WineSmith Cellars Dessert Wine

Tasting notes & discussion 62

Clark Smith on the Petit Manseng

Typically $25/375mL bottle from WineSmith Cellars
Petit Manseng harvested 2017-2020 from various vineyards in California
Available for AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY
Sold by WineSmith Cellars, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About WineSmith Cellars
“WineSmith wines are noted for their longevity, classic balance, structural integrity, minerality and understated soulfulness. They often are aged extensively prior to release. When drinking a WineSmith wine, always ask yourself “What is this wine trying to teach me?” Clark is a vocal advocate of living soil and graceful longevity, and generally avoids excessive oak, alcohol, or extended hang-time. He is not shy about employing new tools when they are needed, such as alcohol adjustment to bring fruit into balance or micro-oxygenation to build refined structure, but always fully discloses techniques which are controversial and is outspoken in explaining his rationale.”

The Rings of Sauternes

TASTING NOTES:
“This crazy grape produces a Sauternes-style dessert wine in southern France in the regions of Jurançon and Pecherenc du Vic Bilh, a white wine appellation superimposed on Madiran, where I received my tutelage in postmodern winemaking techniques from my guru, Patrick Ducournau.

This obscure prehistoric ancestor of the Muscat varieties is highly aromatic and achieves very high sugars while retaining exceptionally high acidity. It was treasured by the ancients because it stops fermenting while still sweet, producing a luscious dessert wine without the need for modern sterile filtration.

To enhance its aromatic richness and complexity, we fermented in the presence of Acacia wood chips to add a honeysuckle element to the nose and some tannin structure to the mouth. Each year we bottle two-thirds and return the rest to barrel for increased aged complexity before blending in the following year’s new wine.” (AbV 14.5%, 6% RS)

BARRELS:
18 - 42 months in neutral French oak.

PAIRS WITH (winery recommended):
“Tiramisu, cannoli’s, strawberry shortcake or mille-feuille puff pastry, or just by itself. The French like it with half-shell oysters or duck foie gras.”

OR (really-going-with-the-theme-option):
Space dust.

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