Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/68310
Charonge Chardonnay (California) In the spring of 1924, Gasparé Indelicato planted Delicato Family Vineyards' first grapes. Within a few years, winemakers across the country spoke of the quality of his fruit. Today, Gasparé's grandsons Chris and Jay Indelicato lead their family's business into the future under the name DFV Wines but are still devoted to family farming, environmentally sensitive winegrowing practices and economically sustainable principles. Jim Ferguson, VP-General Manager of Coastal Wine Brands, a division of DFV Wines, says that whites have often been regarded as the finest of all wines. "In ancient Rome, Falernian was the most prized, described as golden in color with a rich sweetness." Ferguson feels that white wine's strength comes from the fact that it's best served chilled, "and we Americans like our beverages cold. Whites also offer a variety of delicious flavors like butterscotch, green apple, melon and vanilla, as well as toasty oak and crisp acidity. White's greatest weakness comes from an erroneous reputation for only matching well with certain dishes. I have found that it can be perfect with most foods including beef and lamb, depending of course on how they are prepared." Last summer, on a trip to New York, Ferguson was sitting in his friend's backyard enjoying California Chardonnay. "My friend's wife was drinking a fruit-infused vodka drink, while his daughter had a beer with an orange slice. Feeling a little left out, I grabbed my own citrus slice and tossed it into our wine—which my friend wasn't too happy about! But after a few sips we both liked it better with the orange." As a result, DFV Wines is now launching Charonge, essentially Chardonnay with natural orange flavor. Charonge ($12) is intensely fruity, with a nose of peach, yellow plum and apricot. The taste is quite floral, with hints of papaya and yellow apple to help things along. As befits such a hip brand, an extensive social media campaign will be focused toward on-premise parties and promotions. DFV Wines/Coastal Wine Brands White Insight: Varieties, Regions and Styles Almost any white variety can produce dry or sweet wines, and a subset can be made bubbly or still. Chardonnay Chardonnay was the most popular white grape through the 1990s, and both sparkling and still can be top-notch. It is a good choice to pair with fish and chicken, and is the principle white of Burgundy, where it originated. So versatile, Chardonnay is grown with success in most viticultural areas under a variety of climatic conditions yet only amounts to two percent of the world's vines, covering just over 160,000 hectares (400,000 acres). Chardonnay is often voluptuous and more velvety than other types of dry whites, with rich citrus flavors. Fermentation in new oak barrels, common in the New World, adds a buttery tone as well as vanilla, toast, coconut and toffee. Sauvignon Blanc Sauvignon Blanc is a versatile food wine for seafood, poultry and salads. Of French origin, Sauvignon Blanc is grown in large quantities in Bordeaux, where it is often blended with Sémillon. The Loire Valley and New Zealand 84 / the tasting panel / june 2012 produce some excellent versions as well. Typical tastes include herbal characteristics such as bell pepper and freshly mown grass, with the dominating flavors rang- ing from sour green apples, pears and gooseberries to tropical melon, mango and black currant. Quality unoaked Sauvignon Blanc will display smoky qualities. The result- ing wine usually has bright aromas, a strong acid finish and is best when grown in cool climates. Sémillon Sémillon goes with fish but there are better matches, especially when the wine is dry (but try it with clams, mus- sels and pasta salad). Sémillon is the major white grape in Bordeaux and is also known as Hunter River Riesling, as well as the Boal/Bual of Madeira, Chevrier, Columbier, Málaga and Blanc Doux. It is grown in Chile, Argentina, Australia, and California, where this varietal features a dis- tinct fig-like character and is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc to limit its strong berry-like flavors. From Bordeaux