Hello amateur winos (and maybe some pro winos out there?)!
It’s been a while since I did a post about wines that are truly bargains, so today I am focusing on some white wines I tasted recently during Taste Walla Walla, a tasting event in New York featuring producers from the Walla Walla Valley in Washington. While I was there, I found some bargain whites, and now that spring is upon us, it seems like the perfect time to share some of my notes with you all.
Today, I am focusing on highlighting a few wines from two producers: Waterbrook and L’Ecole No. 41. I liked the Waterbrook line of whites for their fresh, light style and low price (the wines here can be found for $10-13 generally). If you want clean and focused, the sauvignon blanc is a good choice; the Waterbrook chardonnay will please those who favor a light, less buttery style of chardonnay, and my highest rated white from the Waterbrook line; and the Melange blanc is good for those who want something a little fruitier and floral on the nose.
The L’Ecole No. 41 Luminesce was a nice choice for fans of white bordeaux, as it’s a blend of semillon and sauvignon blanc, which are the 
core components of most Bordeaux whites. It’s got a bit of clay and slate on the nose, for those who like that added earthy complexity in their whites; the Luminesce is also very affordable, and can generally be found for under $20. I’m also a big fan of the L’Ecole No. 41 reds, which were wonderfully balanced without feeling over-the-top in power, but I will save those for another post, on another day, soon.
If you find that you like these wines from Walla Walla, you are in luck – you will probably be hearing a lot more about these wines soon, as the Wine Bloggers Conference 2010 is being held in Walla Walla this June. I’m sure there will be an onslaught of coverage from wine bloggers from all over.
My fuller tasting notes on the Waterbrook and L’Ecole no. 41 whites that I tasted are below. Enjoy! -Alan
A FEW BARGAIN WHITES FOR SPRING, FROM WASHINGTON – (2/2/2010)
- 2007 Waterbrook Chardonnay – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
7% barrel fermented in Hungarian oak, which the winemaker believes resolves more quickly than French oak, which carries bitterness for a while in his opinion. Light-styled balanced chard, with likable acidity. 90-91 (90 pts.) - 2007 Waterbrook Sauvignon Blanc – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Color is very light and transparent, almost like water. Tangy acidity, but not as bright as the current vintage (2009). Quite good, juicy acid, almost reminds me of a muscadet. The nose shows a hint of funk. This is recognizably sauv blanc in a light style. - 2007 Waterbrook Mélange Blanc – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
A blend containing gewurztraminer, muscat, and viognier. Light in style, bit of tropical fruits on the palate. Refreshing, mild, a crowd pleaser. 87-89. - 2007 L’Ecole No. 41 “Luminesce” Seven Hills Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Semillon-SB blend. Little bit of clay and slate on the nose; the palate shows as much more obviously New World, a little more honeyed than a Graves blanc would be, but nicely done. 86-88+ pts. - 2008 L’Ecole No. 41 “Luminesce” Seven Hills Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Has a bit more balanced nose than the 07, with a bit less earth. More tart acidity, less honeyed, a bit fresher, with more sauvignon blanc character than the 07. 86-88+ points
All of the wines included in this report were tasted free of charge at a Taste Walla Walla event open to wine trade and media.
