Honeyed fruit and flowers, with a hint of hay, Chenin Blanc leads a double life. Is it a bland work-horse blender? Is it a fragrant and ethereal treat? Through no fault of its own, there really is very little predictability for this wonderful variety.
In its home in the Loire Valley of France, where it’s often called Pineau del la Loire, it’s a variety that’s cherished for those delicate aromatics and flavors and also for its remarkable versatility. It makes everything from a delicate dry white, to slightly sweet, to sparkling wine and even exquisite late-harvest wines.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, covers Chenin Blanc in her continuing series on the major wine grape varieties.
Standard Podcast [2:37m]:
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So fruity, so supple, so elegant when it’s at its best. Our poor friend Merlot has taken a beating recently because of the movie Sideways, but you might be surprised to know that it’s the most widely planted variety in Bordeaux. And Chateau Petrus, the most expensive wine of the Bordeaux region is, you guessed it, Merlot.
I know that when you think Bordeaux you think Cabernet, and it’s a major player, but Merlot trumps it in volume for a couple of reasons. One is its velvety deliciousness, and the other is more practical. It’s an early ripener, relative to Cabernet, so it’s less likely to be damaged by rain, plus it tends to produce greater yields. It’s kind of like hiring a reliable employee. You know it will be there for you!
Join Goosecross Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she continues her series on the major wine varietals.
Standard Podcast [1:56m]:
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Well, it’s hard to pronounce, but worth it! Exotically fragrant, heady, tropical and lush.
Viognier is a very ancient variety going back to at least Roman times and comes to us from the Rhone Valley in southern France. It makes some of the most distinctively aromatic wines in the world. The peach, honey and floral aromas might lead you to expect a delicate wine, but it’s also famous for being rather voluptuous on the palate and generous in alcohol.
Join our Director of Education, Nancy Hawks Miller, as she talks about the queen of Rhone whites: Viognier.
Standard Podcast [1:45m]:
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Deep, dark fruit with a little earth, smoke and a meaty quality. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
Syrah comes to us from the Rhone Valley of southern France. It’s one of the oldest varieties we know. Just think, Julius Caesar may well have enjoyed a glass of Syrah just as much as we do today.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, continues her podcast series on the major wine grape varietals with Syrah.
Standard Podcast [2:54m]:
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Fresh, zingy, herbaceous and citrusy. Makes me want to throw some fish on the grill.
Sauvignon Blanc gained its fame in the Loire valley of France from the beautiful Blanc Fume, Pouilly Fume and Sancerre, but it was probably born in the Bordeaux region where it plays second fiddle to Semillon as the most planted white.
In this episode, Director of Education Nancy Hawks Miller focuses on Sauvignon Blanc.
Standard Podcast [2:20m]:
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We all know that Cabernet Sauvignon is the undisputed King of grapes. A serious collector’s cellar will always include great Cabernets, whether they’re from the Medoc, Napa Valley or Coonawara. And it’s probably because it is capable of making a wine of tremendous power, structure and complexity, but it somehow manages to carry this off in a very elegant way. What a wine! You’ll find plenty of examples of 100% Cabernet, but more often it’s blended.
Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, continues her podcast series of the major wine varietals with Boudreaux’s–and Napa Valley’s–signature red grape.
Standard Podcast [2:09m]:
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Fresh apple, pear and citrus–crisp with maybe some minerality? Or big, round, buttery and oaky? What goes on here? What is Chardonnay’s true identity? It seems to be all of the above. It’s quite a malleable variety that some say has little varietal distinction to call its own, yet it’s a beautiful showcase for terroir and also for the winemaker’s bag of tricks.
Join Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, for the first in a series of podcasts covering the major wine varietals.
Standard Podcast [2:59m]:
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