Event Tasting Notes, Altadena Library Foundation

Here are the notes from the Sunday evening event celebrating the Altadena Public Library’s 85th Anniversary. As if we needed any more reason to appreciate our public libraries – our computers got a virus and Anne is using the APL computer to post this. Thank you, Altadena Public Library!

We also want to thank Chronicle Wine Cellar for providing the below wines. You can check them out at 919 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91106, (626) 577-2549.

Villa Alfieri Pinot Grigio 2008

Type: Dry white
Plays well with: salad, cheese plates, seafood

The nose was slightly spicy and the color was very clear and clean. It had a medium weight in the mouth. The dryness went all through the palate to the back of the mouth.
Pinot Grigio tends to be a subtle wine and is built to accompany food. This wine is typical of that profile.

Cantaruttie Friuli, 2008

Type: Dry white
Made with: Local grapes such as Friulano, Pinot Blanco or… We don’t know.
Plays well with: Salad, seafood, sharp cheeses

This is one of those wines where the regional information doesn’t help with understanding the grape itself. Many indigenious grapes are grown all over Italy that are blended into other wines or such small productions that most are never seen outside the region itself.
The clean light color of this wine opened to some nice florals on the nose with a hint of lime and these flavors carried through the taste as well. The mouthfeel was somewhat lush – meaning full in the mouth with some very bracing acids. An excellent palate cleanser between bites of seafood ceviche or shrimp cocktail – hold the cocktail sauce. Alcohol was a polite 12.5 percent.

Chateau de la Roche, Touraine, 2009, Sauvignon Blanc

Type: Dry white

Plays Well With: Fettucine Alfredo, or other rich, creamy foods.

The signature grapefruit nose and taste of sauvignon blanc was all over this wine.  The color is light and clean, the flavor filled with dry, crisp acids. Figure this one will balance out perfectly with a lovely, creamy Alfredo sauce or even some mac and cheese.

PKNT Chardonnay, 2009

Type: Dry white from Chile’s Maule Valley.

Plays Well With: Light fish and cheese and crackers.

There’s just a touch of oak on the nose of this one, maybe a little toast, as well. But that hint of oak played nicely into the flavor, in which Michael also caught some apple and tropical fruit notes. Anne just caught a nice, light wine that stands pretty well on its own, making it great for parties. But it would also be nice with a fish dinner, say, sole or red snapper.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserve, Non Vintage

Type: Sparkling white cava, from Spain.

Plays Well With: Just about anything!

For Anne, this one comes as close to real Champagne as any bubbly she’s ever tried. It’s soft, but crisp without some of that in-your-face tartness some dry bubblies have. Michael liked the clean nose, with a hint of apple, and found the flavor dry and crisp, dissolving into bubbles at the back of the palate, just like good bubbly should.

Please tell us what you think.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.