“Highs move higher and lows trend down,” according to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2015 State of the Wine Industry Report. SBV predicts continued growth in the premium wine market, particularly in wines priced over $20. The lower end, below $8, is already flagging.
Think that spells bad news for manufacturers of synthetic closures, like Nomacorc? Think again. Screwcaps have shed their low-end reputation, and so have synthetics. Many premium winemakers are choosing Nomacorc for their ultra-premium wines.
Below are five whites and one rosé that prove the point. They’re all American, all priced from $16 and $30, and all closed under Nomacorc:
2013 Groth Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
The wine’s pale golden-green body offers a fresh fragrance of laurel, lime peel, and white jasmine. The palate is silky, with glittery acid and a finishing wash of citrus, preserved lemons, and salt.
14.7% abv | $20
2013 Crocker and Starr Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
This is a crackly, citrus-drenched Sauvignon Blanc with tropical sea-breeze freshness. Its body sparkles with green fruits—citrus, melon, apple—and the finish feels shiny like satin.
14.4% abv | $30
2013 Schug Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
An incandescent Chardonnay that glows with yellow citrus, yellow apple skin, ripe pear, nut, and cultured cream. The body offers a distinct almond note, and its final flame of citrus sharpens the finish.
14.1% abv | $25
2013 Buehler Vineyards Chardonnay Russian River Valley
This wine says ginger at the front and citrus at the end, and in between are notes of white spices, hazelnuts, preserved lemons, and lemon cream. A little snap of flint adds a final kick.
13.9% abv | $16
2013 Eberle Viognier “Mill Road Vineyard” Paso Robles
A big, big wine, like a harvest still life of flowers and stone fruits. Ripe apricots and yellow peach complement prickly acidity that adds glitter across the top. Serve very cold.
15% abv | $23
2014 Judd’s Hill Rosé California
The gorgeous deep pink body has a fragrance of spring berries and basil. It’s juicy and light-textured, with notes of ripe watermelon and a gush of minty herbs at the finish.
13.9% abv | $26
Photos courtesy of Occasions.
About the Author
Meg Houston Maker, CSW, is wine and food journalist focusing on traditional foodways, artisanal food and wine production, and the intersection of nature and culture. She travels extensively to visit and taste with producers, and her freelance writing has garnered mention by The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Brain Pickings, The Kitchn, Wine Business Monthly, and other publications. She is a juried member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, a Certified Specialist of Wine, and a professional member of the French Wine Society, the Society of Wine Educators, and the Guild of Sommeliers. Meg publishes regular dispatches on her own award-winning site, Maker’s Table. Learn more at Megmaker.com or follow her on Twitter @megmaker.
