Have you ever heard of the Edna Valley of California?
It was, for many years during the Spanish missions era, the prime wine grape-growing region of California.
Prohibition and the fruit products that replaced them all but eliminated grape growing in the area. In the 1970s, investors and vintners, looking for new and affordable farmland, rediscovered the area.
The Edna Valley is an ideal location for the growing of grapes. The area, now known as the Central Coast Viticultural Region, is blessed with a good climate, abundant rainfall and, most important, the cool Pacific Ocean evening breezes that are so essential for the development of really fine wine grapes.
Edna Valley Vineyard, one of the first to be established there, is a producer of wines that take advantage of all of the physical attributes of the area. The grapes they use come not only from the Edna Valley vineyard, but also from other vineyards in the Central Coast region, allowing the vintners to construct wines that are truly representative of what the area is capable of.
Edna Valley Vineyard 2011 Chardonnay ($15)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, despite its affordable price, definitely has that often-missing spirit.
The Edna Valley Vineyard 2011 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, which will assure a longer-than-average life span.
This wine will fit well with light red meats, even if they are covered with one of the more interesting sauces.
Edna Valley Vineyard 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) The grapes for this wine came from the Paso Robles region of the Central Coast of California. While most of the area suffered under an unusually high-heat summer, those cool Pacific breezes proved a blessing to the Paso Robles grapes.
What resulted is a deeply colored, soft, fruity wine stressing the flavors and aromas of blackberries, licorice, leather, cocoa and oak. This wine is packed with fruit flavors, running the gamut of summer red fruits and berries. There is a new flavor experience with each sip.
The tannins, which can be formidable in a cabernet sauvignon, are held in check so the wine needs no further aging prior to drinking it. However, it can be aged for up to five years to gain in complexity and depth.
We believe even the most devoted classical style cabernet lover will enjoy this wine, as will the novice.
Edna Valley Vineyard 2012 Sauvignon Blanc ($12)Now we come to one of the most underrated and under-appreciated grape varieties of them all, the sauvignon blanc. If you have lost interest in the variety in recent years, try the Edna Valley Vineyard 2012 Sauvignon Blanc. It will absolutely change your mind; this wine is fantastic.
Unfortunately, this fine white grape has lived in the shadow of the chardonnay for far too long. This is a very easy drinking wine and is typical of a California sauvignon blanc, but without accenting the grassy flavor that is sometimes associated with this variety. Both the aroma and the flavor stress the melon and grapefruit characteristics.
The usual crisp acid that makes this wine shellfish-compatible has been held in check, making it a softer wine that can cover a broader spectrum of foods. While it is still the perfect accompaniment for shellfish, this wine also can accompany lighter poultry dishes, as well as mild cheese and salads.
Do not sell this wine short - it is a very enjoyable variety that deserves much more recognition than it gets.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and helps manage ArticlesOnWine.com with his wife, Sheila. He can be reached at frojhe@suddenlink.net.[[In-content Ad]]
