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Wine Details
Price:
$12.00 per bottle
Description:
A semi-dry Blend of Villard Blanc, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, and Muscat made in the Vouvray style. 2.5% residual sugar with a hint of effervescence.
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Varietal Definition
Chardonnay:
Chardonnay is by far the most widely planted grape crop in California and dominates California’s cooler, coastal, quality wine regions. The natural varietal ‘taste and smell’ of Chardonnay is surprisingly unfamiliar to many wine drinkers, as its true character is often guised with dominating winemaking signatures. Chardonnay’s rather subdued primary fruit characteristics lean toward the crisp fruitiness of apples, pears and lemon, but the variety’s full body is capable of supporting a host of complementary characteristics, such as oak, butter and vanilla. Regardless of what is the appropriate style for Chardonnay, the varietal continues to dominate vineyard plantings in every corner of the world. Close attention to clonal selection has made this broad geographic and climactic range of Chardonnay viable in thoughtful viticultural hands.
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Villard Blanc:
French-american hybrid grape used mostly for making a fruity, mildly intense white wine of simple nature. Was widely planted in France until E.U. rules stipulated strict varietal combinations. It is now found mostly in the cooler regions of the Northern U.S. and Canada.
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Muscat:
Muscat, thought to be one of the oldest grape varieties, is grown worldwide. It is vinified in a multitude of styles, from still to sparkling, and dry to sweet to fortified. Also called Moscato, Moscatel and Muskateller, it is a sweetly aromatic, fruity grape that has many genetic variations and colors. It probably originated in Greece but maybe the independent sultanate of Muscat in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula had something to do with it. Over 200 different varieties and derivatives to the Muscat family exist today. Muscat Canelli, Orange Muscat and Black Muscat are varieties most planted in California, which makes primarily still wine. More unusual is Muscat fermented to total dryness, which leaves greater alcohol levels and no residual sugar. Some Muscats are aged in oak to provide additional complexity.Today’s recommended Muscats represent many of these styles, so use the tasting notes and percent of residual sugar - listed if provided by the winery - to find a wine you’ll enjoy. The more sugar and the lower the alcohol, the sweeter the wine, though wines above 10 percent alcohol can also be somewhat sweet.
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Vidal Blanc:
A white French hybrid once widely planted in the south of France, it is more suitable for growing in warm and humid climates like the South. These vines are prolific, producing large golden berries, suitable for eating out of hand as table grapes. When vinified, Villard Blanc makes a fruity, mildly intense white wine (somewhat Sauvignon Blanc like) of fairly neutral and simple flavors. Primarily used for blending.
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