Malcolm Jolley finds a mellow Spanish white wine at Vintages.
Grandes Vinos y Viñedos ‘Corona de Aragón’ Garnacha Blanca Cariñena 2016, $17.95, LCBO# 527085
I often imagine that white wines are made in a spectrum with big, rich ones at one end and lean, crisp ones at the other. What I really like about the Corona de Aragón from Grandes Vinos y Viñedos in the Cariñena region of Northwest Spain near Zaragoza, is that confounds my lazy way of thinking. Like the white wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Corona de Aragón is driven by Grenache Blanc, or in Spanish, Carnacha Blanca: in this case 87% of it, and the other 13% is Chardonnay. The result is round and mellow fruit attack, and then a lift of acidity (maybe from the Chardonnay) on the finish. If you’re in the mood to pay attention to what you’re drinking, it’s a fun and unusual effect. If you’re not, that’s fine too, because it makes for a very easy drinking, well made white wine. It’s a perfect aperitif wine: it’s versatile and can be served with about any snack, or with nothing at all.
The Corona de Aragón Garnacha Blanca is part of the October 28 LCBO Vintages release, and should be relatively widely available.
