chasing venus

I've been drinking a Sauvignon Blanc that I adore -- Chasing Venus. It's a New Zeland Marlbourgh with a ton of personality.

The sommelier at my local H.E.B. pointed me in this direction. I'm a huge fan of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blancs, and he told me that this was from the same region, and even better. I tried it, and totally agree.

Some comments on Venus from ArtisanVinyards.com:

Nose of grass and passionfruit. Great acidity that carries the fruit well. Tangy and fresh with a mouthful of tart pink grapefruit. A wonderful experience and a great value. -KS, tasted October '08

This wine just keeps getting better. It is as unmistakably New Zealand as ever, but with much more poise and balance than ever before. Apricots, grapefruit, cut grass, and juniper berries. Grapey and gulpy. -BH, April 2009

If you enjoy a really crisp, fruity white, give it a try. It runs about $13.00 a bottle ... a great summer wine.

a really fun wine

I say fun, because the whole experience begins with the label, and the label on the Magnificent Wine Co.'s House Wine White is unique and really eye-catching! And check out the website and the picture of the proprietor -- he's definitely not your stereotypical winemaker.

House Wine White is a chardonnay blend grown from grapes in Washington (for some reason, I can't seem to escape that state these days) -- specifically, on the east side of the Cascade Mountains in the Columbia Valley. It's a total "every day" wine ... nothing pretentious or flashy. Just a really good glass of wine!

The vinyard's website describes House White as "an absolutely delicious handful of grapes squeezed in a glass...it will please you to the max. Full of beautiful, floral, flavors, this wine is mouthfilling and fresh. You will find it difficult to release the glass from your hands." It doesn't have the oak-iness of a typical chardonnay, likely because it's a blend. I enjoyed it.

Mom and I have made a conscious effort to try several different wines this summer. Some have been keepers, others have been forgettable. This one is definitely on my "keeper" list. And as usual, it was purchased from the fine folks at Costco. ;)