Wine Tips - Pinnacle Ridge Naked Chardonnay and Saintsbury Pinot Noir

Greetings from Vintage Connections! 
This week's wine tips.

Pinnacle Ridge Naked Chardonnay
As summer gets into full swing, we’re looking more and more towards those wines that are cool and refreshing.  This crisp, delicious un-oaked chardonnay is a perfect example.  

From Pinnacle Ridge Winery just north of Kutztown, this chardonnay was fermented and aged in stainless steel allowing the wonderful fruit aromas and flavors of the chardonnay grape to shine through.  If you’re not a fan of oaky chardonnays, this wine is a must try. The Naked Chardonnay “shows aromas of apple and pineapple” and “fills the mouth with fresh fruit interlaced with mineral tones.”.

We love a glass of it with grilled chicken or a cool shrimp cocktail.

Available only at the winery it sells for $10 a bottle.  Alcohol is approximately 12% by volume.  

Saintsbury Carneros Pinot Noir 

Carneros (Napa), Stanly Ranch, CA  This 2006 100% pinot noir is made from grapes from multiple vineyards in the Carneros region of California, mostly from the Napa Valley vineyards.  The wine goes through malolactic fermentation and then is moved into French oak barrels for aging.  Much time and thought is given to this Carneros bottling of Pinot Noir from Saintsbury.  “Our Carneros bottling delivers distinctive Pinot Noir character in a wine of power, grace and elegance.”  

We found this pinot noir to be a good, if not excellent, example of pinot noir at a recent blind tasting of seven Pinot Noirs.  The Saintsbury Carneros Pinot Noir came in 3rd out of seven US Pinot Noirs.  It has flavors of dark cherries and a “spicy oakiness”, with balanced acidity and slightly elevated levels of tannins.   

Alcohol is 14% by volume.  PLCB product code is 13655 and is currently a Chairman’s Select for $27.99.  This is selling out fast and may be hard to find in PA Wine and Spirit stores. 

Up-coming Events

If you know of an up-coming local wine event, let us know and we will add it to our calendar.

Blues in the Barn at Pinnacle Ridge
June 19 and 20

Summer Solstice Festival at Manatawny Creek Winery  
June 19

The Great PA Wine Toast
Saturday, August 14

Bottle Shock Revisited!

Saturday September 18, 6:30 - 9:30 PM 
Seen the movie? Read the book?  
Now try it yourself!

Blind tasting of USA vs. French wines. Appetizers included.
Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

$49 per person, $90 per couple, $350 per group of eight.

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.


Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  

Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.  

For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

This Week's Fun Fact!
 

What is Claret?  Claret is another name (usually) for a red Bordeaux Blend.  In the 14th century, when France began exporting red Bordeaux to England, the English called it Claret because it was lighter and more clear than the deep, dark red Spanish wines they were used to.  At that time, the red grape skins were removed quickly when making Bordeaux, leaving a much lighter, clearer rose color than we are used to today (from Judgment of Paris, 2005).

There will be a quiz someday.