Last Week's Tasting Notes (11.3.17)

​Montinore Gewurztraminer ($17.99)
Oregon
From the producer:
"This is a wonderfully forward, floral wine in our traditional dry style, making for a crisp wine that pairs beautifully with food. Straw gold color introduces an intense aroma of pomelo and rose water with hints of kaffir lime leaf and a palate bursting with tropical notes and powdered ginger. The finish is dry and bright, leaving the impression of fresh citrus."

From me:
This Gewurztraminer has a nice bright freshness compared to some of its Alsatian cousins, which tend to be a little heavier on the palate. The acidity balances out the fruit, and the floral notes give the wine a fine complexity. This is a dry wine that will pair nicely with white meat, salads, roasted vegetables, and ham.

Michel Gassier Nostre Païs Blanc Costières de Nîmes ($19.99)
France
From the producer:
"Appearance: the pale yellow color tinted in green announces a wine with a great deal of freshness and purity
Nose: the complex nose reveals floral and mineral notes with accents of fresh citrus fruits
Taste: lively and fresh, the aromas of flowers and white fruits, blends with flint. The very soft finish evinces a great deal of minerality."

From me:
52% Grenache blanc, 22% Roussanne, 17% Viognier, 7% Clairette & 2% Bourboulenc
Gassier makes outstanding wines with organically farmed grapes, and the Nostre Païs line (white and red) is no exception. This white has body and depth of flavor balanced by mineral undertones. It is soft and smooth on the palate, but has complexity and character. This can be enjoyed now or aged for up to three years. It pairs well with chicken, game fowl, rabbit, strong cheeses, pumpkin, and leeks.

Owen Roe Coop White ($10.99, was $14.99)
Yakima, Washington
From the producer: 
"You don't let the fox guard the henhouse.
Celebrating the endearing thief in this cautionary tale, the Owen Roe employees humbly bring you COOP, a co-operative employee share wine. Through peerless plundering of the Owen Roe henhouse, we share 100% of the success of this wine."

Viognier 70% Muscat 17% Rousanne 13%

From me:
This is what I'd call a "geeky" wine. The blend is a little unusual, particularly for a domestic wine. Viognier and Rousanne are commonly part of white Rhone blends, but the addition of Muscat increases both the fruit and floral characters of this wine. Muscat also adds, as one might imagine, a muskiness similar to what I have sensed from tradtional Orvietos. All in all, this wine is very tasty, fruit forward with an earthy undertone, and certainly a conversation piece!