Speed Reviews From 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference–White Wines

WALLA WALLA, Wash.–Every year, the Wine Bloggers conference does live blogging–akin to “speed dating.” Instead its speed reviews. Today we do white wines; tomorrow red. Below are the white wines we reviewed live today:

Long Shadows, Poet’s Leap Dry Rielsing, 2009–Lovely dry Riesling, very crisp and refreshing. According to the representative here, the winemaker for this wine strives to produce a quality Riesling in this relatively warm climate that is dry with good minerality and crisp acidity. He certainly achieved those goals. This very refreshing, well-done wine retails for about $20.

Big House White–Concept: Artisan wine packaged in a box. The goal is a long-lasting wine after it opens. Romanian Winemaker Gorgetta Dane produces a box, equal to four bottles, that retails for just $21.99. Despite the perception of box wines as “low-quality,” this box is a great way to make an open wine last longer, and it defeats the “low-quality” perception. This wine is a blend of a number of aromatic grapes–nice and fruity with an abundance of perfume and floral aromas.

Maryhill, 2008 Viognier, Columbia Valley–This wine is made in stainless steel, partially fermented with neutral oak. Lovely floral aromas combine with nice vanilla hints and a little residual sugar. It retails for about $12 and is a great wine to drink on its own or paired with spicy Asian food.

2008 Hogue Cellars, Genesis Riesling–This upper-tier wine represents the top 4 percent of Hoage Cellars’ wines. This off-dry white represents the winery’s best Riesling. It offers tangerine and peach flavors. As with Maryhill, try it with a spicy Asian dish. It comes with a screw cap to ensure freshness and good shelf life, but it’s ready to drink now. It retails for $16.

2008 Buty Semillon-Sauvignon-Muscadelle Blend–This is a delicious white made with white Bordeaux grapes. It’s dry, crisp and fresh but also round and rich with some complexity aided by light oaking. It is a relatively small production wine that you can find online, but it’s also sold in 10 states at retail locations for about $25.

2009 Rambling Roads Rosè, Dusty Valley, Columbia Valley–Mourvèdre, Counoise, Syrah, Viognier. Aromas of strawberry, watermelon and some spice. This is an easy-drinking, small-production summer wine, good for the patio and by the pool and retails for about $18.

Delille Cellars, 2008 Chaleur Estate Blanc, Columbia Valley–Another Bordeaux white blend. It is left on lees (yeast) to add flavor and aged in French oak. Cold soaking helps make it crisp and clean. This rich wine has lovely fruit and oaky qualities. It is also complex with grapefruit, tempered by toasted almonds and honey. It retails for $34.

2008 Duck Pond Cellars Pinot Gris, Willamette, Oregon–This very clean, refreshing wine offers just a hint of sweetness but is mostly dry. Fermented in stainless steel, with about 2 percent in oak barrels, adds a little complexity, and it retails for about $15.

2009 Banfi Centine (White Blend)–This Italian value wine is a blend of many white grapes. With notes of honey, apricots, pear, peach and a touch of residual sugar, it’s a nice summer sipping wine at for a great $11 price.

2008 Jordan, Russian River Valley Chardonnay–Produced in Sonoma’s Alexandria Valley, the fruit is hand harvested at night, aged in 40 percent new French oak for a little more than months with 28 percent malolatic fermentation. This very well-done, balanced wine is great with food but also stands alone well. It retails for about $25.