Wine Flights: Express Yourself & Pacific Rim

White wines for winter can be a challenge to find. Jan Henrichsen, Beverage Director, was searching for wines with a good body that can stand up to heavier winter cuisine. These next two flights are great examples of big white wines that are just begging you to drink them with food.

Express Yourself - This impressively versatile group of white wines are far from shy, and would never be accused of bashful restraint. Their inherent vibrancy could easily be mistaken for showmanship. Their message becomes crystal clear with food.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc, BIN 36, Mauritson Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, California.
Our favorite new lip smacking sipper! Deliciously juicy and fresh with mouth-filling grapefruit, melon, and green apple.

2008 Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir), Gutzler Estate, Rheinhessen, Germany
"Reminiscent of Champagne without the bubbles" is how the winemaker describes this is tasty wine. We noticed its voluptuous mouthfeel and classic cherry & cranberry flavors.

2009 Pinot Gris, Willowcrest Winery, Yakima Valley, Washington
If this wine were a movie, it would be in technicolor! Vivid pear, bright green apples and a round, juicy presence that asserts itself with loads of charm.

2009 Pinot Grigio, Castello di Arcania, Fruili, Italy
Wanna fall in love with a Pinot Grigio? Here's your chance. Engagingly juicy with fresh cut and lip-smacking crisp texture.



Pacific Rim - Our friends Down Under are well known for their skill with red wines - shiraz and pinot noir. However, we've been blown away by the quality and variety of white wines produced in Australia and New Zealand. Delicious!

2009 Riesling, Sky Leaf, Warpararia Valley New Zealand
A racy, elegant and zesty dry reisling, chock full of lime peel and passion fruit.

2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Allan Scott, Malborough, New Zealand
Kiwi, hints of pineapple and fresh cut grass are knit together with seamless precision and a round, juicy finish to boot!

2009 Semillon, Torbreck "Woodcutter's White," Barossa Valley, Australia
Semillon is usually bottled with sauvignon blanc in the Bordeaux region of France. Down Under, in the magic hands of winemaker Dave Powell, it is surprisingly rich, silky and complex.

2008 Chardonnay, The Wishing Tree, "Unoaked," Western Australia
Ripe apples, pink grapefruit, and pineapple star in this full bodied, zippy, clean example of the most popular white wine grape in the world.

Wine Flights: "The O.G." Original Grapes

A few times a year, Jan Henrichsen, Beverage Director, sets out to explore new AVAs and varietals to bring to our guests at the restaurant. Jan tastes through dozens of wines from all over the world (she does use a spit bucket sometimes!). After she makes her choices, she and Brian Duncan, our Wine Maker/Educator/Extraordinaire, sit down to go through a grueling process of choosing which wines to offer by the glass. And because the two of them do not have the same pallet, we end up with a great variety of wines that will satisfy any wine drinker.

As always at BIN 36, we look at the wine flights as much as learning tools as they are a great way to warm up from the cold weather. Tasting wines side by side allows us to more clearly see, smell, and taste the the unique nature of every wine. This season we have some spectacular wine flights to help any beginning wine drinker learn or refresh the pallet of an old pro.



Our first new wine flight for the winter season is "The O.G." Original Grapes. This is where is all started. If you've ever raised a glass of California Chardonnay to your lips or sipped a little New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, it's genesis was in France. Elegant, racy, and original, these whites are classics.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine des Fontanelles, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France
Crisp and fresh with grapefruit, lime zest and a clean dose of minerals for balance.

2009 Chardonnay, Domaine Jean Touzot, Macon-Village, France
Ripe apricots and peaches, along with a chalky mineral center make this old-world Chardonnay the center of attention.

2009 Domaine Specht, Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France
Lively white peaches, hints of apricot jam and wet chalk complement a rich, mouth-filling
texture.

2009 Sauvigon Blanc/Semillon/Muscadelle, Château Perenchere, Bordeaux, France
Pleasantly plump! Citrus fruits, white flowers and fresh, mouth-watering acidity just make this more enticing.

More wine flights to come!!