Duck Walk Sauvignon Blanc: Fruit nose and flavor
Memorial Day weekend looked fairly spectacular to me. I spent some time in Ocean City, Md., and Rehoboth. Both looked to have decent crowds. It will be interesting to check out demo-flush , gross receipts tax report and meter revenue to get a read on the state of our economy that is unvarnished by governmental shills.
Regarding economy, I explored a nice collection of under-$10 whites for summer enjoyment. Following are several that may require search or be found on local store shelves.
Let's start with No. 1, Duck Walk Sauvignon Blanc 2009 because I like the name. Good fruit nose. Melon and lychee flavors, round mouthfeel, and clean finish. No. 2 is Weingut Groiss Landwein Trocken Gruner Veltliner 2009. Get your Gru-Ve with this rich, dry, chenin-like wine in liter bottles. No. 3 is Errazuriz Estate SB 2009 from Chile. Aromas of peaches, white pepper and orange are followed by a mouthful of peach and nectarine flavors supported by an acid frame with verve. These were the top 3 of a 110-item tasting.
The next tier: How about a dry, slatey Mosel Reisling? Weingut Altenhofen Offener Schwarzburg Riesling 2009 is dry, with an accurate fruit, acid and mineral balance. No. 2, Earthstone Sonoma Chardonnay 2009, has fruit-driven sweetness but is acid dry; this is as much Chardonnay as you can get under $10. A bit short on the finish. This last is upscale at $16. A pale straw color with a slight green tinge, the nose is a complex bouquet of bitter oranges, apples, peaches, toast and a hint of gravel. On the palate, tangerine, almond and pineapple vie through the finish with creamy orange and tea flavors. It is rare to find a chardonnay of this quality at the price. I think 93 points for Stuhlmuller Vineyard Alexander Valley Chard 2009 is a true bargain.
Check Jos. Drouhin Vaudon Chablis 1ere Cru 2009. A blend of wine from Roncieres, Mont de Milieu, Mont Tonnerre and Forneaux, 1ere Cru vineyards all. Green-tinged, pale golden-colored, opens to tangerine, white peach, lemon and minerals. The palate is apples, ginger and roast hazelnuts. Plenty of nervy acid cleans up and extends the finish. A great 93-point 1ere Cru Chablis under $20.
Nag, nag, nag! David Niven has it well in hand. I must report that there were 1,000 guys (possible exaggeration here) putting up standards, barrels, lights and signs 3-4 weeks ago at the Bridge over the River Kwai. Subsequently there were more trucks and machinery sitting idle beside the flashing, blinking, unmanned police cars (3 or 4), winding, lumpy, bumpy, single lanes than there are people working on the project. All the rushed activity to restrict traffic before Memorial Day and nothing happening. BTW, if you are from upstate, how is that other DelDOT snafu at the tolls going? Over a year and still snarled. Yikes! I'll bet a close check by one of our neophyte Jimmy Breslins would find Sally Palumbo running DelDOT.
