Wine By Nine

White Wine by Argyle from Willamette Valley, Oregon. This Nuthouse Chardonnay made from Dijon clone fruit grown primarily at a low elevation vineyard on a Dundee Hill southern slope, ensures big fruit ripeness even in cooler vintages. The aroma is of melon fruit while the flavor is unctuous, viscous and of very sweet fruit. The finish is huge and long, of fruit and vanilla bean.

White Wine by Joseph Drouhin from Chablis, France - regions. Chablis Premier Cru has very attractive and intense aromas reminiscent of coriander, orange, lemon and many other intriguing flavours. Generous, round and long on the palate, it is also full bodied with refreshing vivacity. The wine can be kept 7 to 8 years in the cellar, or even more in a good vintage. It is also pleasant at 3 or 4 years of age. The essence of chardonnay, this bright wine offers flavors at the intersection of peach, pear and the flinty spice of limestone. The texture is luscious, yet the flavors have a laserlike precision and tightness, a mouthwatering fruitiness-as if derived from sucking on a stone. This should be best six to eight years from the vintage. -Wine & Spirits

White Wine by Mount Horrocks from Clare Valley, Australia. Stephanie Toole's Cordon Cut is undoubtedly one of Australia's greatest dessert wines. It is something quite magical. Cordon Cut refers to a unique and risky process which involves cutting the canes when the grapes are ripe, allowing the remaining fruit to concentrate and raisin naturally on the vine. The result from the 2006 harvest is again a lush, intense yet elegant mouthful of delicious fruit cocktail of mandarins, pears, lemons, stone fruit and honey. Hints of spice and flinty minerals add to its beauty.

White Wine by Chalk Hill from Sonoma County, California. A rich and elegant wine is the goal of Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc/ Although capable of expressing many different personalities, our Sauvignon Blanc captures the uniqueness of our land.? Our terrior and clonal diversity is brought to like in this beautiful vintagee and exemplifies the great lengths to which we will go to create a perfect wine. ? Rich and elegant, with lush aromas of grapefruit, honeysuckle and exotic spice are met by a vibrant band of tropical fruit and mineral flavors.? The wine is lengthy and persistent, a classic effort.?

White Wine by Luca from Argentina, South America. Beautiful pale-gold color with enticing aromas of lemon creme, baking spices and some tropical notes. The aromas carry through to the palate, and are joined by hints of tropical fruit, spiced baked pear, and a stony/mineral flavor that creates a stylish wine that seems part New and part Old World. Finishes long with just a kiss of oak. This Chard has a lot of flavor, but manages never to lose its balance. Pairs well with most fish, lobster, crab, chicken, and even many pork preparations. Particularly recommended with dishes using sauteed wild mushrooms or butter sauces.

White Wine by Jacob's Creek from Barossa Valley, Australia. The Riesling grapes were allowed to ripen fully and were only picked when the flavors of rich flowery limes were achieved, and when the supporting mineral acid balance was at its optimum. The Jacob's Creek Steingarten Riesling preserves the delicate lemon-lime citrus fruit and the very soft, but mineral-like flavors which typify the varietal fruit characteristics of a classic Cool Climate Riesling. The ripening of the grapes was monitored with regular berry tasting by winemakers in the vineyard, to ensure the grapes were harvested at maximum flavor concentration. Color: Pale straw with green hues Bouquet: Apple and citrus blossom notes, enhanced with an attractive lemon fragrance and a subtle toasty bottle development nuance. Palate: Very delicate lime and lemon fruit flavors overlain with soft toasty lemon butter complexity, and balanced by a long chalky natural acidity which provides great length and structure to the finish of the wine.

White Wine by d'Arenberg from South Australia, Australia. Since 1912 the Osborn family has tended the 19th century vineyards at their d'Arenberg winery, located in South Australia, where the family often procures top quality fruit from the cool climate Adelaide Hills region, which has become one of Australia's finest Chardonnay districts. During the summer months, native Bearded Dragon Lizards sun themselves on the vineyard posts and watch out for potential prey. Occasionally during harvest, these lizards are dislodged and find their way into a load of grapes headed for the winery. Lucky for these lizards, d'Arenberg uses a very gentle Demoisy crusher, which allows these lizards to pass through the ordeal slightly shaken, yet unharmed. The gentleness of the crusher also plays an important role in retaining the delicate fruit flavors. After excellent winter rains and then a warm wet spring, the vineyards were set for a good start to vintage. Flowering was consistent, and in general crop loads were higher than normal. McLaren Vale experienced the coldest January for 12 years followed by a warm February which provided perfect ripening conditions and the result was fruit of outstanding character, concentration and excellent natural acidity. The success of this wine is put down to the evenness of the ripening period leading up to picking in the early autumn and extremely protective handling in the winery to preserve the wonderful fruit characters. The nose is immediately inviting with volumes of pear, pineapple, tropical fruits, guava, hints of peach, green melon, citrus and very fine sweet toasted oaks. Medium to full in style with the level of ripeness in perfect balance with the elevated acidity and the characteristic cool climate flowery Granny Smith apples that linger to the end with fine oak spices, and citric passionfruit character. Probably the best Lucky Lizard yet.

White Wine by Chalk Hill from Sonoma County, California. Blend: 88% Sauvignon Blanc, 6% Semillon, 6% Sauvignon Gris Chalk Hill's Sauvignon Blanc captures the personality of their land and harnesses the capricious nature of the grape. They tend eleven clones of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Semillon. Every cluster was inspected for defects. After being whole-cluster pressed, this wine was 100% barrel fermented; 20% of the total saw stainless steel barrels, while 80% was in French oak. Both rich and elegant, the lush floral aromas of honey suckle and kaffir lime combine with a vibrant band of gooseberries and tropical fruit. The wine is lengthy, persistent, and represents an evolutionary leap in winemaking.

White Wine by Testarossa from Central Coast, California. Pale straw color. Initial aromas of honey, lemon, orange blossom, fig, and banana jump readily out of the glass. Layers of citrus, honey, and creme brulee flavor the palate, surrounded by lively acidity. The finish starts subtle, yet focused then begins it's ascent to a lengthy, multi-dimensional finish of fruit and spice. Drink now through 2013.

White Wine by Stag's Leap Wine Cellars from Napa Valley, California. The name KARIA (kar'-ee-ah) is derived from a Greek word meaning graceful, and it is this very character that Stag's Leap Wine Cellars seek most in this wine. With stylistic inspiration coming specifically from their Arcadia Vineyard Chardonnay, the wine is refreshing, light and graceful on the palate, with bright acidity supporting ripe fruit flavors and a butterfly kiss of oak. Inviting aromas of white peach, apple, spiced pear, and citrus join with floral notes of honeysuckle and roses to create a beautiful bouquet. The fruity aromas carry over to the palate and marry with a subtle creaminess and a touch of warm brioche. This delicate richness makes the 2006 KARIA Chardonnay a versatile wine at the dinner table. Try it with chicken piccata, corn risotto, or a warm goat cheese salad.

White Wine by Brancott from Marlborough, New Zealand. Through careful vineyard selection and hand-crafted winemaking, this Sauvignon Blanc is Brancott's finest expression of Marlborough's most famous variety. This wine shows vibrant fruit flavors, a hint of barrel fermentation and a complex, concentrated palate. Color: Pale straw with green hints. Aromas: Lifted capsicum and fresh herb aromas, coupled with intense, ripe stone fruit. Palate: The palate shows rich, concentrated fruit flavors with tropical fruits as well as an underlying fresh herb note. The oily palate is balanced with a lively acidity and subtle, complex, barrel-fermented notes. It is fabulous with rich seafood dishes, especially scallops, clams and crab, or with fresh green leafy salads.

White Wine by St. Supery from Napa Valley, California. Blend: 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Semillon Wonderful aromas of honeysuckle, citrus blossoms and melon show up quickly in the aroma. They are soon married with barrel scents of toast and vanilla to create an intoxicating fragrance. On the palate are flavors of pear and peach from the Sauvignon Blanc while creme and lemon meringue come from the Semillon. With the blend of these two classic varietals this wine will age beautifully for years to come becoming even more complex.