Buty Winery 2012 Semillon-Sauvignon-Muscadelle, Columbia Valley, $25
There’s little Muscadelle planted in our corner of the world, but Nina Buty and winemaker Chris Dowsett continue to make this Lonesome Spring Ranch block an integral part (17%) of their blend with Rosebud Ranch Vineyard Semillon (62%) and Spring Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (21%). The aging process combines primarily older oak barrels (60%) and Nomblot concrete tanks (40%), which create enticing aromas of starfruit, dusty apple, lemon, honeydew melon, spearmint and a touch of oak. On the attack, it gathers up bright flavors akin to a crisp apple, lemon zest, Mandarin orange, more melon, sweet herbs and a balanced oak profile. Each year, this delicious alternative to Chardonnay accounts for a third of this Walla Walla winery’s production, so it should be easy to find and make for a dream pairing with scallops.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 1,420 cases
Alcohol: 14.4%
Leave a Reply