s Coastal vineyards provided ideal growing conditions for Beringer’s 2003 Chenin Blanc. Daytime sun encourages the fruit to ripen, developing soft peach and ginger-honey flavors, while fog-shrouded evenings bring forward crisp citrus and mineral notes. Additionally, dry summers that stretch without rain from April through October allow the grapes a long, even growing time to build more layers and complex flavors. Vineyard Manager Bob Steinhauer commented: "It turned out to be a very good year. The late start and long, cool season, allowed for a nice ripening curve that gave the whites fantastic flavors." Gentle handling and careful attention was given to the Chenin Blanc grapes from the vine to the glass. To retain delicate, crisp melon, citrus and pear varietal flavors, Beringer’s winemakers chilled the juices immediately following crush and continued to closely monitor the temperatures, keeping them cool throughout fermentation. Just before dryness, the wine was cooled even further to halt fermentation and to retain a smooth, lush mouthfeel and lingering finish. Beringer Johannisberg Riesling, California 2003 Grapes for the 2003 Beringer Johannisberg Riesling were grown predominately in California’s Central Coast. The cool Pacific influences combine with well-drained, rocky soils to create ideal growing conditions for the Riesling varietal. Mornings masked in fog slowly burn off to yield warm sunshine by early afternoon, enabling the grapes to develop rich flavors. By evening, the fog returns, slowing the sugar development and protecting the balancing acidity. Riesling benefits from cooler temperatures throughout the vinification process to retain its delicate floral and white peach aromas and flavors. The result is a bright, crisp wine, popping with fresh peach and jasmine flavors, highlighted with hints of orange blossom and baking spice. Morgan Pinot Gris,"R&D Franscioni Vineyard" Santa
Lucia Highlands 2003 This delicate white wine is golden straw colored with hints of pale green. There are notes of mandarin orange, mango, bracing mineral, along with citrus, melon and pear within the sip. The finish is bright and clean. Morgan Winery suggest pairing this winner of a food wine with their local Monterey spot prawns sauteed with a touch of wine and lemon, or sole in a light sauce. Morgan specializes in Burgundian varietals from Monterey County, focusing on the Santa Lucia Highlands, the cool east-facing benchland overlooking the Salinas Valley. Chateau St. Jean Johannisberg Riesling, Sonoma 2003 Chateau St. Jean is a winemaking estate located at the foot of Sugarloaf Ridge in the Sonoma Valley near Kenwood, California. Founded in 1973, Chateau St. Jean produces exceptional wines solely for the premium market. The glass offers tart green apple, grapefruit, orange/citrus and lichee aromas and flavors. The noticeable, but not cloying sweetness at just under 3 percent residual sugar. It is balanced by a bracing acidity. Chateau St. Jean Gewürztraminer, Sonoma 2003 This refreshing white is bursting with spicy fruit and orange blossoms, along with ripe pear in the well-balanced citrus finish. Try this Gewürztraminer with spicy food or fresh Summer salads. Darryl Beeson travels the world looking for great wine values. In the past, he has been wine steward or cellar master for The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Voltaire, and The Adolphus Hotel. Not one for stuffiness or secret handshakes relative to wine, this Texan might now be described as a "ki-yi-yippee sommelier, sommelier." Beeson reports on wine, spirits, food and travel for numerous publications. |
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