Crown Valley Winery
2005 Casper White(Ozark Mountain)
From my deck (“nest”) one warm night, I opened a bottle of the 2005 Crown Valley “Casper White” I had captured earlier. Stars winked perfectly through the light-gold wine in my glass, and slight oak was evident as it was brought closer. The taste was analogous to the image of the twinkling stars refracted through the glass. It is off-dry with lingering sweetness at the finish, a perfect match with the things I foraged earlier: Havarti dill cheese on caraway water crackers. I elicit a satisfied “Ahhh,” followed by two to four low “hmmm.”
This off-dry white is a blend of Chardonel harvested in two vintages: 2004 (75%) and 2005 (25%). With Chardonel, balancing delicate floral and melon aromas and tastes with the aggressiveness of oak is difficult. Crown Valley pulls it off, though. Perhaps it is the blending of vintages that provides oak and depth while maintaining fruit brilliance. Ten percent of the proceeds from this wine go to Wild Bird Sanctuary. I give the 2005 Casper White 5 hoots.
Reviewed July 11, 2007 by Tim Pingelton.
Other reviewed wines from Crown Valley Winery
The Wine
Winery: Crown Valley Winery |
The ReviewerAs a professional winemaker and writer, Tim Pingelton understands how growing conditions and vinification techniques affect the grapes as they become wine. As an Appellation America correspondent, he realizes that a balance must be struck between standards in flux and standards fixed in time. Tim continually explores the areas about which he writes to personally relate how their wines do or do not embody appellation-specific characteristics. |