As evident by a couple posts last week, we are fans of out of the ordinary blends.  Today's post highlights another one of our favorites.  Shoofly's Buzz Cut blends Riesling, Verdelho, Viognier, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc to make an easy drinking white blend that we really enjoy.

The winemaker at Shoofly is Ben Riggs.  He is a rising star in the world of winemaking. (Read a great article about him here.)  He is also the winemaker for another wonderful winery we hope to blog about soon, Zonte's Footsteps.  One thing that I love about him is that he has a true passion for blending.  He also leads supports Shoofly's motto:  no flabby wines, no raisins and leave the oak for the trees! 

Shoofly's Buzz Cut exemplifies the wineries values as well as Riggs' love of blending.  He seamlessy blends 5 grapes that are not common with each other in the wine blend world.  They strive to make vibrant wines which show bright fruit.  Buzz Cut does just this. 

Riesling, Viognier and Verdelho are the three predominant varietals in Buzz Cut.  The great thing about this blend is that you taste the specific notes of each varietal.  In terms of the Riesling, there are underlying notes of honey throughout along with tropical fruits.  Viognier lends its aromatics on the nose along with peach and apricot fruits on the palate.  Verdelho balances the fruit with bright acidity and its lingering citrus notes.  Finished with a touch of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, this blend creates a great wine at a tremendous value that is a must try.

On a side note, you also have to try Shoofly's highly rated Shiraz.

Shoofly Buzz Cut in a Nutshell:

Description:  37% Riesling, 32% Viognier, 21% Verdelho, 5% Chardonnay, 5% Sauvignon Blanc.  Floral notes combined with that of Peach on the Nose.  A Combination of Melon and Apricot on the palate with light hints of honey.  Zippy lemon notes paired with bright acid round out this great blend.

Food Pairings: Combination of Riesling and viognier make this wine extremely versatile.  You could have this alongside anything from a Veggie crudite to spicy Hispanic or Thai dishes.

Vintage/Price: The current vintage is 2008.  The price is right around $10 on most shelves.  I have seen it marked at $9.99 all the way to $14.  It is tremendous value at $9.99 and still well worth the latter.

For more information about Buzz Cut and other Shoofly wines including their wonderful Shiraz, Please go to: Shoofly Wines

My wife and I recently had some friends over for a dinner party.  I like to pull out a wine to create conversation.  No wine has created as much conversation as Mitolo's "Jester" Vermentino.

I was a big fan as well as a few others.  I like a crisp, dry white wine which tends to have more minerality than fruit.  Others that wanted (my wife included) a more fruit forward white, did not have a 2nd glass.  With that being said, I still receive text messages almost a week later now asking for the name of that "one wine we all were talking about".

Vermentino is a grape that is best known in the Corsica and Sardinia regions of Italy.  The climates there on the Mediterranean shares similar characteristics of McLaren Vale in Australia.  That is what sparked the decision for Mitolo to produce it's only white varietal to date.  (On a side note, they make a wonderful Syrah that everyone should try.)

Mitolo's Jester Vermentino is tough for me to describe.  It has a ton of flavor but its not fruity.  The flavors here are more mineral. It also shares grassy notes like that of a fresh Sauvignon Blanc.  It is extremely crisp thanks to an low alcohol level of only 10%.  Because of this, there is low sugar making it dry as well.  It has a nice balance of acidity on the finish.

Mitolo Jester Vermentino in a nutshell:

Description:   Pale Straw yellow in color. Faint hints of melon and stone fruits.  Grassy notes with great minerality.

Pairings:  Enjoyed it with a scallop and quinoa stir fry.  Great with a shrimp or crab salad as well.

Vintages/Price:  Current vintage is 2011.   There is still some 2010 left on the shelves as well.  Should find it between $13 and $17. 

For more information, please visit  http://www.mitolowines.com.au/index.cfm?method=products.productdrilldown&productID=4C6EC21C-1CC4-81AE-7517-6F82D10BD11B