Something Completely Different
Here’s a selection of interesting wines. These are wines that maybe don’t fit the usual categorizations, but they still deliver quality and something just a little different than the average everyday wine.
This wine, from the Breaux winery near my home in Virginia, was a real find for me. Made from newly planted Syrah grapes, this was their first bottling of this wine. I’ve never been a huge rosé fan, so this surprised me with an extra level of fruit and body. It was a big fruity wine, with no bitterness and fresh notes of blackberries and raspberries. This was a really enjoyable summertime wine. Priced around $20.
Rating: 89 pts
2006 Quinta Do Ferro Avesso Vinho Verde
The nose exhibited notes of grass, lemon and almond. There was also a distinct floral component. The flavors were sweet and rounded in the beginning, however, a lemon and grassy nature exploded on the mid-palate. There was also a hint of spice, white pepper and eggplant. The finish was nice and long with herbal notes, a rounded edge and some sweetness to the finish. Almonds notes at the very end finished it out nicely. Overall I really enjoyed this wine. It had a nice feel to it and extra intriguing qualities that kept me coming back for more. Priced around $10.
Rating: 90pts
2005 Rutherglen Estates The Alliance Marsanne/Viognier Blend
This was an interesting white blend with a ton of floral components and a rich rounded finish. While there may have been too much going on in this wine, it was still an interesting bottle to try. The initial nose is not bad, with maybe a little over the top. Scents of honeysuckle and pear mixed with the grassy grapefruit. There were notes of pears, fig and apples, mixed with grassy menthol and almond flavors. The finish was well-rounded and long. The wine seemed to go from light to full-bodied all in one taste. Priced around $15.
Rating: 89pts
This wine had a really interesting blend. Viognier, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat Canelli, and Albariño all blended together to make a crisp, and slightly sweet, wine. The flavors are across the board from lemon-lime to apricots, oranges and mangos. The structure was supported by a nice level of acidity. Overall the wine was big, rounded and carried a lot of weight on the mid-palate. The finish was smooth and long. Priced around $20.
Rating: 91 pts
