2010 Napa Valley Chenin Blanc
May 10, 2011 by David
Filed under Chenin Blanc, Winemaker Notes
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The Chenin Blanc grape is extremely versatile and can be used in making everything from a soft, fruity wine, to dessert, or even sparkling wine. The honeyed fruit and floral character inspired our Winemaker, Geoff Gorsuch, to add it to our portfolio as the perfect picnic wine.
Flavor profile: Fresh, fruity, floral and slightly sweet with honeyed pear, grapefruit, ginger spice and lively green apple.
2010 Vintage: A roller-coaster of a growing season requiring great patience, but yielding low quantities of outstanding fruit quality.
Drink now and through: 2013
Food Suggestions
Enjoy our Chenin Blanc with sweet proteins like shellfish, duck or pork. From Colleen’s recipe collection we recommend Asian-Inspired Tilapia with Spinach.
2009 Napa Valley Chenin Blanc
April 18, 2011 by David
Filed under Chenin Blanc, Winemaker Notes
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The old vines in the eastern hills of Napa Valley produced low yields of small grapes so packed with honeyed fruit and floral character that Geoff allowed the fermentation to go dry for this exceptional vintage.
Flavor profile: Fresh and fruity with juicy pear, honeyed melon, green apple and honeysuckle with a lively citrus finish. Drink now and through: 2012
2009 Vintage: Textbook conditions until a mid-October storm. The most common themes: Good flavor maturity at low sugars.
Food Suggestions
The fresh, lively flavors are perfect with lighter fare – sea food, salads, poultry or pork. It’s a refreshing contrast to the heat of spicy Thai and Indian cuisine. For delicious pairings, such as Pork Medallions with Grapefruit-Ginger Chutney, go to Colleen’s recipe database at goosecross.com
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2008 Napa Valley Chenin Blanc
September 8, 2009 by David
Filed under Chenin Blanc, Winemaker Notes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Beautiful aromatics and soft, sweet flavors from old vines in the Napa hills – fresh pear, honeysuckle and a mouthwatering touch of citrus. Pairings: Duck, pork, shellfish, mild cheeses, slightly sweet fruit desserts.
2007 Napa Valley Chenin Blanc
August 27, 2008 by David
Filed under Chenin Blanc, Winemaker Notes
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Fresh and fragrant in style, a touch of sweetness enhances the ripe pear, honeysuckle, crisp grapefruit, melon and spice. Pairings: Duck or pork, medium-soft cheeses, slightly sweet fruit desserts.
2006 Napa Valley Chenin Blanc
March 13, 2007 by David
Filed under Chenin Blanc, Winemaker Notes
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Perfumed aromas with honesuckle, Asian pear and spice from Abruzzini Vineyards. Soft on the palate. Fresh flavors of apple, grapefuit, and melon, with a crisp finish. Residual sugar 3% by weight.
Listen to our audio winemaker note: mp3
Read more about this wine here.
2005 Napa Valley Chenin Blanc
January 19, 2006 by David
Filed under Chenin Blanc, Winemaker Notes
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Chenin Blanc isn’t showcased much here in California these days, but in Vouvray, a particularly picturesque town in the Loire Valley of France, it’s been treasured for centuries for its exquisite floral character. Our winemaker, Geoff Gorsuch, immediately thought of Chenin Blanc as the variety of choice when he contemplated making a slightly sweet white wine. When asked why he chose to produce a variety that is not as well known as some others, he commented that “It has all that beautiful melon and honeysuckle character and a touch of sweetness accentuates it. It’s the best choice for the style of wine I want to create and it’s the perfect complement to our line of dry whites.”
Winemaker Notes
Geoff fermented the juice at low temperature over a period of weeks to bring out the delicate fruit and floral flavors native to the Chenin Blanc variety. There’s no oak to mask the pear, grapefruit and honey so abundant in the 2005 vintage. It’s soft and graceful on the palate, with a bright acidity to offset the subtle sweetness.
Food Suggestions
While it’s quite delightful all by itself, our Chenin Blanc is versatile at the table because of its fresh, crisp finish. The vibrant fruitiness makes it a lively foil for spicy foods, especially Asian and Indian cuisine. Try it with “sweet” meats like ham, pork or shellfish. Geoff calls it “The perfect picnic wine. Have it with some cheeses and fruit on a warm afternoon.” Sounds good! As they say in the Loire, “bon appetite!”
