Welcome to Wineworld. The TOP WINES reviewed here on the wine-lovers blog "A World of Wine" featuring wine events connected to wine of the month and the best kept secrets of vintages and were to find them.
No bias toward a region, Argentina, Tuscany, Piedmont, The fairest Cape in South Africa, Australia, California, Chile, NZ .
We love all good wines, even the affordable ones, and give you tips on what to serve them with. Taking the mystery out of the best wines to choose drink and enjoy.

Bolgheri rosso DOC

Bolgheri rosso DOC

grattamacco

grattamacco

Friday, 20 June 2008

Summer Wines

Wine review of the Month
Well just weeks ago I reviewed an extraordinary Chardonnay here http://wineloversworld.blogspot.com/2008/06/extraordinary-wine.html
Today I'll do the same for the Chenin Blancs.
Chenin blanc used to be the poor neglected cousin of more popular whites, no so anymore. Now, along with it's more famous cousin Savignon blanc, it is asked for more often, than the oaked chardonnays, fruity Gewürztraminer and late harvests. Yes, green, acidic chenin is in. The versatile grape from France’s Loire Valley (called Vouvray), is also grown with much success in South Africa (where it is known as Steen), and California. Chenin can range from off dry to dry to very sweet depending on the time of harvest. Here we find apple, melon, lime and pear aromas. The best Chenin Blanc has high acidity with honey hints and viscosity ( syrupyness)– leaving a oil-like feel in the mouth.

This is a good summer wine to serve with Smoked Salmon, Salads, curry - both green and red. sushi, oysters, seafood and roast chicken.


So which to choose.
I like the Stellenbosch Chenins from South Africa. Both KWV (The good value Khumala), Mulderbosch, and Ken Forrester Petit Chenin 2006 at 17 dollars: Along with the Teddy Hall Chenins: both the affordable, and then the more pricey Rudera Chenin Blanc 2005 at 30 dollars. Are all highly rated as fabulous lunch wines.The Stellenbosch bunch are priced from 10-17 dollars for top award-wining chenins. They are winners.

Here France( the originals from the Loire) and California also shine, but you'll often pay more to get the same or less effect.
The best French is the pricey and very unique Clos du Château de Mosny at 25-30 dollars.

California along with SA which has more chenin grape planted than France, now produces The Sacremento/Clarksberg 2006 dry creek vyd at 14 dollars. this wine comes highly recommended as does the Erhardt Estates Chenin blanc, which is stunning at a mere 12 dollars
If you want to spend 10 -15 dollars or less and can't choose, go with one of the Stellenbosch or Clarksberg Chenins. Check out the sites here for sales, they always have an agent in your country.
Happy summer?
We're going to Tuscany again next.... for .Wine review of the Month
Posted by A World of Wine at 04:29
Labels: , , ,

1 comments:

  1. Super Wine blogspot! cant wait for the next wine. Rob

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

merlot vineyard

merlot vineyard

stellenbosch cape wine estates

stellenbosch cape wine estates
cape wine-estates click on image

The Cape wine region of South Africa

The Cape wine region of South Africa

vineyard Stellenbosch

vineyard Stellenbosch

share this

Stumble it!

Take a virtual wine tour

Don't forget to click on the photos (which are all mine and copyrighted) to go to the different wine estates to find wines you want to purchase or add to your collection. You can take a virtual tour to California, Australia, Chile, South Africa New Zealand and Italy.
click on the country links too. while clicking on the red winelist image will take you to my blog on Italy, enjoy!

A little light entertainment as you read the blog

The benefits of red wine

Red wine pill on the way-->LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Italian scientists are working on a pill that replicates all the health benefits of drinking a glass of red wine.

Do you know your vintages? The good and bad years when buying.

Here on Wine world we take the mystery out of ordering a wine. What vintage to buy and which wine goes best with what. You can order wines right here on the site from the vineyards or suppliers by clicking on the picture links.

Italy vintages
1996 Vintage
This was a good year for wine producers across most of Italy, especially from Tuscany and Piedmonte which experienced good conditions for maturation. Piemonte enjoyed a late hot summer so look out for the 1996 vintage in Piemonte.
1997 Vintage
A fabulous vintage, especially for Tuscan wines and those from Piedmonte. For Tuscany this was once in fifty year vintage. So a Chianti Classico 1997 is worth what you will pay for it. Everywhere else was, ok and 1997 was still a good vintage.
1998 Vintage
A very good year for Piemonte, so choose Barolo, or Barbera from the Piedmont, these are fabulous now and will only improve in the cellar. In 1998 Some Tuscan producers were ok others not so, and avoid the Southern regions of Campagnia and Basilicata on the heel.
1999 Vintage
A mixed year in Italy, with rain for much of the country, resulting in average wines. But, as is often the case, ok wines from Piedmont. The two exceptions were Tuscany and Campania on the southwest coast which had a good growing season leading to excellent vintages.
2000 Vintage
2000 was the year of Barolo, if you can find one, snap it up. - The season was much too hot for much of Italy including Chianti, but the more-northern Piemonte was alright. The wines produced across Piemonte are exceptional, and will lay down well.
2001 Vintage
a successful vintage for Italy's wine makers on the whole, with the best wines coming from Camania & Basilicata . Many Tuscan wines were affected though because of irregular weather conditions. Amarone & the Veneto region experienced dry weather and wines from 2001 are good to excellent.
2002 Vintage
2002 could go down as the 'worst in 50 years'. Italy had heavy rains and Piedmont had hailstorms which wrecked most Barolo vineyards. Rains in Tuscany in September and October which affected the vintage so overall try to avoid this vintage,and if you see it offered cheap you know why.
2003 Vintage
Summer In Europe in 2003 was one of the hottest on record and this caused problems for growers in Tuscany and Piedmont. To be safe try and avoid this vintage in general, however the wines from Montepulciano are worth getting, and Amarone wines are drinking well now, but will get better with a few more years in the cellar.
2004 Vintage
Wines from 2004 from Tuscany and Piedmont and the Veneto should definately be on your list. With good growing conditions throughout. Sun-filled days, followed by cooler nights and a late harvest. Avoid Campania & Basilicata however, which had bad weather in September and October. 2005 Vintage
Europe's wine producers called 2005 one of the best years in recent times. Italy was the exception though - with heavy rains. Tuscany and Piedmont and the deep South were alright, and you can still find good wines in this vintage from the top vineyards.

Upcoming wine events to attend in Tuscany - suggest a wine for next review under comments.

merlot vineyard

merlot vineyard

Stellenbosch wine estates

Stellenbosch wine estates
link to the best Cape estates to ship

world wine news

Loading...

what I watch on Yattoo free TV

Your favourite wine, how often do you drink it.

A list of affordable but good red wines choose one