One minor downside to living in a region known for great Chardonnay is a dearth of alternatives. There are roughly 5 acres in total of other white varieties planted in all of Santa Cruz County. As a result most local wineries don't make any other whites, which is frustrating; much as I love a good Chardonnay it's nice to have a change. So this year I've made a conscious effort to find some good alternatives.Sones make an interesting white blend, formerly known as La Sirena, now called "Cancion del Mar". The 2008 vintage is based on Viognier and Torrontés sourced from Lodi along with Sauvignon Blanc from Monterey and some Pinot Gris sourced locally from the Dettamanti Vineyard.
2008 Sones "Cancion del Mar", California
The nose is lively and floral, with grapefruit and lychee. It's lively in the mouth too, with good acidity and lovely flavours of tropical and stone fruits. 89 $21
2 comments:
In conversations with land owners in the area it's almost impossible to get them to consider anything but red grapes and if it is white, Chardonnay is the only thing they are interested in.
I'd really like to try Chenin Blanc but I bet it will have to wait until we plant our own vineyard.
According to NASS figures there are just three acres of Chenin Blanc in the valley. I think Casa de Fruta owns them.
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