2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Very fragrant! Passion fruit with citrus and floral notes. Bright flavors of pineapple guava, rich honey, and a hint of grassiness. The refreshing finish is framed by bright acidity. The wine is light and crisp. This is a white wine to enjoy on its own or with dishes that have some spicy heat like curried chicken or Thai shrimp salad. Pairs even better with your glass.
Vineyard Sources
We combine estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc with Gewurztraminer from long-time grower the Frank Johnson Vineyard. The blend puts all the best into the bottle from this friendly combination of two complementary grapes. The vintage brought us a wine showcasing the excellent quality, great aromatics, and balanced acidity.
Specs
Vintage: 2021
The Blend: A harmonious blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer.
Appellation: Sonoma County
Barrel Aging: None
Alcohol: 13.9%
pH 3.72
Total Acidity: .525g/100ml
What’s Included
6-bottles:
6x 2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend, Sonoma County
Case:
12x 2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend, Sonoma County
The year was 1927. President Calvin Coolidge captured the imagination of nobody. Babe Ruth hit home run after home run powered by little more than whiskey and sausage. And John Pedroncelli, Sr. bought a vineyard and winery in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County. Since then, four generations of Pedroncellis have weathered Prohibition, wine booms and busts, and changing tastes. And they’re still a family-owned operation making acclaimed premium wines. Wherever you are now, Sultan of Swat and Silent Cal, this next glass is for you.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
@davidaplace slightly off dry. 3.5 grams/liter. It is incredibly well balanced. Good bright acidity. I hate even mentioning the Gewurztraminer because everyone runs to the “it’s sweet” in their mind. This is an incredibly nice white wine. I absolutely love it.
Surprise wine is a fine way to round out the year.
I tend to be a bit laconic in these reviews, so I’ll try to be a bit more detailed this time. Here goes:
This wine is going to be a bit of love it or hate it, I think, as anything distinctive is. First things first, this is an incredibly fragrant, floral, fruit-forward wine. It is a flashback to a summer garden even in the heart of winter. It even managed to open up more than it had when I first opened it after being open for a day in the fridge.
White flowers (gardenia?) on the nose, allspice, an explosion of melon, peach, a bit of grassy sauv blanc and a slight bitter note on the finish. It is incredibly, incredibly floral, with a nice rounded middle but a short finish. There may be some actual residual sugar, or it could just be that it’s so fragrant that it just fools the senses. I honestly can’t tell because of how intense the aroma is, and I’m usually a bit better at distinguishing between the two.
It’s somewhat out of balance; it needs more acid to balance out the fruit. I also am not sure that it’s really well-married. It’s like INTENSE GEWURTZ! and then HERE IS SOME SAUV BLANC! And I think that’s going to end up being very YMMV for some.
However, that said, it was not at all boring, so that puts it high in my book. It was interesting and it was very flavorful, and for the price, a pretty good deal. Maybe just sprinkle in a bit of tartaric acid into a bottle and hope your friends don’t think you’re trying to poison them.
@novium Thanks for the notes. That little bit of bitterness you are getting is from the Gewurtztraminer grape skin. It really makes food pairing a joy and prevents the cloying aspect that can be found in the varietal. A couple things I suggest: serve this wine cold. It helps temper the Gewurz a bit. Try it with anything citrusy. We had it the other night with Chicken Soup that had lemon zest in it. What a treat!
@novium@pedroncellifam Interesting point about the Gewurtz skins lending some bitterness. That might be why my wife has a hard time with some of them despite loving everything else about these and just about any aromatic white. Now I want to go see if any of the ones she hasn’t liked have had more skin contact than the ones she has.
@klezman@novium I’m not suggesting we do “skin contact”, it’s just part of processing. Gewurztraminer is a tricky grape, and a long time favorite of mine. It’s all about the nose for me. I just love the way it smells. As you know, all the flavor comes from the skins, so it takes a deft hand to make a good wine from a tricky grape! Cheers!
@novium@pedroncellifam I know what you mean - and if you did much skin contact you’d get a rather orange coloured wine given the colour of Gewurz skins. I also love the aromatics - especially from cooler climates like Niagara and Alsace. It seems to be extra tricky in California, although there are several I quite like.
@klezman@pedroncellifam FWIW, I think they really captured more floral aromatics than I usually get from stuff here in CA. I honestly ended up drinking far more of the bottle than I intended to because it was so intriguing and I couldn’t quite decide if the blend was working for me or not. There were so many elements I loved, but I’m not certain that they came together quite how I’d want them to. But on the other hand, that intrigue was far more interesting than pretty much any wine I’ve ever gotten for a rat report. Generally the wines i’ve received have been very hard to write much about because they just haven’t sparked my interest. Bland but well structured roses, region typical mid-market easy drinking pinots, never anything distinctive enough to offend or be loved.
@pedroncellifam What’s the percentages on the blend, out of curiosity? And did it have any residual sugar, or was it just apparent sweetness from how fruit and floral it was?
Reverse Wine Snob said what? It was offered there in June, $65/6-pack.
“The 2021 Pedroncelli Friends White begins with a deliciously grassy aroma full of ripe tropical fruit and lovely floral notes. It’s a very enticing start!
My first thought after taking a sip was “Welcome to Quaff City!” Light bodied and crisp yet extremely flavorful, the wine is loaded with tart, tropical fruit (grapefruit, pineapple, guava, etc.) notes and a touch of sweetness. Smooth and very easy to drink, this is highly refreshing.
It ends mostly dry, with good length and lingering tropical fruit.”
But you want more, something more reliable? Well I’ll give you a note from someone at The Wine Company, a Minnesota distributor(at least I think that’s the correct attribution):
“This is the only varietal in which I have ever smelled gardenia, Billy Holiday’s favorite flower. In fact, the bouquet of Gewurztaminer is as exotic as Lady Day herself; rose petal, honeysuckle, white pepper, sometimes petrol and, most unmistakably, lychee. The flavours mimic the nose some, especially the white pepper and lychee, but include mango and peach.
Food Pairings:Asian cuisine especially spicy or with some sweetness. Also curries. Smoked or cured meats. Foie gras. Edible flowers.”
Whenever I get an email letting me know that wine is coming my way I get a little boost in my step for the next day or two as I wait for the package to arrive. I know its likely random but I am a red wine drinker and always seem to be slated for a white wine review. Knowing I needed a little help I had a couple friends over and had them give me their thoughts.
First off I didn’t tell them what kind of wine was in this blend until after they had a taste. We all agreed that the wine jumped out as very floral on the nose with strong notes of citrus. The other 2 thought the wine was dry and I thought it was a little less so. The floral smell carried through into the taste and we all agreed it was unlike most wines we have had in the past. I think that the wine had a strong finish and a slightly flat ending, My friend kept saying that this tasted one step away from being champagne. That one step being the bubbles of course.
The general consensus is that this was a little out of our comfort zone but as the night went on, we all finished our glass and made sure the wine didn’t go to waste. I personally would not order again but the boldness of the wine might work better for some as it is a truly unique flavor. Happy New Years everyone!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend - $15 = 11.54%
I am pretty sure we had the first vintage of Friends Red on tour - thinking that Friends White followed shortly thereafter. It is a great idea to offer these creations and there is no doubt that the Pedroncelli family treat their customers like friends. In for some!
Case ordered for my parents. Pedroncelli is becoming a staple in their house from me refilling their wine rack. This blend does sound quite good. I always enjoy Gewurtz.
/giphy nurturing-droll-trimming
We’re fans of Pedroncelli, Gewurtztraminer, and Sav Blanc.
Frankly, the Gardenia part made me think of the Jan & Dean “Little Old Lady from Pasedena” lyrics, which sealed the deal. (now I can’t get that song out of my head).
2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Vineyard Sources
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$172.80/Case for 12x 2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend, Sonoma County at Pedroncelli Winery & Vineyards
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 23 - Tuesday, Jan 24
2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend
6 bottles for $64.99 $10.83/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $114.99 $9.58/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Residual Sugar levels? It might be too late for this offering, but please include this critical information in the future listings!
@davidaplace slightly off dry. 3.5 grams/liter. It is incredibly well balanced. Good bright acidity. I hate even mentioning the Gewurztraminer because everyone runs to the “it’s sweet” in their mind. This is an incredibly nice white wine. I absolutely love it.
Any Pedroncelli Friends, white or red, is an auto-buy for me.
/giphy tranquil-eager-coal
Surprise wine is a fine way to round out the year.
I tend to be a bit laconic in these reviews, so I’ll try to be a bit more detailed this time. Here goes:
This wine is going to be a bit of love it or hate it, I think, as anything distinctive is. First things first, this is an incredibly fragrant, floral, fruit-forward wine. It is a flashback to a summer garden even in the heart of winter. It even managed to open up more than it had when I first opened it after being open for a day in the fridge.
White flowers (gardenia?) on the nose, allspice, an explosion of melon, peach, a bit of grassy sauv blanc and a slight bitter note on the finish. It is incredibly, incredibly floral, with a nice rounded middle but a short finish. There may be some actual residual sugar, or it could just be that it’s so fragrant that it just fools the senses. I honestly can’t tell because of how intense the aroma is, and I’m usually a bit better at distinguishing between the two.
It’s somewhat out of balance; it needs more acid to balance out the fruit. I also am not sure that it’s really well-married. It’s like INTENSE GEWURTZ! and then HERE IS SOME SAUV BLANC! And I think that’s going to end up being very YMMV for some.
However, that said, it was not at all boring, so that puts it high in my book. It was interesting and it was very flavorful, and for the price, a pretty good deal. Maybe just sprinkle in a bit of tartaric acid into a bottle and hope your friends don’t think you’re trying to poison them.
@novium Thanks for the notes. That little bit of bitterness you are getting is from the Gewurtztraminer grape skin. It really makes food pairing a joy and prevents the cloying aspect that can be found in the varietal. A couple things I suggest: serve this wine cold. It helps temper the Gewurz a bit. Try it with anything citrusy. We had it the other night with Chicken Soup that had lemon zest in it. What a treat!
@novium @pedroncellifam Interesting point about the Gewurtz skins lending some bitterness. That might be why my wife has a hard time with some of them despite loving everything else about these and just about any aromatic white. Now I want to go see if any of the ones she hasn’t liked have had more skin contact than the ones she has.
@klezman @novium I’m not suggesting we do “skin contact”, it’s just part of processing. Gewurztraminer is a tricky grape, and a long time favorite of mine. It’s all about the nose for me. I just love the way it smells. As you know, all the flavor comes from the skins, so it takes a deft hand to make a good wine from a tricky grape! Cheers!
@novium @pedroncellifam I know what you mean - and if you did much skin contact you’d get a rather orange coloured wine given the colour of Gewurz skins. I also love the aromatics - especially from cooler climates like Niagara and Alsace. It seems to be extra tricky in California, although there are several I quite like.
@klezman @pedroncellifam FWIW, I think they really captured more floral aromatics than I usually get from stuff here in CA. I honestly ended up drinking far more of the bottle than I intended to because it was so intriguing and I couldn’t quite decide if the blend was working for me or not. There were so many elements I loved, but I’m not certain that they came together quite how I’d want them to. But on the other hand, that intrigue was far more interesting than pretty much any wine I’ve ever gotten for a rat report. Generally the wines i’ve received have been very hard to write much about because they just haven’t sparked my interest. Bland but well structured roses, region typical mid-market easy drinking pinots, never anything distinctive enough to offend or be loved.
@pedroncellifam What’s the percentages on the blend, out of curiosity? And did it have any residual sugar, or was it just apparent sweetness from how fruit and floral it was?
Reverse Wine Snob said what? It was offered there in June, $65/6-pack.
“The 2021 Pedroncelli Friends White begins with a deliciously grassy aroma full of ripe tropical fruit and lovely floral notes. It’s a very enticing start!
My first thought after taking a sip was “Welcome to Quaff City!” Light bodied and crisp yet extremely flavorful, the wine is loaded with tart, tropical fruit (grapefruit, pineapple, guava, etc.) notes and a touch of sweetness. Smooth and very easy to drink, this is highly refreshing.
It ends mostly dry, with good length and lingering tropical fruit.”
But you want more, something more reliable? Well I’ll give you a note from someone at The Wine Company, a Minnesota distributor(at least I think that’s the correct attribution):
“This is the only varietal in which I have ever smelled gardenia, Billy Holiday’s favorite flower. In fact, the bouquet of Gewurztaminer is as exotic as Lady Day herself; rose petal, honeysuckle, white pepper, sometimes petrol and, most unmistakably, lychee. The flavours mimic the nose some, especially the white pepper and lychee, but include mango and peach.
Food Pairings:Asian cuisine especially spicy or with some sweetness. Also curries. Smoked or cured meats. Foie gras. Edible flowers.”
fwiw
Whenever I get an email letting me know that wine is coming my way I get a little boost in my step for the next day or two as I wait for the package to arrive. I know its likely random but I am a red wine drinker and always seem to be slated for a white wine review. Knowing I needed a little help I had a couple friends over and had them give me their thoughts.
First off I didn’t tell them what kind of wine was in this blend until after they had a taste. We all agreed that the wine jumped out as very floral on the nose with strong notes of citrus. The other 2 thought the wine was dry and I thought it was a little less so. The floral smell carried through into the taste and we all agreed it was unlike most wines we have had in the past. I think that the wine had a strong finish and a slightly flat ending, My friend kept saying that this tasted one step away from being champagne. That one step being the bubbles of course.
The general consensus is that this was a little out of our comfort zone but as the night went on, we all finished our glass and made sure the wine didn’t go to waste. I personally would not order again but the boldness of the wine might work better for some as it is a truly unique flavor. Happy New Years everyone!
/giphy indulgent-grateful-donner
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2021 Pedroncelli Friends White Wine Blend - $15 = 11.54%
I am pretty sure we had the first vintage of Friends Red on tour - thinking that Friends White followed shortly thereafter. It is a great idea to offer these creations and there is no doubt that the Pedroncelli family treat their customers like friends. In for some!
@woopdedoo ah, shucks.
Here’s a little something we cooked up at our post harvest brunch at the winery. Friends White Mimosa
Case ordered for my parents. Pedroncelli is becoming a staple in their house from me refilling their wine rack. This blend does sound quite good. I always enjoy Gewurtz.
/giphy nurturing-droll-trimming
We’re fans of Pedroncelli, Gewurtztraminer, and Sav Blanc.
Frankly, the Gardenia part made me think of the Jan & Dean “Little Old Lady from Pasedena” lyrics, which sealed the deal. (now I can’t get that song out of my head).
/giphy green-kind-dancer
@benguin986 Well, I was born in Pasadena so that song always has a place in my heart.
@benguin986 same - Gewurz, SB, and gardenia sold me on this one
I’ve not been buying much of late but this sounds too intriguing to not try a half case of!
/giphy comfortable-evergreen-angel
To me, Friends tastes an awful lot like Conundrum White.