Posh – now there's a word that has lost a great deal of meaning in our modern electrified, button pushing world. We are not referring to the song sung by Lionel Jeffries in the classic movie “Chitty Chity Bang Bang,” but rather the word that indicates the ultimate in opulence.
There is another word associated with posh – Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore Estate is the North Carolina mansion built by turn-of-the century billionaire George Washington Vanderbilt that was and still is the epitome of grandeur. Today, it has been resurrected as a hotel and spa, retaining the elegance and opulence of the past along with wines of their own making – very posh.
Biltmore Estate Cabernet Savignon ($17)
The color is deep and dark and the aroma showcases raspberries, sage and the signature scent of dried flowers. These carry over to the flavor where they mingle with the cherry element, the very discernible flavors of chocolate and just a hint of oak.
This wine has a wonderful softness about it and reflects many of the flavors and aromas found only in well-aged wines. Rather than being saved to be served only with the heaviest of meat dishes, this wine’s expansive flavor spectrum allows it to be used with a much broader selection of meat and strong cheese dishes.
Biltmore Reserve 2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($27)
The grapes for this wine came from the equally prestigious Russian River Valley in Sonoma California. Starting with these grapes, the Biltmore winemakers carefully crafted a wine good enough to be crowned with the Biltmore name. This wine offers everything that makes for a great pinot noir: a glowing, dark ruby color, a captivating aroma, a full body, a definable flavor and a long, enduring finish, all wrapped in a smooth, velvet-like robe. Very posh.
The aroma is an ever changing display of raspberry, strawberry, blackberry and plum with vanilla and oak in the background. The flavor is just as expansive and explosive as is the aroma and concentrates on cherry, blackberry, and boysenberry. All of these flavors carry over to the finish where they linger on the palate for a very long time. Not only is this a great pinot noir, but it ranks as one of the better ones we have tasted from the 2012 vintage.
Bitmore Estate American Estate 2013 Pinot Grigio ($12)
A Biltmore wine for $12, now that is something. But the Biltmore vintners prove they won’t rely on a great name to induce a higher price. In simpler words, it is posh at an affordable price. It is a big and full flavored wine with a light straw color that displays a rich fruity bouquet of apricots and pears. If you have never experienced a pinot grigio, this wine is a great way to introduce yourself to the variety that will not disappoint you.
Biltmore Estates 2009 Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine ($27)
Here we go again, a blanc de blancs vintage dated sparkling wine, for under $75 is almost unbelievable. But in this case, it is not only true but one of the best buys in the marketplace. Blanc de blancs translates as white of whites, or a sparkling wine made solely from chardonnay grapes. The color is a bright and clear daffodil yellow that begs the first sip.
The aromas are very typical of any chardonnay based sparkling wine, citrus and toast. The flavor continues with the citrus and also shows significant amounts of apricots and honey. As one would expect from a chardonnay based wine, this one possess a soft, smooth, velvet-like creamy finish. Perhaps it is the softer carbonation, but the creaminess is so intense that it becomes the dominant feature of the taste and then continues on into the aftertaste. Biltmore Estates Blanc de Blancs is an imperial wine with great depth and charm and everything that one seeks in a truly great sparkling wine and deserves to carry the name Biltmore.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe@suddenlink.net.
