For the end of my summer wine tasting, I'm finally getting around to trying chablis. Chablises? Whites from the Chablis appelation, which is the northernmost wine region in Burgundy.
I believe this is the first true chablis I've ever drunk. I may have had a California version at some point over the years. This bottle is a long way from the Spanish whites and the Sancerres (made with sauvignon blanc) I've been drinking this summer.
The wikipedia entry on chablis wines says they're made with the chardonnay grape, don't tend to be oaked, and are "renowned for the purity of its aroma and taste."
I don't know that I'd describe the flavor and aroma of this 2009 Gilbert Picq [running me between $20 and $25] as pure, but I'd agree with wikipedia about the "steely" notes. I tend to like anything minimal, but this wine was a bit too minimal and one-note and not very subtle for me. Maybe because it's a long way from the whites I've been drinking, but I just didn't enjoy drinking it. I didn't finish the bottle, though it would have been fine for cooking. Others may like it; it just wasn't the wine for me.
A pocket review of a 2007 Argentinian sweet wine, a Bodega Norton Cosecha Tardia. I bought this on clearance for about $7. I would describe it as an Argentinian Sauterne.
It's pretty sweet, no particular nose, no particular subtlety of flavor, though it does pack a slight acidic punch. I was thinking what you would eat with it and decided that it would work well with a cheese and fruit plate. The sweetness would work well with a cheese that can stand up to it. Not a wine that I'd drink on a regular basis, but a good choice for a party.