At a recent wine tasting event, I was listening to friends discuss a wine that we were tasting. I found it interesting that each of them used different words to describe the same flavor.
The wine was a Rioja from Spain, and in my opinion it started with a earthy flavor. My friends used descriptive words such as musty, dirt, wet leaves and soil. Although different words were used, we were all correct in how we described this particular wine characteristic. The point that I am trying to make is that when you taste a wine and try to describe it to a friend, be confident in the descriptive word(s) you use because each of us tastes flavors differently.
The unique thing about wine is that there can be a number of aromas and flavors in the same glass and two people may taste something completely different. I tasted a 2008 Clos Du Bois Pinot Grigio that had several layers of flavor, beginning with apple and grapefruit, and as the wine warmed a bit, finished with a smooth honey flavor. The wine appeared straw in color and was nicely balanced. I drank this wine pool-side on a warm day and it was quite refreshing.
Clos Du Bois generally produces good wines at a tremendous value and are easy to locate. The wines I reviewed in this column were priced in the $9 to $14 range. The winery is in Geyserville, which is in the Alexander Valley region of Sonoma County, Calif. Alexander Valley is about an hour north of San Francisco and is home to more than 40 wineries, including Jordan Vineyards, Silver Oak Cellars and Rodney Strong Vineyards just to name a few.
The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc North Coast contained fruit from Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties. This wine contained the classic flavors of a Sauvignon Blanc with grapefruit on both the nose and the palate along with flavors of melon.
The wine was crisp and paired well with a chopped salad consisting of egg, bacon, green onion and diced tomatoes. It would also pair well with grilled fish.
I also tasted a 2005 Merlot, which is comprised of a blend of fruit from several different counties, located throughout northern California, along with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon to make the wine more structured. This wine has a hint of vanilla, followed by flavors of cherry, plum and what appeared to be chocolate.
The Merlot was powerful enough to stand up to a hearty red sauce with meatballs.
Clos du Bois has been making wine since 1974 and at the present time produces several tiers of wine in a wide range of varietals that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Zinfandel in addition to the wines reviewed.
Jim Rawe, a family attorney in Bradenton, is an avid collector of fine wines. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at jimrawe@gmail.com.
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