For my first formal tasting, I decided to focus most of my efforts on fresh and approachable white wines. White wines are dramatically under-appreciated in the kosher market, and therefore may be a source of value for new consumers who may appreciate the beauty of the plethora of choices that exist. There are an ever-increasing number of good white options in the kosher marketplace that are extremely food friendly, especially for lighter and healthier fare. As kosher consumers focus on fresher ingredients, and better food in general, white wines may be a nice compliment to a variety of different dishes. White wines go best with poultry, dairy, and simple snacks like baguettes and olive oil. I hope you enjoy my first set of tasting notes, as I focus on some value oriented white wines.
Freixenet NV Cava (sparkling white wine from Spain)
This wine is extremely well made, and has a complex nose and palate. When smelling the wine for the first time, notes of freshly cut green apples, freshly baked bread, limes, and a bit of a funky note attack the nose. The palate is crisp with a hint of cheesy funk, roasted almonds, smoke, and a mineral taste that I love. The best Champagne style sparkling wines have notes of chalk and minerals, which keep the mouth fresh and the wine food friendly. This wine is no different. The mouthfeel is electric giving the tongue a “pop rock” kind of feeling, that gives way to a creamier mouthfeel with time. As the wine airs out, more and more smoky flavors become evident on the palate, along with notes of crisp grapefruit in the background. Overall this is a very nice sparkling wine that can be enjoyed with a light meal or as an aperitif. While the wine itself is fairly enjoyable, the best part of this wine is the price! $15, Highly Recommended.
Scores:
My Overall Score: A- My Value Score: A-
Panel Overall Score: B+ Panel Value Rating: A-
Matar Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion 2014 (Bordeaux white blend from Northern Israel)
The nose on this wine is a bit muted, but with enough swirling its charming elements start to come out. The nose starts with an initial attack of mineral rocks, fresh field flowers, grapefruit, lychee, and apple. The wine is bone dry with subtle notes of grapefruit pith, a hint of cheese, thyme, and a fresh streak of chalk. The wine is extremely complex, and beautifully fresh. Its amazingly balanced between fruit, secondary notes and acidity. This would go well with savory chicken dishes or creamy dairy. This is the kind of wine that I love, its very mineral and acidic, with complex fruit and a clean mouthfeel. $29.99, I highly recommend, but may be an acquired taste.
Scores:
My Overall Score: A- My value Score: A-
Panel Overall Score: B+ Panel Value Score: B
Tulip White Franc 2014 Blanc De Noir (Israel)
This wine is a white wine made from predominantly red cabernet franc grapes. The wine is a blended with some sauvignon blanc as well, which adds some much needed acidity to the package. This wine also is not dry, it is a semi-sweet wine that I recommend drinking as an aperitif, as a dessert wine, or with a simple meal of light pizza and pasta. The wine has a rich nose of lemon, pineapple, lychee, and mango, almost like a tropical fruit salad. The palate opens with notes of dried pineapples, and some initial sweetness, balanced by some nice acid on the mid-palate, and then the sweetness comes back in on the finish. The wine is full bodied, and has a beautiful copper color in the glass. $19, highly recommended for novice drinkers looking to expand their horizons!
Scores:
My Overall Score: B+ My Value Score: A-
Panel Overall Score: A- Panel Value Score: A
The next wine is a bit of a reach for the average casual consumer, but may be one that will be interesting for people to taste. However this wine does not comply with my $30 rule, and retails around $41.
Covenant Red C Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014 (Sonoma Valley, California)
This wine is made by the excellent Covenant Winery, which is run by the lovely Jeff Morgan, as chief winemaker. The range of their wines is extraordinary. They make very nice budget options in the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Roussane varietals as well as one of the best Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon on the kosher marker. This wine is their “second wine” and has had some very good vintages as well.
The wine has a nose of jammy blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, acai, and some crushed herbs. The wine has a bit of alcoholic heat to the nose, which is a sign of a young wine that may need time in the bottle to calm down. The palate is much less jammy than the nose; there is some earth on the mouth, as well as some cinnamon, and a hint of mud and mineral. The wine felt a bit discombobulated, and had very very strong tannins, which are signs that the wine is not ready to be drunk. We had the wine opened for three hours prior to consuming, but it really did not come together for me. If you are planning on splurging, I would give this vintage some time to age.
Scores
My Overall Score: B+ My Value Score: B
Panel Overall Score: B Panel Value Score: C+