Wines I'm Drinking: 2006 Beni di Batasiolo "Granée" Gavi di Gavi

I reviewed two wines from producer Beni di Batasiolo not long ago, the 2005 "Serbato" Langhe Chardonnay and the 2003 "Vigneto Morino" Langhe Chardonnay. Both wines were from my local (Santa Rosa) Grocery Outlet. I visited Grocery Outlet  today for the first time in a couple of months and found a Gavi di Gavi from the same producer that I thought worth a try, because I liked the other Beni di Batasiolo wines and because the Gavi was priced at only $3.99 a bottle. It's from the 2006 vintage, and older whites at Grocery Outlet are always a gamble; I didn't have high expectations, but this was delicious. Gavi di Gavi is made from Cortese grapes in the eastern part of Italy's Piemonte region, famous for Barolo and Barbaresco among reds, Roero Arneis, Langhe Arneis, and others among whites, including modern (light, crisp) white wines made from such international grapes as Chardonnay (the two wines mentioned above being good examples). Gavi di Gavi was a darling of the wine media in the 1980s and much of it was over-hyped and mediocre, but at its best Gavi can be very tasty indeed. Brief tasting notes follow.

A pretty, pale gold in the glass with limes, honey, and floral scents--the latter something like a restrained gardenia. A hint of hazelnuts perhaps, too. Very attractive and appetizing on the nose. I was reminded of some of the white wines of France's Costieres de Nîmes district (near the town of Nîmes, just west of the mouth of the Rhône)--wines that always smell of honey and have a certain waxy texture on the palate. This wine had those qualities and more--a subtly fruity mid-palate, a nuanced finish, and a crisp, balancing tartness throughout. Although low in alcohol by California standards (at 12%) this is the sort of wine that's very easy to drink too much of: Each sip leaves you wanting to go back again to try to pin down the tantalizingly elusive flavors. The current vintage (2009) sells locally for $15.99. Recommended.

I have no financial connection with any producer or retailer of wine. 

For more wine reviews, use the Wines I'm Drinking label.

Wines I'm Drinking: 2005 Beni di Batasiolo "Serbato" Langhe Chardonnay

I recently tasted a 2003 Chardonnay from Beni di Batasiolo that I thought interesting but a little over the hill. This is a different bottling from the same producer, from a more recent vintage--the 2005 "Serbato" Langhe Chardonnay. Both wines are from Italy's Piedmont region, the home of better known wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco. Tasting notes below.

A pretty yellow-gold, clear and brilliant. Scents of lemons, wood, and manure. Yes, "manure," but not at all unpleasant. [Perhaps that's a bit harsh. Let's say lemons, wood, and musky animal scents rather than manure.] Lemon and honey on the palate. Bright acidity. Much fresher than its older stable-mate (see above). Sweet on the mid-palate with a nice lemony tartness lingering on a fairly long finish. Conceptually, lemon and musk may be a challenge to reconcile, but we happily consume all manner of meats with lemon squeezed on them, and this wine had something about it that reminded me of lemon chicken--not the sticky, yellow-dyed horrors that pass for lemon chicken in the Chinese restaurants of shopping mall food courts--but a real lemon chicken made with love and fresh ingredients (fond memories of Yaik Sang on Lockhart Rd. in Hong Kong years ago). The "Serbato" Chardonnay is not especially nuanced or profound, but, at only $3.99 a bottle at Grocery Outlet, this is a good value for everyday occasions. I'm likely to buy a few bottles to have on hand for those hot summer days that must surely be on the way.

I have no financial connection with any producer or retailer of wine.

For more wine reviews, use the Wines I'm Drinking label.

Wines I'm Drinking: 2003 Beni di Batasiolo "Vigneto Morino" Langhe Chardonnay

Recently I found this Chardonnay from Italy's Langhe region in the Piedmont area (the area that produces Barolo and Barbaresco and one of my favorite white wines, Roero Arneis) at my local Grocery Outlet in Santa Rosa. I'm always a little skeptical about older white wines at Grocery Outlet. Sometimes they're being cleared out at low prices because they're over the hill--flat or even oxidized--but, happily, that's not usually the case. More often, they're being cleared out simply because they didn't sell well. That can be attributable to a number of things, but usually one of two: Either the wines are from unfamiliar grapes, makers, or wine regions that buyers in the US are unsure of and not adventurous enough to try, or the wine has a flavor profile that just doesn't appeal to many people here--which is not necessarily a fault in the wine. In either case, I'm happy to benefit from good wines being let go at low prices.

Right on the edge. I'll be up-front: This wine from 2003 seems a little tired (it's likely to have been best within about four years rather than at eight years old). That said, it's by no means unattractive for immediate consumption, and it's a bargain at $3.99 a bottle ($3.59 a bottle if you buy a case). Searching the Internet, I found a wide range of prices for recent vintages--from $9 a bottle to $25 a bottle. Tasting notes follow. 

A medium yellow-gold, with an interesting nose suggestive of melons and wood, but without typical oak scents. The nose was rather hard to define, actually. It was not especially forthcoming, but attractive nevertheless. Something reminded me of fresh, raw vegetables, and white wines from this area often have a sappy sort of scent. Later, after a little air contact, I began to get suggestions of honey and chestnuts and then butterscotch. The wine has some presence on the palate. Nice fruity sweetness on the mid-palate and perhaps a hint of oxidation (sherry-like flavors) on the finish, but not at all unpleasant. Creamy, rich mouthfeel. Honey flavors. Tasty, but low in acidity, which is mainly what makes it seem to lack freshness. Still, not a bad wine at this price. Probably a wine worth looking for in younger vintages. If you buy the 2003, don't sit on it. Enjoy it immediately.

[Update: I subsequently tasted another Langhe Chardonnay from the same producer, the 2005 "Serbato" bottling.]

I have no financial connection with any producer or retailer of wine.

For more wine reviews, use the Wines I'm Drinking label.