FOOD & WINE
Stately Estate wines defined and demystified By Alison Bailin Batz
ertainly, you’ve come across the term “farm-to-table” restaurants. But what about farm to table as it relates to wine? If you’ve ever tried an “estate wine,” then you’ve—perhaps unknowingly—enjoyed what is, in many ways, a farm-to-table bottle more than any other varietal. “When a wine has an estate designation, it means the wine has been crafted from grapes grown entirely from vineyards owned or managed by the winery directly,” says Michael Eddy, winemaker for Louis M. Martini Winery. According to Eddy, while an estate wine does not necessarily mean it’s grown in one single vineyard, many single-vineyard wines are estate. “Some bottles will say Estate Bottled on them,” Eddy says. “Those go even a step further, meaning the wine was not only grown in an estate vineyard within the same designated viticultural area as the winery, and it was fermented, aged and bottled there, too.” Here are some great options: L’Ecole No. 41 2018 Luminesce Tangy, vivid and rich, this estate white dazzles with a bouquet of lemon zest, pear and lanolin.
Sips Upon tasting, notes of orange blossom and white peach tantalize the taste buds, before it finishes with a refreshing tartness. $21
2018 Biltmore Reserve Chardonnay Step into George Vanderbilt’s shoes and shower yourself with some of Biltmore Estate’s legendary hospitality with this lightly oaked chardonnay. It is a treat for all the senses, starting with its classic straw color to its delicious flavors of honeysuckle, baked apple and vanilla. $24 2018 Balletto Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir The wine is full of contradictory forces: It’s weighty with a luscious midpalate but also surrounded by notable tannins and acidity that keep it focused, balanced and taut. It has plenty of dark fruit, but it’s also layered with savory earth and spices. $29
34 / SCOTTSDALE AIRPARK NEWS / AUGUST 2020