Malvasia

Friends stayed at this vino tourismo in Tuscany and shared this bottle bought on site.  It is a blend of 47% Malvasia Bianca, 47% Trebbiano, and 6% Malvasia Nera.  Light brown in color, bright and mostly opaque.  The nose is excellent with figs, some apricot and slight orange peel.  Viscous texture.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is sweet, not cloying.  Flavors of figs, slight honey, and a bit of apricot.  Good finish.  This is nice on its own, but may have been better with a biscotti.  Still vibrant if showing some age.  It could probably go another decade, maybe two.  

The label calls this Malvazia but prior vintages refer to it as Malvazija.  Either way it seems to be a type of Malvasia native to the Istrian Penninsula in Croatia.  This wine is very tight and took some time to open.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some limes but is very reticent.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, sort of Gewurztraminer-ish, but also tight.  It is better with a bit of food and would be a nice wine with sea food.  Drink over the next year or two.  

There are a lot of Vin Santos being made but not a lot of outstanding ones.  This Vin Santo is consistently outstanding.  Amber in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with apricots, orange peel, honey, maple syrup and roasted cashews.  Full bodied.  Viscous.  Great acidity.  On the palate, roasted nuts, honey, peach, apricot and a bit of maple.  Long finish.  Delicious. Complex.  This is great on its own and would be nice with Biscotti or another less sweet cookie.  Drink over the next twenty years.  

Sadly, this bottle was corked.  

This is a blend of 67% Pinot Blanc and 33% Malvasia from California.  It comes in a 250ML "Juice Box" that retails for $15 per 4 pack.  Pale golden in color.  The nose has some yellow grapefruit juice notes.  Light bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, the tart yellow grapefruit notes come thru.  A bit bitter on the finish.  This is much better than its red counter part.  The packaging should protect the wine well over the next year or two.  It is a good choice around a pool on a hot day.  

For 35 years Soliloquy has been the flagship white wine from Flora Springs in Napa. The wine bursts with grapefruit, lemon, lime kefir, lychee, and back notes of resin, white peach, Asian pear and mango. The acidity holds the wine and fruit in check while allowing it to be a companion with a diversity of food. It’s comprised of 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Chardonnay and 15% Malvasia and a brief seven months of aging in French oak rounds it out. This is a consistently solid wine and year after year is worth seeking out. 605 cases. ORIGIN: Napa Valley. ALCOHOL: 14.2%

This is an interesting white from central Italy.  Golden in color, slightly deep, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with apricots and slight honey note.  Medium bodied.  Oily texture.  Dry on the palate with good acidity.  On the palate, guava with almonds and slight lime.  Some depth and complexity.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would go nicely with a plate of Proscutto di Parma.  Drink over the next few years.  

What a treat.  This is 122 years from vintage.  McKinley was president when the grapes were grown.  The color of dark iced tea, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has Tootsie-Rolls, toffee, orange marmalade and slight bitters.  Full bodied.  Vibrant acidity.  Fresh and delicious.  On the palate, toffee, orange peel, slight coffee and slight alcohol heat.  Long, long finish.  Complex.  A contemplative experience for sure.  This could likely go another 100 years.  While it would work with a less sweet dessert, this probably is best consumed on its own to really appreciate.  

This is Malvasia variety that is unique to the Istrian Peninsula from Croatia.  These grapes are grown according to biodynamic principals.  The grapes are then allowed to soak with their skins on for seven to twenty days in large wooden barrels.  Fermentation is done thru indigenous yeasts.  The wines are then aged  in large oak barrels before being released.  A very interesting wine (and good, too!).  Deep golden in color, clear and bright.  And, yes, this is an orange or macerated wine although it doesn't appear that it is taken to the extremes of some.  Very clean.  The nose is nice with

From the Istrian peninsula in northwest Croatia.  This is 100% Malvasia Istarska which is a unique member of the Malvasia family.  The grapes are grown in red clay and limestone soils about 10 miles from the sea.  The wine see no oak.  It is fermented on its lees using stainless steel tanks.  Apparently, they ferment in four separate batches using four different strains of yeasts.  13% abv.  The wine is light in color with a coppery/silver/gold hue to it.  The nose is mild but persistent with minerals, slight limes, and slight fresh dill.  On the palate, this is light to medium bodied with