Lorrie's Favorite White Wines

I love white wines that have great fruit, balance, "expression of place",  and they can be sipped alone or paired with food. This is my equation for a "good wine". All wines have a place in my opinion. Some are great to sip on daily, some great on the budget for a party, and some are for an elegant occasion. This may sound kinda "Dewey-Decimal" but that is my take on wine. Now some wines can fool me and say ah ha, I can "roll either way" and when that happens, I have to respect the wine. I always "respect the wine."

This wine is light-bodied, crisp, clean and refreshing. It is like "summer in a glass", with flavors of citrus, melon, a hint of pear with a clean finish. I could sip this wine all day long and year round. It would pair well with grilled chicken on skewers, grilled shrimp, fish and my favorite pairing for this wine is a salad with grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, Roma tomatoes, grated Manchego cheese, croutons and Ken's Buttermilk Ranch salad dressing. It is to die for! This is a wine to buy by the half case or a full case if you have the space. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Rodney Strong Vineyards. http://www.rodneystrong.com

J 2009 Pinot Gris

This wine has a light straw color. The nose is beautiful! I have to say that I have a "thing" for wines with ripe beautiful noses. The nose has a "warm" tangerine and honeysuckle nose with just a slight hint of spice. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of honey and lime. I think this wine is one to have during the warm months and also in the the cooler months due to the warmth of the nose, the citrus flavors (tangerine), and the acidity of the wine and the hint of spice. I think this wine would pair well with ripened goat cheese, pork, orange glazed chicken, crab cakes, and grilled shrimp, which were marinated in a marinade that included orange juice with a bit of ginger and lime juice. This wine is one that I will have in my cellar, just to sip or to pair with a meal. Note: This wine was a sample provided by J Wines. http://www.jwinery.com/

This wine has a light straw color with a slight hint of green. The nose is fresh and clean, then opens up to aromas of apple, pear and peach. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of a bit of spice and a hint of lemon zest on the finish. This chardonnay is quite elegant and smooth; it begs to be paired with food due to its great acidity. I would pair this wine with roasted turkey, roasted chicken, grilled shrimp, crab cakes, grilled fish and shrimp and chicken dishes served with a pasta in Alfredo sauce. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Jordan Winery. http://www.jordanwinery.com/

The Santa Barbara Winery 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful white wine with tropical notes that is a joy to sip year round. It is a wonderful wine for appetizers and grilled shrimp, crab cakes and grilled chicken. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Santa Barbara winery. http://www.sbwinery.com/

Try a few of my picks and let me know what you think!