Vignoles on a hot day

Taster B made a fish dish tonight with coconut milk, tomatoes, a little wine, basil and a smidge of chili pepper. Really good stuff.

In true SLG fashion, the wine selection was left until last minute. We had a bottle of Jewell Towne Vinyard's Vignoles in the refrigerator. It is mid summer. Living by the Atlantic means humidity. In the time it took to come up with a photo concept, condensation formed on the bottle and the label started to lift off the bottle. No problem, I have vineyard shots that I took last weekend up at Jewell Towne Vineyards.

Vignoles is a hybrid white wine grape that does well on the East Coast. It has a late bud break that prevents loss due to frost damage, and can also be picked late in the season. The grapes have a good acid content and a high amount of sugar.

Vignoles
Jewell Towne Vineyards
50% New Hampshire, 50% Massachusetts.
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 11.0%
Price: $9 - $12

Color: Yellow
Intensity: Light
Aromas: Pear, melon, pineapple, orange blossom, butter
Flavors: Lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, apricot, orange blossom, honey, butterscotch.
Body: Medium
Acidity: Moderate
Sweetness: Sweet
Finish: Moderate

Summary: On a hot day, chilled wine is very refreshing. Looking at the beads of sweat forming on the bottle heightens the anticipation. In usual Jewell Towne style, the wine is unoaked and free of manipulation. It is very fragrant, reminding me of walking by the orange trees I used to live by. This is a sweet wine, not for those insisting that every bit of sugar be turned to alcohol.

The appeal of this wine is its easy drinkability, and fragrant citrus blossom mixed with honey notes.


As stated above, we had this with haddock cooked in Thai style. Light coconut milk, tomatoes, basil and some chili sauce. The wine held up beautifully.