Tag Archives: White Wine

A realization

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We very much like wines produced with  ‘low intervention’ by the vintner.  Even better when it’s organic.


The Goddess of Wine is again pushing the envelope with a new white grape – Melon de Bourgogne.  Loire Valley, from the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC Appellation.  

Domaine Bonnet-Huteau has been producing Muscadet for over 150 years. They have been certified organic since 2005, and biodynamic since 2010.


Lovely fruit characteristics…slightly peppery.  


Wine Enthusiast calls it a 91 pointer – and we agree.


It will be easy to spot with it’s signature bottle.

MUSCADET SEVRE ET MAINE LA TARCIERE – DOM BONNET HUTEAU 2018

$22.99 regularly $24.99

12% Alcohol

UPC: 03497850009029

Doing it Right

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The AOC includes some 1400 hectares of vineyard just inland from the Thau Lagoon: around the village of Pinet – the largest white wine producing area in the Languedoc / Roussillon region. It is a limestone plateau basking in the rising sun covered in highly perfumed garrigue, rows of vines, and scattered pine groves.


One of the oldest Languedoc grapes, the Piquepoul has been growing near the Thau Lagoon for centuries. White is the most common, though both blush and black grapes are to be found. As early as 1618, the botanist J.B. Maniol cited Piquepoul as one of the best known Languedoc grapes in his work “Sylve plantarium”.

It grows in a dry climate, so the end-of-season humidity helps grapes fill out and finish ripening. The grapes grow in loose bunches, are oval shaped and come off easily. That is why, in the olden days, trays were often placed beneath the vines to catch falling grapes !

The wine is remarkably fresh and quenching.  It’s dry and lively.  Works very well with seafood, cheese and charcuterie. (We had a cheese board and then seafood with it.)  

This is our first adventure with the grape, but it won’t be our last.  Not by a long shot.

The bottle is unique with its individual embossing so it will be easy to spot when you go back for more.  I will be.

LANGUEDOC PICPOUL DE PINET – ORMARINE

12.5% Alcohol

UPC: 03186127768690

$17.99

Vines on a Trellis

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The 40 year old vines are grown on trellis systems that are exclusive to the area.  The Mino River is close by and so is the Atlantic to give a soft climate without big temperature changes in O Rosal.


Major crispness and freshness from the Albariño grapes – unique to the region.


Remarkably dry with lots of aroma and a nicely balanced acidity. Think fresh fruit .. melons, and peach to build the complexity.


Serve it cold (10-12 C) and you’ll see that the finish hangs around for quite awhile.

Rias Baixas Rosal Albarino – Adegas Valmimor Davila 2017

$23.99 regularly, on sale for the Mystery Case at $22.49

13.5 % Alcohol


UPC:  08437000221111

30 is the new old

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SKU: 171496
$14.49
GEHRINGER – AUXERROIS OLD VINES GOLDEN MILE BENCH 2018
12.4% alcohol 

Tree fruits drive the taste of this one.


As a wine, Auxerrois is more full bodied and less crisp than Pinot Blanc, but the two varieties complement each other’s weaknesses.


Named after a historical province in France, it is widely grown in Luxembourg and Germany as well.


The Gehringer Brothers planted their Auxerrois over 30 years ago and these vines are producing lovely wine today.  And, winning awards.

Over the past 19 years, they have received 78 Platinum Awards – the most of any Winery in the Pacific Northwest.

Slightly fuller in flavour than Pinot Blanc.  It’s also slightly less acidic.


The Brothers G varietal is smooth and well balanced and tremendous value for the money.


We’ve paired it with salmon, quiche, and had it just as it is on the deck with cheese.  It’s great with Scallops or prawns.

12 New Adventures start Today

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A new set of challenges, too.  I asked Danielle to build us another mystery case – we had so much fun with the first one.

Let’s try unusual and uncommon grape varietals, single or blends.  Anywhere in the world. With our usual budget target of average $20 per bottle – tax in.


I stopped by mid-day today.  Amid lots of laughter, Danielle built another case of joy. And there were comments like “next time you do big lamb … open this at least two hours before”  That’s BIG lamb as opposed to little lamb!


Tonight the grape is from the Spanish Rueda region – 140 km NW of Madrid – known for its dry aromatic whites.  Very old grape that possibly came into the region more than 1000 years ago from North Africa. The region is a high plateau with lots of sandy/clay clay soil.

Code: 79046

Rueda Verdejo – El Petit Bonhomme

13.5% alcohol

$14.99 on sale from $15.99 regularly

Verdejo grapes play nice with seafood, salads, light cheeses, of course chicken.


Lots of Texture is probably the best way to describe this wine.  It seems to work well when there’s lots of other flavours going on.  You can have this in the kitchen, and certainly wouldn’t be ashamed to take it into the dining room or on the deck.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts.


I added one more parsnip to the roasted veggie mix to bring out a little more sweetness. (carrots/potato/leek/redpepper).  There was even garlic in the tzatziki.

If this had been around last night, it would have gone well with the grilled salmon steaks.


This is a wine that would be good year round not just in the summer when we traditionally drink more whites than reds.  Buy two, you’ll be glad you did.

Finally, he says

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Andy get represented with a wine from the Hunter Valley.


It could have gone either way – a red or a white. 
Mount Pleasant Semillon

Code: 664862

$25.99

Award Winning vineyard. (One of the top 3 Wineries in Australia).
It has lots of fruit forward and wakes up the taste buds on the way by with a great finish. Second sip is even better, and that continues with each sip. Stonefruit flavours.

Apple Cranberry Turkey Sausages, Fruit and Cheese Orzo and honey glazed Carrots. Turned out to be a great combo with the wine.

She (who shall remain nameless) forgot to put the Lindt bar (Sea Salt) in the crisper, so we had to have our square at room temp.  It IS better chilled – believe me!  You do chill your chocolate don’t you?

Not oft travelled Isle

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The US Isle at the Goddess’s dairy.  I’d also have walked right by it because the bottle doesn’t even look like a wine bottle, and the label isn’t the most appealing.  But we’re glad she put this one in the mystery case.

On sale at $19.99, although $21.99 is the regular price

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The labels on the cap try to entice us with Fresh, Crisp, Bright and Exotic.  It certainly is the first 3.  Exotic It’s not. It IS an interesting blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, Muscat Canelli and Viognier.


I can certainly see why Danielle picked this one because it does wake up your sense of taste and the finish is interesting.


We had some, whist preparing dinner (BC Spot Prawns [salt/pepper/safron threads/taragon] with couscous and coldslaw), and put a big dent in the bottle during dinner.  Don’t over spice whatever this wine is sharing dinner with.  Let it stand up by itself too.  Oh, and give it a good hour to breathe before sampling.

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Another RED tomorrow night – with a lamb roast.

Simply Italian

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Product code: 899195

CASTEL DEL MONTE BOMBINO BIANCO – RIVERA MARESE

$18.99

91 Points, James Suckling: “Cooked apples, honeysuckle and honeydew melon. There’s some nice acidity on the medium-to full-bodied palate that does well to carry the fleshy stone fruit on offer.”

The Marese denotes at best the uniqueness of Bombino Bianco, native variety of the DOC Castel del Monte. The grapes are harvested overdue with a grade of advanced maturity, in order to balance the natural acidity and express the best varietal character. The result is a wine with an intense bouquet and complex palate, mineral finish with a pleasant freshness. Excellent with hors d’oeuvres and fish or as an aperitif.

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This is a new friend you might want to see a lot of in the future.  Your first encounter leaves a great impression and that lingers into the after taste.  Unlike the 1st Crudo Zibibbo, you know immediately you like this.


We figured we would stay Italian and I thought back to my Kootenay roots and decided on a combo of chicken and shrimp, done with authentic Italian Egg noodle pasta.  Sautéed garlic, red and yellow peppers, some mushrooms, leek rings, zucchini and onion rounded out the medley. Topped at the end with fresh parmesan and shredded basil.

Dessert was a naughty combo of pomegranate molasses and Grand Marnier trickled over vanilla frozen yogurt.

Big winner for the first of the case

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$18.99

Their description at the Government Dairy Website

Bright yellow to the eye, the Catarratto Zibibbo has an aromatic bouquet with hints of tropical fruit, pineapple, elderflower and citrus. On the palate, it is fresh and fruity with balanced sweetness, and expresses notes of ripe tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, followed by white flowers and lime.

has done well
International Wine Challenge, 2018: Bronze
Decanter World Wine Awards, 2017: Bronze
International Wine Challenge, 2017: Silver
International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2017: Silver Outstanding
International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2016: Bronze
Zibibbo is the Sicilian name of the grape Muscat of Alexandria, which gives the wine its aromatic character. After harvest, the two grape varietals are fermented in stainless steel tanks in cool temperatures 14-16°C.


Slightly sweeter than our palate is used to – until the second sip and then it opens up wonderfully. it went VERY well with Roasted Chicken (stuffed with dates/raisins/cranberries)
and roasted veggies (carrots/potatoes/small yams/red onion)

Would go nicely with aged cheeses too