4th Annual Great Portland Thai Food Wine Challenge@Red Onion!

Meetup

Feb 4

Written By

What was poured

In the order it was served. Quoted tasting notes are credited to their sources.

1 · 2016 Chateau Olivier Bordeaux Blanc Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru Clase - $40

$40 retail

“Dense & savory with a depth of fruit & aniseed character. Full body & a juicy finish. More of a red than a white in texture. Delicious already. Rated 93 by James Suckling”

tasting note

2 · 2015 JJ Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett - $27

93 Mosel Fine Wines · $27 retail

“This offers a gorgeous nose of white peach, cassis, grapefruit, smoke & herbs. The wine is very dynamic on the palate thanks to most zesty flavors of citrusy fruits as well as plenty herbal scents. The finish is off-dry in taste, very long & offers a great feel of freshness. This is a superb Kabinett to drink by the bottle. What a beauty!”

Mosel Fine Wines

3 · 2015 Estrela Vinho Verde Alvarinho Loureiro - $10

$10 retail

“Crisp & lively aromas & flavors of tropical fruits & citrus, with fresh orange blossom & mineral notes. Sharp & refreshing acidity with a vibrant overall mouthfeel.”

the importer

4 · 2016 Keller Scheurebe Kabinett Rheinhessen - $29

$29 retail

“Long live Scheurebe! (The grape has been described as Riesling on LSD) We can think of no better wine to drink with spicy Thai or Indian food (or just on a back porch). It’s lightly sweet & one of those wines defies you to not smile while drinking.” Vinopolis”

tasting note

5 · 2014 Yamhill Valley Vineyards Riesling Willamette Valley - $18

91 Wine Enthusiast · $18 retail

“This old-vine Riesling matches medium sweetness to ample acidity. It's a dense & flavorful style, taut & fleshy at the same time. The peachy fruit hints at ripe banana as well, with a lick of butterscotch adorning the finish.”

Wine Enthusiast

6 · 2017 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley - $24

$24 retail

“A luminous pale gold, this wine opens on the nose with freshness of a first summer rain, layered with scents of white peach and a hint of guava. The palate features a lively acidity balanced by delicate fruit flavors of peach and newly ripened honeydew. A tartness builds, softened by a smooth texture that lingers in the mouth. The mouth-watering finish is unusually bright and crisp.”

the winery

7 · 2017 Mer Soleil Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey County - $29

$29 retail

“This wine is ultrarich. Its decadent aromas and flavors of ripe apple and cream should pair well with Asiago and dry-cured salami. Wine.com“Fresh, bright aromas and the taste of white peach, this wine has a vibrant acidity balanced by the lush flavors of fully ripe fruit.” Winery”

tasting note

8 · 2014 Vom Boden Riesling Kabinett Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg - $29

$29 retail

“Terrific young Kabinett in this vintage that has produced some many excellent examples of this Prädikat level. The wine wafts from the glass in a very impressively complex & utterly classic constellation of green apple, a touch of white cherry, complex minerality, a touch of petrol, white flowers, a bit of wild yeasts, lemon zest & a whiff of ocean breeze in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium- bodied, mineral & beautifully filigreed, with a nice core of fruit, bright, ripe acids, excellent focus & grip & a very long, dancing & youthful finish of excellent potential. Rated 93+ John Gilman”

tasting note