Sunday, January 17, 2010

Water into wine?

Now this is more like it. Here is a Napa wine that claims it is an impossibly low 12.5% alcohol. I don't know how PB Hein brought in their Napa Valley 2004 Charbono under 14% alcohol, especially seeing as they harvested so late into the growing season (November 30th 2004), and the sugar came in at 24.9 Brix. Maybe I should ask the winemaker. Possibly it was an honest to goodness miracle.
I actually have never met a Charbono I didn't like, although that's not saying a lot seeing as there aren't that many wineries that produce this particular varietal, so perhaps it was predestined that I would find this wine delightful. It has quite pronounced acidity admittedly, but it worked well with food...and without.
Not quite sure about that label though!

4 comments:

Vinomaker said...

I am all for a crisp, high acid Sauvignon Blanc that pairs so well with seafood and cheese. Too often these wines are too flabby and disappointing due to the lack of acid. This Charbono, on the other hand, seems to have an identity crisis by trying to fit in with with it's acidic white cousins rather than represent the original soft, fruity varietal grape that was on the vine at harvest.

Thomas said...

High acid, low alcohol, picked Nov 30?

Alchemy, perhaps?

Weston said...

Down to the DeAlcholizer? I hear do they a lot of Volume in California

Vinogirl said...

Vinomaker: You know I like a bit of a zing in my glass.

Thomas: It has to be alchemy, otherwise I don't see how one could possibly achieve these numbers.

Weston: I hear a lot of wines get tampered with here too.