Purple Teeth - Discover. Drink. Discuss.
Follow me here
  • Purple Teeth Wine Services
    • Wine Tasting
  • Blog
  • Wine & Food
  • Advertise/Sponsor
  • Other stuff

Those Summer Whites

11/8/2016

 
Picture
This summer hasn't exactly been a scorcher, but I've found myself less and less drawn to the Purple Teeth signature reds during July and August.
Lighter foods and fresher, white wines have suited my mood.

I sampled 3 from Waitrose recently, all discounted, but I'd only really call one of them a bargain.

​Continuing to explore Italy, first up is the premium Gavi de Gavi.
Made from the Cortese grape, the Gavi DOCG is the benchmark are for excellent wines of this style. Recently increasing in popularity, there have been some hints of shortages in recent years.

Picture

Gavi Di Gavi DOCG Broglia
With a 30% discount in the fine wine section taking it down to under a tenner from £14.99 I decided to try this Broglia. I rarely drink Gavi at home, though have enjoyed it in the past.

Mr Purple Teeth was tasting blind - his initial flavour shout-out was cool, Galia melon with a tangy citrus behind it. He does have a way with words!

I found it zesty, mineral and refreshing with a tinge of red grapefruit - it almost tingled as if it had a spritz. Warming alcohol, with some candied citrus peel, fruit notes as well as something vaguely nutty. Brazil? How would it pair with food?
​
Not many wines improve with salad dressing, but this one stood up to the assault of a brown & white crab meat salad dressed with balsamic. The sweetness played well with the bitter green leaves.

For the same money, I would choose the Greco Di Tufo, below, that's currently down to £8.24.
​Though I can see how this Gavi would appeal to those who prefer sweeter flavours, and Mr Purple Teeth seemed to love it, for me, the alcohol was a little off balance.

When is a bargain not a bargain? 
Grant Burge South Australia Chardonnay £6.99
Picture
I had high hopes for this Grant Burge Chardonnay. No South East Australia appellation and a winemaker with a great reputation among some of my wine colleagues, albeit for much pricier wines than this one. It was worth trying at the introductory offer price of £6.99
Picture
Based on the fact that I couldn't bring myself to make any notes about it, and took 4 nights to finish off the bottle, it's safe to say I won't be buying it again when it is back at full price.

Weighty, with a simple fruit flavour, that admittedly had a hint of butterscotch by day 3, this is the kind of Chardonnay that makes me long for a good Meursault. What might have been....
Picture
Finally, I wrote about this Greco a couple of weeks ago and have sampled it again since l, along with wine buddies. If you like zingy whites with some body, a hint of floral and some tropical fruits, snap this up during the special offer.

If you've any great whites for summer, do let me know. And remember, when we say that you should drink red wine  "at room temperature", we don't mean 25c.  Drinking lighter reds, slightly chilled, such as Pinot Noir, Cinsault, or Valpollicella might be more rewarding if you cannot bring yourself to drink white wine. Rose is a hit at this time of year too.
Cheers!

Comments are closed.

    Purple Teeth

    My name's Heather and I've been enjoying wine for over 20 years. I'm the 2013 winner of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Rhone prize for oustanding students at the advanced level.
    My mission is to share my passion for the myriad varieties of fermented grape juice, hopefully inspiring you to try something new, or to host  a Purple Teeth wine party in your own home or business.

    My blog mainly features wines you should be able to find on your local high street or online, and occasionally, I will review restaurants, travel and other forms of alcohol, since my qualification covers spirits too.  I believe it's important to enjoy the calories and the cash we spend on alcohol, and I hope my guidance can help you reduce the risk of making a bad buy.
      
    When I'm not drinking wine, you'll find me on the dance floor where West Coast Swing is my dance of choice. Socialising with the friends I've made there from all over the world has also brought me new adventures in alcohol!  And just in case you're interested, I also write a blog called Confidence Within.  You'll find it at heatherharrison.weebly.com


    Remember to enjoy wine sensibly...
    For a woman, 2-3 units per day is the recommended maximum allowance.  This equates to around one standard "pub measure" glass of wine:
    175ml of 13% alcohol wine is 2.3 units (and a scary 140 calories).  
    You'll find all the facts you need about safe, moderate drinking at the www.Drinkaware.co.uk site. 
    Purple Teeth supports safe drinking. Never drive or operate machinery after drinking alcohol.

    Get notified of new blogs

    * indicates required
    / ( mm / dd )
    Email Format

    Archives

    February 2020
    October 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    June 2018
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.