Chardonney History

Called Chardonnay because the grapes came from a village called Chardonnay in Burgundy

at 400k acres, it is the 2nd most widely planted white grape worldwide

It is the number 1 selling varietal in the US

Chardonnay

Old World VS New World Characteristics

Fruit, Floral, Herb

Earth

Wood

Acid

Old World:

• FFH: Tree fruits, granny smith, peaches, pears, nectarines
• E: Mineral components, Oyster shells, limestone, slate, and wet rocks
• W: Cote d'Or, Cinnamon, toast, smoke, cardamom and clove

New World:

• FFH: Tropical fruits, bananas, lychee, lemon, lime, mango and pineapple
• E rarely noticable
• W: Coconut, dill, vanilla, butterscotch and caramel
• A: lower in new world Chardonney specifically in California where most chardonney is produced in warmer climate.  Malolactic fermentation is common

• To pair with food
• Rich wine drinkers.  Lovers of Voignier and Semillon might like Chardonnay
• Collectors
• People searching for wines "everyone will like"
• Oak, butter lovers

• Chablis and oysters
• Chicken
• pork
• shrimp with cream sauces
• lighter fish
• salmon
• clams
• mussels
• squash
• herbs

Pinot Grigio/Gris

History

• Pinot Grigio is Italian for the equivalent to Pinot Gris
• Pinot Gris is prominent in Alsace, France
• Wines made from Pinot Gris/Grigio vary greatly

Pinot Grigio/Gris

Old World vs New World

FFH

E

W

A

Pinot Grigio/Gris

Old World

FFH: Lemon, pear, melon (green) and tropical fruit, honey suckle, orange blossom

E:  Grassy, minerals, nutmeg and wet stone

W: adds roundness, rarely used

A: Crisp and acidic

New World

FFH: Apple, apricot, citrus and peach, magnolia, roses, anise, hay, ginger and tea leaves

E: NA

W: adds roundness, rarely used

A: medium

Pinot Grigio/Gris

Times to Sell

• Italian wine to pair with fish
• Someone getting into wine and wants something simple yet elegent
• Patio pounders
• Crisp and fresh wine lovers
• Likeable party wines for weddings ect.

• Asiago
• Brie
• camembert
• Feta and mozzarella
• trout
• salmon
• clams and scallops
• clams in a white wine sauce with garlic and shallots
• pesto linguine

Sauvignon Blanc

History

Sauvignon Blanc is planted in many of the world's wine regions.

Sauvignon Blanc produces wines that are crisp, dry, and refreshing.  It's flavor can range from agressively grassy to sweetly tropical

The wine is usually consumed young

Sauvignon Blanc

Old world vs New world

FFH

E

W

A

Old World Sauvignon Blanc

• FFH: gooseberry (cat pee), lemon zest, tangerine and tropical fruit.  White flowers, grassy, asparagus, green beans
• E: limestone, flinty and minerals
• W: N/A
• A:Moderate to High

New World Sauvignon Blanc

• FFH: Banana, Grapefruit, melon, citrus, peach and lime, Hyacinth,  peony, cumin, dried herbs, grassy, straw and  pine
• E:  Flinty, limestone
• W: Butter, Coconut
• A: medium-low to high

• Refreshing wine for a hot day
• Wine to go with sushi
• Wine for goat cheese
• Wine for larger parties

• Goat Cheese
• Chevre
• Brie
• Bucheron
• Sharp Cheddar
• Derby and dry jack
• Greek
• Ceasar or garden salads
• Fish and chicken
• artichoke dip
• veggie dishes or dip
• creamy sauces with garlic
• Italian seasonings
• sushi

Riesling is the 20th most planted varietal in the world, and always included in the big 3 of whites

It is grown in Germany (pre-dominant grape), Austria, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, South Africa

Riesling is a versatile wine for pairing with food because of its balance of sugar and acidity

Riesling Old World vs New World

FFH

E

W

A

Old World Riesling

FFH: Granny Smith, tangerines, ginger blossems, honey, rose petal

E: Mineral, limestone, chalk

W: almost never applicable

A: pronounced acidity

New World Riesling

FFH: Pear

E: in some sites, mineral, limestone, chalk

W: almost never applicable

A: softer acidity

Alsace Rieslings: full-bodied, honeyed, pair well with complex foods

• Thanksgiving dinner!  Pair with everything from Turkey to cranberry sauce
• Customer looking for Patio Pounder
• Moscato lover looking for other whites
• Pairing for spicy or Asian food
• Sweet wine drinkers and those transitioning into dry

• Goat cheeses
• Duck fois gras
• Avocadoes
• Fruit Dishes
• Asian Fusion
• Curries
• Seafood
• Sushi
• lighter poultrey
• lobster
• scallops
• smoked meats
• charcuterie

Gewurztraminer

Old World vs New World

FFA

E

W

A

Gewurztraminer

Old World 

FFA: intense lychee on nose, pear, quince, flowers

E: petroleum, diesel

W: not applicable

A: varies from pronounced to soft

New World

FFA: Delicate lychee on nose, slight cinnamon, pear, white melon, pumpkin spice

E: petroleum, terpene, diesel

W: not applicable

A: often soft

Thanksgiving diner!  Turkey to cranberry

Patio pounder

Moscato lover looking for other whites

Pairing with spicy or Asian foods

Fresh fruits and cheese, Muenster is a classic

Spicy Asian

Salmon

Syrah or Shiraz is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful reds

Estimated in 2004 to be the world's 7th most grown

Syrah has a long documented history in the Rhone region of Southeastern France.  In 1830s James Busby took Syrah to Australia

Old World

• FFH: Wild Blackberries, wild blueberries and black currant
• E: Barnyard, black/white pepper, roasted meats, black truffles, smoke and leather
• W: Cinnamon, toast, smoke, cardamom and clove
• A: tends to be much higher in Old World Syrah, specifically in the Rhone Valley

New World

• FFH: Ripe blueberries, ripe blackberry and mulberry jam
• E: Roasted meats, barnyard
• W: coconut, dill, vanilla, butterscotch and caramel
• A: tends to be much lower in New World Shiraz, specifically in Australia and warmer climates

• Big jammy red to drink on patio
• Looking for a full bodied Australian red
• CA Cab drinkers looking for something new
• Looking for spicy reds
• Old world wine drinkers looking for something different (ex Northern Rhone Syrah)

Double Gloucester

Pecorino and Saint Andre

Bleu cheese

grilled filet mignon or ribeye

sausages and pepper sauces

blackened Kajiki Marlin

black truffles