By Kurt Wieneke
Warmer weather has arrived, it’s time to come out of our golf hibernation and find some white wines to drink on your patio, or deck. If you like fruit flavors, such as apple and pear, then white wines are right up your alley. Here are a few intriguing, off-the-beaten-path, white wines that have impressed me.
South African Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc is historically well-established in the Loire Valley of France, but few places in the world have grown Chenin Blanc as successfully as South Africa. In fact, many 50-year-old Chenin vineyards still exist in South African wine regions such as, Swartland and Paarl. The soil type here is decomposed granite rich in quartz, which lends an interesting mineral quality to the wine. A classic old-vine Chenin from South Africa delivers rich pear notes buttressed by vibrant acidity, along with hints of jasmine and mineral.
Finger Lakes Riesling
The Finger Lakes in central upstate New York, provide a unique and ideal microclimate for grape-growing. In the 1970’s, Dr. Konstantin Frank planted the first Riesling vines on the shale stone sublayers surrounding these lakes. The result was a dead ringer for a German Riesling, oozing with fruity and slatey taste. Today, there are literally hundreds of wineries in the Finger Lakes region producing affordable, world-class Rieslings.
Spanish Verdejo
Verdejo is a wine which hails from the Rueda region in north central Spain. If you like Sauvigon Blanc, you will also like Verdejo with its fresh citrusy notes and lip-smacking acidity. Verdejo is a complex and interesting white wine, with alluring notes of guava and chamomile on the nose, bright citrus and white peach on the palate, and a lingering pithy finish.
With the sunny 80 degree days in August, get out there, play some golf, and pursue these elusive white wines along with those birdies!
