Wine of the Week: 2015 De Ponte Cellars Melon de Bourgogne
"Let me not surrender to that which is inevitable - but, to all, I am capable of achieving, instead." ~ Eleesha
Welcome to 2019, we made it, Happy New Year to each of you. If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, thank you. Most of you know, I don't spend a great deal of time analyzing just one region or style of wine, the focus of this site is worldwide. Because of that, I'm continually spanning the globe, looking for and eventually landing on "the intersection of where great wines meet reasonable prices" and when I find a bottle of wine I consider worth the price of admission it finds a welcome spot here in the wine of the week spotlight.
I have in the past and continue to invite readers not merely to pop a few corks but to look behind the label, to take a peek behind the purple-stained curtain, if you will. I've made it my mission over the last ten years to provide my readers with current, objective easily readable content and hopefully even bit of entertainment about the beautiful world of wine, food/wine pairing and associated travel, and wine finding adventures.
While I don't like or am I impressed with every wine that comes down the path; regardless of the relationship I may or may not have with the sender of the sample or of a purchased wine. This bottle tho, not a sample, it's instead a straight-up purchase, which is outstanding but well off the well-beaten varietal path typically found the Dundee Hills of Oregon. This varietal is most often located in the Muscadet appellation of the western Loire Valley but has made itself quite at home in the Dundee Hills.
Typically, and I suspect De Ponte, did it here, but I cannot establish whether or not it's accurate. Usually though in many cases, not all certainly, Melon de Bourgogne grapes will see extended lees contact and possibly neutral oak barrel maturation is a fantastic way to add depth, texture, and complexity to the wines overall profile.
I have in the past and continue to invite readers not merely to pop a few corks but to look behind the label, to take a peek behind the purple-stained curtain, if you will. I've made it my mission over the last ten years to provide my readers with current, objective easily readable content and hopefully even bit of entertainment about the beautiful world of wine, food/wine pairing and associated travel, and wine finding adventures.
While I don't like or am I impressed with every wine that comes down the path; regardless of the relationship I may or may not have with the sender of the sample or of a purchased wine. This bottle tho, not a sample, it's instead a straight-up purchase, which is outstanding but well off the well-beaten varietal path typically found the Dundee Hills of Oregon. This varietal is most often located in the Muscadet appellation of the western Loire Valley but has made itself quite at home in the Dundee Hills.
Typically, and I suspect De Ponte, did it here, but I cannot establish whether or not it's accurate. Usually though in many cases, not all certainly, Melon de Bourgogne grapes will see extended lees contact and possibly neutral oak barrel maturation is a fantastic way to add depth, texture, and complexity to the wines overall profile.
2015 De Ponte Cellars Melon de Bourgogne: That said, it's time to quickly jump to the tasting note. This wine is a fantastic homage to the Sévre-et-Maine appellation. A gem of winemaking skill which can be best summed up as a mineral-driven elegance, true varietal character, and nuance. Dry, citrus, floral and mineral-driven with a balanced heft, begging for oysters or other seafood. I paired this wine with two butter pan-seared sea scallops, sitting atop a fresh crabcake, it was heaven. I scored this wine 90 points, it sells for $21 to $25 dollars most places.
I hope my writing here stands as a bit of encouragement, a signpost, an invitation, if you will, to not only visit the places where the wine-bearing grapes become wine but take a closer look at what goes on behind the label. A solid resolution for this new year, for wine enthusiasts, including myself, let's get out of our collective wine varietal comfort zones and along with that, get to know the folks who have not only made wine their business but also a lifelong passion. It's a new year, filled with so many possibilities and the promise of better tomorrows, uncork a winetastic one.
I've read once, where some wise sage once said if you want to achieve something truly amazing, you have to be willing to do what others will not do. So here's to taking the road less traveled this year, all the best to each of you, big thanks to all my new contributors and most of them thanks to our wonderful readers and subscribers. Remember life is short, compromise is for relationships, not wine, so slurp long and prosper cheers!
All original content: Including text and photographs remain the copyright © of the author, (W.R. Eyer) and © Fotogui Photography except where otherwise noted.
Full Disclosure: Reviewed wines are from medias sample provided (not for sale) for the review process.
I hope my writing here stands as a bit of encouragement, a signpost, an invitation, if you will, to not only visit the places where the wine-bearing grapes become wine but take a closer look at what goes on behind the label. A solid resolution for this new year, for wine enthusiasts, including myself, let's get out of our collective wine varietal comfort zones and along with that, get to know the folks who have not only made wine their business but also a lifelong passion. It's a new year, filled with so many possibilities and the promise of better tomorrows, uncork a winetastic one.
I've read once, where some wise sage once said if you want to achieve something truly amazing, you have to be willing to do what others will not do. So here's to taking the road less traveled this year, all the best to each of you, big thanks to all my new contributors and most of them thanks to our wonderful readers and subscribers. Remember life is short, compromise is for relationships, not wine, so slurp long and prosper cheers!
All original content: Including text and photographs remain the copyright © of the author, (W.R. Eyer) and © Fotogui Photography except where otherwise noted.
Full Disclosure: Reviewed wines are from medias sample provided (not for sale) for the review process.
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