Four summer wines worth a try
2012 Wind Racer Chardonnay
Overall score: 17.4 (8.9 for quality, 8.5 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of 9 or higher. “Excellent acidity and minerality. A lovely wine.” My score: 9. This Russian River Valley winery was launched in 2006 by Barbara Banke and Peggy Furth. Banke, the chairman/proprietor of Jackson Family Wines, is a strong advocate of Anderson Valley pinot noir. Furth? The co-owner and CEO of Chalk Hill Vineyards loves Russian River Valley chardonnay, so Wind Racer wines reflect the best of both regions. Alcohol: 13 percent. Winemaker notes: “Lovely, bright aromas of lemon curd, baked pear, apricot, and jasmine combine with opulent flavors of shortbread, golden plum, marmalade and vanilla custard to create a round, rich wine with a long finish and generous mouthfeel. The Russian River Valley provides optimal ripening conditions for Chardonnay. Warm days and cool nights produce complex and concentrated wines that embrace a higher percentage of sweet, spicy new oak.” Critical acclaim: The Tasting Panel awarded a score of 93. “Rich vanilla nose and smooth style; lush and creamy but not heavy; pretty and deep, balanced and ripe.”
Pairings: Rich fish dishes, grilled veal chops, seared foie gras, latesummer vegetables, cheddar cheese. Price: $36.80 by special order from Spec’s
2012 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon
Overall score: 17.6 (9.1 for quality, 8.5 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with a high score of 9.5 and four scores of 9 or higher. “A big wine but well-balanced. Loaded with black fruit flavors. Chewy.” My score: 9.2. This powerhouse is 88 percent cabernet sauvignon with merlot, cabernet franc and malbec also in the blend. All the fruit grows on Mt. Veeder. It’s drinking splendidly now but should evolve in the bottle for another 10 to 15 years. Alcohol: 14.5 percent. Winemaker notes: “The 2012 growing season was near perfect, with ideal spring bud break and warm, steady days balanced by cool nights. The steady weather continued into the fall, resulting in optimal ripening conditions at harvest.” Critical acclaim: Wine Spectator awarded a score of 92: “A muscular, tight-knit style, with firm, dense, well-proportioned notes of dark berry, crushed rock and graphite. Impressively lively acidity keeps the flavors jumping on the finish, ending with an earth-laced red berry core.” Pairings: Beef, beef and more beef! Price: $79.99 from wine.com
2015 Rombauer Sauvignon Blanc
Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of 9 or higher. “Full of citrus, lime and grapefruit flavors. Bright, light and clean.” My score: 9. Koerner and Joan Rombauer’s winery may be best known around Houston for its chardonnay, but one of their cabernets won the Rodeo’s Grand Champion Best of Show honors a couple of years back, and this sauvignon blanc is a head-turner, too. Although 2015 brought the earliest harvest in Rombauer’s 35-year history and yields were down, the fruit quality was exceptional. Alcohol: 14.2 percent. Winemaker notes: “Exudes aromas of ripe lime, grapefruit, pear and white nectarine with a subtle hint of fresh-cut grass. The palate is fresh and enticing, as grapefruit, white nectarine and deep tropical notes intertwine making the mouth water. Balanced yet lively acidity lingers on the palate inviting another taste. Boxwood on the finish gives the wine length and vibrant freshness.”
Critical acclaim: Wilfred Wong of Wine.com awarded a score of 91. “Exciting release brings a fine palate texture and a complete finish.” Pairings: Ham, sausage and corned beef. Asparagus-based salads, or almost any dish that incorporates goat cheese. Price: $23.38 at H-E-B
DRINK PINK! 2015 Montrose
Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 9 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of 9. “Lovely aroma. Rich and savory. Flavors of white peach and raspberry.” My score: 9. The winery is located in Pezenas, not far from the Mediterranean shore in France’s Languedoc, and has been in the hands of the Coste family since 1701. The name “Montrose” comes from the fact that the property sits on an ancient dormant volcano and the myriad rose-colored flowers on the almond trees that surround the vineyard. The blend is might surprise you: 65 percent Grenache, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon and 10-percent syrah. Alcohol: 13 percent. Winemaker notes: “Light pink color. Red berries and peach flavors with spicy overtones. An elegant wine combining roundness and freshness.” Pairings: Grilled fish and meat, sushi and salads. Price: $13 at French Country Wines, 2433 Bartlett
About our recommendations
Eight to 12 tasters, who are a mix of industry professionals and knowledgeable consumers, convene once a month to sample 40 to 50 wines with Dale Robertson, the Chronicle’s wine columnist. The grape varietals are identified, but the labels are covered; the panelists know neither the name of the producer nor the country of origin. Wines are tasted according to their alcohol content, starting with the least alcoholic. Whites go first, followed by rosés, then reds. A 10-point scale is used with a taster’s score of 8.5 or higher considered a recommendation. The quality score is the average of the tasters’ scores. The value score and, hence, the overall score are determined by Robertson once a wine has been selected to receive a recommendation. Value is based on the price listed, but that doesn’t mean the wine might not be found elsewhere for less. Current local retail availability is generally required for a wine to receive a recommendation, although bottles that can be ordered from wineries or online sites, such as wine.com, and are licensed to ship to Texas are given consideration, too.