Page 43 - Staff Tastings

It’s finally that time of year when the flowers start to blossom, and the temperature outside is increasing every day.  I’m sure many people start to think about the grass cutting they’ll have to do and the gardens they’re going to plant, but all I can think about is what I will stock my wine fridge with!

I love searching our vast inventory, seeing the new purchases that we’ve made and trying to figure out what wines to stock for the new seasons. I usually go with four or five selections for the spring/summer season, and I tend to go with all whites. I also like to have a Rose on hand as well. Listed below are my selections with my comments for each. Hope you enjoy!


2007 Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne / 93 BH / $69.99 btl:  The benchmark producer of Corton Charlemagne. This is Grand Cru juice at Premier

On the heels of Nick’s recent Top 5 Whites for the summer, I have to bring the 2010 Montelena Chardonnay to your attention.  We just received this, so let’s include this one as a top summer selection and grow Nick’s list to 6!

This chardonnay deserves to stand right beside the potentially more well known reds from Montelena.

Antonio Galloni began his review stating the wine is “gorgeous.”  I think this is the perfect descriptor.  It’s citrusy (grapefruit, lemon zest) and floral with the crispness I like in a chardonnay.  There isn’t a lot of oak in this wine, but it still maintains solid body.  With only subtle oak (and not overdone with oiliness) along with some mineral-like elements that I noticed closer to the finish, this is a California chardonnay that potentially could be mistaken for an excellent white Burgundy in a blind tasting…without a white Burgundy price!

Wine Spectator