The remaining vineyards feature Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. Very excited to visit Schloss Schonborn again this week as a student in the Masters of Wine education program. The first time I went was on a trip sponsored by the German Wine Institute and the European Union for its Destination Riesling program. Hauptstr.

With this we drank two different Inflorescence Brut Blanc de Noirs , the 2008 and 2009. Jaime then served a squash risotto which which we paired with the 2004 Inflorescence Brut Blanc de Noirs La Parcelle. But this is the Aube, after all, and the warmer climate in this excellent vintage brings unusual nuance to Pinot wines.

Red wine varietals that tend to benefit from a good bit of oak include: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage, Chianti, Zinfandel, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo and Syrah. White wine varietals that are receptive to oak’s influence include: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and of course Chardonnay.

Among the many wines tasted were varieties familiar to Americans: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, and even Sauvignon Blanc. Instead of a Chardonnay, a Pinot Grigo from Alto Adige would be perfect. "You need a valet!" Such is the trade-off for sunny Los Angeles. So are Alto Adige wines distinctive?

Saarstein Pinot Blanc 2008 - a fresh, fruity, dry wine with intense minerality (about six grams residual sugar) great for a salad course. Huber Alte Reben Spatburgunder 2007 - a delicious Pinot Noir with incredible balance. Undone Pinot Noir 2008 - Very smooth, with berry and plum notes on the palate. Incredible balance.

Use this wine wherever you would use Sauvignon Blanc, but instead of being annoyed at how mediocre your Sauvignon Blanc is, you'll be thrilled with this wine. 2007 Laurent Barth Pinot Blanc , $12.60, Louis/Dressner Selections. This is the delicious Alsace Pinot Blanc I drank the other day with a Vacherin-style cheese.

We ate this cheese with the 2007 Laurent Barth Alsace Pinot Blanc , $14, Louis/Dressner Selections. It's well balanced and lively, and honestly has nothing to do with those round and blowsy Pinot Blanc wines that are common. It seems to be much more about place than about Pinot Blanc, which I think is a good thing.

The 2007 Prieler Pinot Blanc Seeberg was just delicious. I was lucky enough to be invited to the recent Blaufränkisch tasting and luncheon at Gramercy Tavern, organized by David Schildnecht. This was a challenging tasting for me. Firstly, I had almost no previous experience drinking Blaufränkisch. was a clean slate.

In general, Gewurztraminer and Muscat make aromatic wines, whereas Riesling and Sylvaner are more mineral, and Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are more about fresh fruit. I'm one of those weirdos who likes Gewurztraminer. It's true, so many of the wines are very bad - sweet and unbalanced, too viscous, devoid of subtlety, crude.

thought about an Alsace Pinot Blanc, but that made me want to add eggs and cheese to the tart and eat it in January. In the oppressive heat and humidity of August in New York City, it is the simplest food that I crave. can't do the amazing things that my friend Peter , for example, does in the kitchen. have to keep things simple.

This Crémant is mostly Riesling at about 70%, with some Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc in the blend too. 2004 Audrey et Christian Binner Crémant d'Alsace Extra Brut , $28, Jenny & François Selections. I'm a big fan of the wines from this Alsace estate. They are pure expressions of Alsace grape varieties and Alsace terroir.

They also make two highly unusual wines that feature the three "other" Champagne grapes: Arbanne, Pinot Blanc, and Petit Meslier. NV Moutard Père & Fils Brut Brut Rosé Cuvaison , $34, Polaner Selections. With some exceptions, these tend to be red grape dominant wines. Another leader in the area is Moutard.

Red wine (between $30 and $100): 1st choice: bottle of French or Californian Pinot Noir. 1st choice: Californian or European Pinot Blanc. 2nd choice: Californian or European Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonney [sic]. What do Diana Krall and Sammy Hagar have in common? Not a lot from a musical perspective, that’s for sure.

Boxler's ( drank in September ) is made from a typical Alsace blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and other highly aromatic grapes, yet comes across as lean and refreshing wine that showcases the purity of delicate fruit. Dirler's Cr é mant is all Pinot Blanc , and is a more full bodied and rich wine. More Dirler, please

2005 Dirler Pinot Blanc Cuvée Vieilles Vignes , $27, Imported by Robert Chadderdon Selections. Wines of the Alsace.who knew? From what I can tell, the wines of the Alsace are about as popular in the US as square dancing. Less so, actually, as there are some parts of the US where groups of people really love square dancing.

Here are some thoughts on the other other wines I tasted: I love the 2006 Cassagnoles wine from the southwest of France, a rich, zesty, and well balanced blend of Gros Manseng, Ugni Blanc, and Colombard. The Kuentz-Bas Alsace Blanc is good too. On Monday I posted a list of wines that cost $14 or less , about $15 including NYS tax.

Ben Hagan, one of the wine buyers at Slope Cellars in Park Slope, Brooklyn recommends (Slope Cellars prices listed) : Whites: 2006 Caves de Saumur Saumur Les Pouches, $13, LVDH Imports (100% Chenin Blanc). 2005 Kuentz-Bas Alsace Blanc, $12, Kermit Lynch Imports (Blend of, in order, Sylvaner, Riesling and Pinot Blanc, Muscat).

Still wine is made from one of or some combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and possibly but very rarely Pinot Blanc and the obscure Arbane and Petit Meslier. If you're anything like me then you've been thinking recently about non-dosage Champagne. mean, who wouldn't be - it's such an interesting issue.

We return to Shea Vineyard on this, the fifth and final night of our Oregon Pinot festival. Anyway, no Brooklynguy-sponsored Oregon Pinot Noir festival is complete without an entry from St Innocent. Among the whites there are a Pinot Gris, a Pinot Blanc, and a Chardonnay every year. But a festival nonetheless.

The fourth night of our 2004 Oregon Pinot Noir festival brings BrooklynLady and I back to a sentimental favorite. After our tour of the facility we tasted through some "wacky whites," as the like to call their Pinot Blanc and other white offerings, but the real prize for us was the Pinot. But back to Pinot.

started out by following Lenn around, took his guided tour of Long Island whites, tasting many a Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. learned, though, that I am not a fan of the Long Island style of Sauvignon Blanc, which based on the wines I sampled at this tasting, is super pungeant, o'er brimming with cat pee aromas. already like them.