Wines by Jennifer - Wine Tasting Selections

Parkville, Missouri 64152

Hours of Operation
Tuesday - Saturday
12 PM - 8 PM

"March Madness - Down Under Regional"

Week of March 24th, 2009

Wines by Jennifer's "Road to the Surviving Six"

Two more spots were secured last week in the Surviving Six, with the surprising Portugal Vinho Verde "Mean Green" white wine and the always consistent Spain Rioja red wine advancing on the strength of their impressive victories over a deep field at the Euro Regional.

Portugal Vinho Verde obviously came to this Regional with something to prove. Long an afterthought even in its own conference to the powerhouse Port wine (who earlier were disqualified from the tournament due to an ineligible varietal), Vinho Verde came out with an effervescence and style that was just too much for Germany Riesling and Austria Gruner Veltliner.

In the Euro red bracket, Rioja lived up to its reputation as the reigning power in Spain, and staked its claim among the top programs in Europe, by dispatching highly-regarded France Bordeaux and Italy Chianti in a contest that surprisingly was never that close.

Now it's on to the final regional Down Under, where the powerful Aussie wines will do battle with the less-publicized but gritty and talented South Africans and the Kiwis of New Zealand. Each of these countries brought their "A" varietals to the Regional, so don't miss the action in our Tasting Room this week as these six worthy wines fight it out for the final two spots in our Surviving Six.

And remember, the more you taste, the better your odds of being the big winner!

From Marlborough, on New Zealand's South Island, comes this 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, showing brilliant pale straw color and intense aromatic notes of tropical fruits over a grassy, herbaceous background. The palate is full bodied with ripe gooseberry and green tropical fruits (golden kiwifruit, honeydew melon, ripe pineapple). Good acid structure leaves a crisp, lengthy finish.

The 2007 vintage of this Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc is a starbright color with a vibrant green tinge. Beautifully expressive sweet fruit aromas of yellow Golden Delicious apples, ripe pears and floral notes dominate the bouquet. A tropical fruit salad of melons, guavas and pineapples fills the palate. Sun-ripened Chenin has a subtle honey and raisin flavor that adds to the layered complexity and smooth, silky texture on the finish.

Each individual block of grapes in this 2008 South Australia Riesling was picked at optimum ripeness, exhibiting the classic ripe flavors and gorgeous natural acid freshness of Eden Valley. This is one rich and intensely flavored wine. Classic fruit aromas of talcum, lemons and limes, with a hint of overlaying dried herb are present, along with a palate showing great length and depth with limes and a hint of tropical fruit. The wine finishes with a soft but fresh natural acidity that balances the flavor intensity, and will reward with medium- to long-term cellaring.

These Pinot Noir grapes were carefully harvested from selected Wairau and Awatere Valley vineyards in Marlborough. The 2006 season was one of the earliest on record and provided almost perfect weather from flowering through to harvest. Warm summer and autumn temperatures allowed the Pinot Noir to ripen fully. Flavor and color development were aided by the cool nights during the crucial period leading up to harvest. This bright garnet wine shows lifted cherry fruit and mushroom notes on the nose. The palate exhibits ripe, black cherry fruit flavors and has a soft tannin finish. This wine is made to drink young, and will show its best now and over the next 1 - 2 years.

We'll admit it: what first attracted us to this 2006 Shiraz was the label. But upon tasting this Aussie red, we were pleasantly surprised that the juice lived up to the bottle. This is a lush, ripe, full-bodied example of a solid South Australian Shiraz. Playful, fun, and balanced, the ripe raspberry, blackberry, plum, and peppery spice make this a great pairing for burgers and pizza.

South Africa's Walker Bay is being noticed for the outstanding and consistent quality of its Pinotage. The cool climate is the sought-after attribute in this area, where vineyards benefit from persistent cooling winds from the nearby ocean. The soils – predominantly weathered shales – and terroir are also ideal for cool-climate loving varieties. This 2007 vintage shows forthcoming raspberry and vanilla aromas with delicate traces of fresh plums. A silky smooth entry, red berries and spice form on the palate with a touch of mocha lingering on the finish. The wine was matured in medium-toasted French oak for nine months. Drink now until 2012.

For more specific information on these great wines, or to taste for yourself, stop by the Tasting Room at Wines by Jennifer this week. We look forward to seeing you!