Wine Review: Don’t pass up Edna Valley

Edna Valley Vineyard is one on those winemakers with a loyal following that’s often overlooked on dealers’ shelves and in restaurants by casual shoppers or diners. It shouldn’t be.

Edna Valley is considered to be one of the best places to grow cooler temperature-loving grapes such as pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc. Why are not they better known? I believe that it is location and price tag snobbery on the part of reviewers and self-styled experts. The Edna Valley Vineyard wines are definitely worthy of interest and it won’t break the bank to prove that point.

Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc ($14)
Wine from sauvignon blanc grapes are finally coming into their own. Wineries such as Edna Valley are producing wines from this variety that are a notch above the familiar and somewhat boring sauvignon blanc wines of the past few decades. This wine displays a crisp acidity with citrus, grapefruit, melon and gooseberry aromas and flavors. Unlike many other sauvignon blanc wines, this one has a fruity finish.

Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast 2015 Pinot Noir ($16)
The Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast 2015 Pinot Noir is one of the bright stars of California’s central valley. The color is a deep cherry/ruby, while the aroma is a mix of fruit flavors featuring cherries and blackberries mingled with oak. Below the surface there is a swirling, kaleidoscopic array of dark summer fruits and berries along with that indefinable incense-like aroma that marks a truly great pinot noir. The flavor is as multifaceted as is the aroma. The finish is long and as interesting, featuring spices such as black pepper, allspice, thyme and sage.

Edna Valley Vineyard 2015 Central Coast Chardonnay ($14)
We have railed continuously about the mediocre quality of some of the chardonnays on the market today. It is not that they are bad, but they lack the true spirit the wine is capable of. This chardonnay definitely has that often missing spirit. The Edna Valley Vineyard 2015 Chardonnay is heavy with the aroma of pear, apple, apricot and pineapple with notes of spice, cinnamon and clove in the background. These fruit aromas carry over to the taste, where they are intertwined with oak and vanilla and end in a creamy mouth feel. There is a solid acid bite to the wine, assuring a longer-than-average life span.

Edna Valley Vineyard 2016 Rose ($14)
This wine is more in line with the classical French style but it is not a knockoff. The grapes comprise tempranillo, syrah, grenache and mourvedre. The Edna Valley Vineyard 2016 Rose presents an inviting salmon pink color and the aroma of peaches, pears and red summer fruits. The flavor stresses summer berries but in light and refined amounts.

Edna Valley Vineyard 2016 Pinot Grigio ($14)
This Italian expatriate displays a crystal clear, pale straw color and an aroma that is reminiscent of summer wild flowers. On the palate, the wine is almost totally dry, but the fruit flavors give an impression of sweetness. There also is an understated raisin-like quality coupled with a suggestion of limes that carry on to a moderately long, flavorful finish. This is an excellent wine that can accompany a wide variety of foods, and will prove to be a hit when served with Italian-style dishes topped with cheese or white sauces.

Wine columnist Bennett Bodenstein can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.