Wine By Nine

White Wine by Catena from Argentina, South America. In an effort to produce a super premium wine, the winemaking team of Catena began in depth investigations into the yields within each of their specially selected, high altitude vineyards, identifying those lots which produce the best fruit. These vines undergo a careful thinning process, leaving only a select few clusters, resulting in remarkably complex, aromatic and flavorful fruit. Through the application of natural, gentle vinification techniques, these grapes are transformed into Catena Alta. The 2005 Catena Alta Chardonnay has a bright yellow - greenish color. The nose offers white stone fruits with a touch of banana and mango, notes of sweet spice and pan grille. The mouthfeel is full and rich, but with wonderful freshness, showing ripe pear and fig flavors with light notes of tropical fruit and delicate floral tones. The finish is long and lingering with wonderful minerality and clean, crisp acidity.

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 Casa Lapostolle from Chile, South America. Brilliant golden-yellow color. Intense, elegant and clean nose, where the tropical fruits, pineapple and citrus, predominate on very nice toasty notes coming from a well integrated wood. Delicious, fleshy and nicely-structured wine in the mouth, with a well balanced acidity that keeps it alive. A good alliance of freshness and complexity.

White Wine by Cousino Macul from Chile, South America. Pale straw in color, this wine offers inviting aromas of green apple, honeysuckle, and lemon with hints of vanilla and ginger. The flavors continue the crisp apple theme along with layers of lemon drop, grapefruit, anise, and hazelnuts. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture, it strikes an elegant balance between light oak and refreshing acidity. The Antiguas Chardonnay is a highly compatible food companion, a delight with a range of appetizers and a perfect foil for richer seafood, pork, and poultry main courses. Many Chilean wineries have difficulty with Chardonnay due to problems integrating oak and fruit components. Cousino Macul seems to have mastered the production of value-priced Chardonnay. The outstanding 2006 Chardonnay Antiguas Reserva has no such problem. Featuring toasty pear, apple, and tropical fruit aromas and flavors, it has excellent depth and concentration, superior balance, and a lengthy, pure finish. It is a great value in well-made Chardonnay competing with wines twice the price. Kudos to Cousino-Macul for this significant upgrade to their portfolio. -Wine Advocate

White Wine by Concha y Toro from Chile, South America. Color: Light, golden yellow. Bouquet: White peach, papaya, mango and hazelnut, with surprising elegance. Taste: Medium-bodied. Creamy on the palate, A core of peach-papaya accented flavors supported by refined oak. A long finish.

White Wine by Valentin Bianchi from Argentina, South America. Valentin Bianchi's Chardonnay grapes come from Estate Dona Elsa and Las Paredes Estate, which is situated in the San Rafael DOC of Mendoza at 730 to 790 meters above sea level. The soil is sandy calcareous of alluvial origins. The color of this wine, a soft yellow with a faint golden hue, is immediately attractive. Aromatically, the complexity produced by the right amount of new oak, sur lies againg, malolactic fermentation and exceptional fruit is apparent. Alluring hints of vanilla, apples, and spices in the nose lead to similiar flavors on the palate, with the addition of coconut and cloves. There is a rich, silky mouth feel, with refreshing acid balance and a long, pleasant finish. This wine should be served slightly chilled, with white meats, seafood and pasta in cream sauce.

White Wine by Catena from Argentina, South America. Catena Zapata's 2006 Chardonnay was sourced from three estate vineyards and fermented with natural yeasts. It then spent 10 months sur-lie in French oak, 40% new. Light gold-colored with a slight green tint, it exhibits a nose of slate, toast, butterscotch, pear, and apple. Medium-bodied, the wine is nicely balanced by crisp acidity, and the flavors are intense and persistent. Drink this outstanding value over the next 1-2 years. When all is said and done, Catena Zapata is the Argentina winery of reference - the standard of excellence for comparing all others. The brilliant, forward-thinking Nicolas Catena remains in charge, with his daughter, Laura, playing an increasingly large role. The Catena Zapata winery is an essential destination for fans of both architecture and wine in Mendoza. It is hard to believe, given the surge in popularity of Malbec in recent years, that Catena Zapata only began exporting Malbec to the United States in 1994. -Wine Advocate

White Wine by Felipe Rutini from Argentina, South America. The grapes are sourced from the Tupungato region of Mendoza, high in the Andes Mountains, at an elevation of 3,000 to 5,000 feet above sea-level. With its unique microclimate, Tupungato produces fruit with exceptional fruit and structure. Aromas of minerals and fruit lead into flavors of lime, citrus and peach along with notes of honey and vanilla, all of which is balanced out nicely with toasty oak and a creamy fresh finish.

White Wine by Alta Vista from Argentina, South America. Only 30% of this Chardonnay spends time in oak barrels, the other 70% is fermented in stainless steel tanks. Less oak influence gives this Chardonnay bright clean fruit flavors and less buttery characteristics. It is bright yellow in color with green highlights; this Premium Chardonnay is a fresh and lively wine. Aromas of tropical fruits with a delicate toasted bread note. On the palate the wine is velvety, round and full-bodied with a long, lingering finish. Enjoy this wine with fresh seafood salads, white fish with lemons & capers, roasted herbed chicken and mild cheeses.

White Wine by Valentin Bianchi from Argentina, South America. Valentin Bianchi's Chardonnay grapes come from Estate Dona Elsa and Las Paredes Estate, which is situated in the San Rafael DOC of Mendoza at 730 to 790 meters above sea level. The soil is sandy calcareous of alluvial origins. The color of this wine, a soft yellow with a faint golden hue, is immediately attractive. Aromatically, the complexity produced by the right amount of new oak, sur lies againg, malolactic fermentation and exceptional fruit is apparent. Alluring hints of vanilla, apples, and spices in the nose lead to similiar flavors on the palate, with the addition of coconut and cloves. There is a rich, silky mouth feel, wih refreshing acid balance and a long, pleasant finish. This wine should be served slightly chilled, with white meats, seafood and pasta in cream sauce.

White Wine by De Martino from Chile, South America. The DeMartino family has been producing wine in Chile's famous Maipo Valley for almost 70 years. Delicate use of oak adds complexity, but the strength of DeMartino wines is in the fruit- resulting in big, rich, extracted flavors. Legado Reserva wines are made in limited production on the family estate using only the ripest hand-picked fruit. Aged in American and French oak, this Chardonnay has great volume and is well balanced with an excellent combination of fruit and oak. Pleasant and complex with a long finish.

White Wine by Alamos from Argentina, South America. Sourced from Bodega Catena Zapata's high-altitude vineyards in Mendoza, the Alamos line is consistent in quality and value year after year. From the vineyard to the winery, the Alamos wines are made to emphasize varietal fruit character with the most gentle and minimal handling of the grapes. The wines have ripe forward fruit with soft, sweet tannins that make them highly approachable upon release. The 2006 Alamos Chardonnay shows a light yellow color with greenish tones. The nose is fresh and focused, with ripe tropical and citrus fruits layered with floral notes and a touch of vanilla. The mouthfeel is clean, with pineapple and mango fruits with a touch of lemon and sweet spice. The finish is bright and crisp with refreshing acidity and balance.