A Wine for the Summer
OK, summer is nearing an end (at least, in the Northern Hemisphere) , but there are still plenty of hot days, nights, and barbecues coming that beg for a crisp, refreshing white wine. That said, herewith you are presented a wine review for Las Brisas, a Spanish white that is ideal for summer enjoyment.
The wine is a DO Rueda, which means that it comes from the Rueda region of Spain. Rueda is in the central part of Spain, northwest of Madrid and southwest of Ribera del Duero. The chalky soils there are conducive to dry, minerally whites; the main grapes grown are Verdejo (or Verdeho), Viura, and to a lesser extent, Sauvignon Blanc. This particular Rueda is brought into the US by Tempranillo Imports and a “Jorge Ordonez Selection” — when you see that name, it is usually a good wine.
Las Brisas has a wide open, ripe array of fruity and grassy aromas that attack the nose on first sniff. In the mouth it is a bright, open, colorfully fruitful and refreshing white wine filled with gobs of ripe white fruits: green grapes, white peach, apricot, pear, granny smith apple, grapefruit, and lime-y citrus. It’s juicy and crisp at the same time; it may as well be a glass of fruit salad. An excellent edge of acidity makes it a great match for white meats and seafood, and doubles as a thirst quencher. A slight touch of perceived peachy sweetness makes it a good foil for hot and spicy dishes. This is a great choice for a summer barbecue; also a great “segue” wine for those trying to escape white zindom and enter the world of real fine wine.
a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-7 v-8
Wine Rating: 89 points
Find a merchant who sells this wine
Follow this link to purchase this wine through Wine.com: Las Brisas 2005 Blanc
N: Deep black fruit and earth. Some hints of spice and berry fruit.
N: Open. Earthy. Very earthy. We’re talking dirt, wet leaves, maybe a hint of tobacco and vegetation.
Gruner Veltliner is a little-known wine outside Austria, unless you are a fairly advanced cork dork. That’s too bad, because it is a wonderfully crisp, light, fruity wine that goes with just about anything. It’s also a refreshing quencher for barbecues, picnics, and hot summer nights. One excellent and affordable example is Hirsch “Veltliner #1”, which exemplifies the typically clean, character of Gruner Veltliner, adding an attractive tartness, almost-sweet fruit, and a touch of mineral. A nice extra is that this wine comes with a screw-top, so you can stick it back in the fridge and enjoy it over several days. In fact, I’ve been drinking this particular bottle for over a week, and it has not lost any freshness. Find it for around ten to thirteen bucks. (In the NY-Metro area it’s carried by Michael Skurnik, a very reputable importer with a particularly excellent concentration in Austrian and German wines.)