Friday, March 30, 2007

Friday Wines - The I Can't Think of a Catchy Title Edition

That's right, no idea. Straight to business, I say!

White under $20

2006 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ($13)
Bright grapefruit, mineral, granny smith apple and a spear of acidity to structure the wine. At 13 bucks a bottle, you're buying a $25 wine. This wine shows why New Zealand is the Garden of Sauvignon Blanc Eden.

Red under $20

2003 Fitch Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley ($17)
I've already given away the hook here. This blackberry dusted, big smack in the mouth of a wine, replete with structure, richness and luxury only costs $17. What's the big deal? Fitch Mountain doesn't make wine until the grapes are perfect (last time was 2000), it's all from the best appellation in Sonoma County, Alexander Valley and get this - they only made 205 cases. The punch line? This wine would hold its own in a $30 dollar Cab tasting. It might even win.

White over $20

WARNING! The following wine is NOT a dry wine. It's a dessert wine.

2004 PMC Eiswein Burgenland ($30)
It's tough to find whites under $20 (other than Chardonnay) week in, week out, much less dry wines at that price point. That means occasionally you'll get sweet wines here. This one's terrific.

Two grapes in this Austrian beauty: native Gruener Veltliner and Sauvignon Blanc. It's like getting shot - the first round hits you with of key lime, mandarin and guava. As you recover from that, the second bullet thumps you - a quick percussion wave of sweet, followed by a blast of acidity that raises the fruit but balances the scales. Just when you think the gun's empty, you get the coup de grace of white pepper. You'll die happy.

Red over $20

2004 Anglim Grenache Paso Robles ($27)
Steve Anglim makes wines in miniscule amounts that pack a wallop. Suffused with rich strawberry and black raspberry fruit, veneered with fine layers cinnamon, smoke and white pepper, the wine owes its velvety texture to plenty of alcohol. There's also balance, purity and grace here, too.

I have a Friday and Saturday off, so I'm off, too. Happy wine drinking!

Mark

Labels: It's friday and you're not drinking yet?, red wine over $20, white wine over $20, wine under $20