"A.B.C."

"A.B.C." - Anything but Chardonnay is a common expression I hear from many in the wine community. The days of the buttery, fruit forward style of Chardonnay are supposedly gone (not true). And that days of Chardonnay as the dominant white grape was also on the horizon (also not true).

But have you replaced Chardonnay as the white wine in your house or cellar. In my cellar the only Chardonnay that exists are those from my Long Island wine clubs and even those bottles number fewer than 5 or 6. The majority of white wine in my cellar is now Sauvignon Blanc, mostly Girard and Kathryn Hall (oaked).

I have also ventured past sauvignon blanc to other white wines. By far my favorite white grape is viognier. Darioush, to me, is the benchmark for all viognier's. It has a floral bouquet, grapefruit/melon front palate, proper acidity and the mouth feel of a red wine. I have searched far and wide for other viognier's that compare and have yet to find many, actually most I have found are disappointing. The most promising viognier's have come from the Willamette Valley, specifically Penner-Ash.

Speaking of Oregon their version of Pinot Gris is outstanding and is worth the exploration. I started with Lange Estate in Dundee as a staple but also enjoyed the Pinot Gris from St. Innocent and Cristom in Eola-Amity.

Closer to home alternative whites that standout is Va La Vineyards 'La Prima Donna' which is worth the trip to Avondale. It is a white blend of mostly grapes you have probably never heard of besides Pinot Grigio. There is always a bottle in my cellar. This wine could be considered an East Coast cult wine.

Moving further into the direction of alternative is Albarino. The grape is native to Spain's Rias Baixas region and if you are a regular of the PA Wine and Spirits store you could of certainly seen these wines on display. It makes a crisp refreshing wine that has a good deal of complexity. Long Island has seen an increase of planting Albarino and I would recommend to track down Palmer Vineyards version of this grape (in 500ml bottles). I have at least three more in my cellar to see how they age.

Any what about Riesling? I will treat Riesling as a subspecies that will be covered in a future post.

What 'other' white wine grapes do you have in your cellar?