01.01.2013 Wine Reviews: Biltmore Estate, Lallier, and Breaux Vineyards
Hello Friends,
I know you would never believe this, but I uncork or unscrew a new wine adventure just about every day. Being a wine enthusiast, a wine blogger, and someone who thoroughly appreciates and enjoys the liquid expression of a place, a person’s vision, and Mother Nature’s influence, I often times tell people that wine is one of the most intriguing beverages in the world. It’s a hobby where there is always something new to taste and learn as well as great people to meet in real life or via those wonderful virtual bridges called Facebook and Twitter. Below are a few of my recent sips, brief tasting notes, and a picture I snapped of each bottle. Variety, so they say, is the spice of life, so keep an open mind and an open palate and enjoy the experience. Drink well, my friends!
1) Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs Brut NV (SRP $24): Sparkling wine made in the traditional method, as they do in Champagne, by the nation’s most visited tasting room and winery in Asheville, North Carolina. The wine is fresh and lively on the palate with a myriad of fine and persistent bubbles and aromas/flavors of lemon curd, subtly toasted bread, and some tree fruit accented notes. I also recommend trying their North Carolina-grown Reserve Blanc de Blancs. Click here to find this wine.
2) Lallier Champagne Grande Reserve Grand Cru Brut NV (SRP $48): This Champagne is a blend of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay that offers aromas of bread dough/yeast, chalk, a toasty character, and a subtle nutty oxidative quality with underlying citrus fruit, apple and spice notes. While not many, this wine displays a persistent stream of medium sized bubbles with a lively and refreshing palate. It retails for the mid to upper $40’s but I found it on WTSO for a slightly discounted price. Keep your eyes peeled as the website may run it again. Click here to find this wine.
3) Breaux Vineyards 2010 Viognier (SRP $32): A pleasant Viognier from a small family-owned and operated wine grower (over 100 acres under vine) and producer in northern [Loudoun County] Virginia. This Viognier is fairly fat and round in the mouth with middling acidity and tropical and dried stone fruit aromas/flavors with baking spice notes, [sweet] toasty accents and delicate white flower undertones with a lingering spice-driven finish. Shying away from their [usual] sleek/racy/fruit-forward style of Viognier and overcoming an extremely hot/humid and arid [2010] growing season, the good folks at Breaux pulled off a tasty, more voluptuous version of Viognier that I enjoyed with smoked salmon and caper spread. This wine is sold out so click here to visit the producer’s website for future release information.
Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends!
Live, Love, Laugh, Tweet, Sip, Enjoy!
I know you would never believe this, but I uncork or unscrew a new wine adventure just about every day. Being a wine enthusiast, a wine blogger, and someone who thoroughly appreciates and enjoys the liquid expression of a place, a person’s vision, and Mother Nature’s influence, I often times tell people that wine is one of the most intriguing beverages in the world. It’s a hobby where there is always something new to taste and learn as well as great people to meet in real life or via those wonderful virtual bridges called Facebook and Twitter. Below are a few of my recent sips, brief tasting notes, and a picture I snapped of each bottle. Variety, so they say, is the spice of life, so keep an open mind and an open palate and enjoy the experience. Drink well, my friends!
Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
1) Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs Brut NV (SRP $24): Sparkling wine made in the traditional method, as they do in Champagne, by the nation’s most visited tasting room and winery in Asheville, North Carolina. The wine is fresh and lively on the palate with a myriad of fine and persistent bubbles and aromas/flavors of lemon curd, subtly toasted bread, and some tree fruit accented notes. I also recommend trying their North Carolina-grown Reserve Blanc de Blancs. Click here to find this wine.
Lallier Champagne Grande Reserve Grand Cru Brut NV
2) Lallier Champagne Grande Reserve Grand Cru Brut NV (SRP $48): This Champagne is a blend of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay that offers aromas of bread dough/yeast, chalk, a toasty character, and a subtle nutty oxidative quality with underlying citrus fruit, apple and spice notes. While not many, this wine displays a persistent stream of medium sized bubbles with a lively and refreshing palate. It retails for the mid to upper $40’s but I found it on WTSO for a slightly discounted price. Keep your eyes peeled as the website may run it again. Click here to find this wine.
Breaux Vineyards 2010
Viognier
3) Breaux Vineyards 2010 Viognier (SRP $32): A pleasant Viognier from a small family-owned and operated wine grower (over 100 acres under vine) and producer in northern [Loudoun County] Virginia. This Viognier is fairly fat and round in the mouth with middling acidity and tropical and dried stone fruit aromas/flavors with baking spice notes, [sweet] toasty accents and delicate white flower undertones with a lingering spice-driven finish. Shying away from their [usual] sleek/racy/fruit-forward style of Viognier and overcoming an extremely hot/humid and arid [2010] growing season, the good folks at Breaux pulled off a tasty, more voluptuous version of Viognier that I enjoyed with smoked salmon and caper spread. This wine is sold out so click here to visit the producer’s website for future release information.
Wishing all of you a grape #2013. Cheers!
Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. Stay tuned ...more to come. Happy Sipping, my friends!
Live, Love, Laugh, Tweet, Sip, Enjoy!
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