27 May Uncorked #11: Rene Barbier Catalunya Mediterranean White
This week’s wine is:
Rene Barbier Catalunya Mediterranean White
Price: $4.99 per bottle
Region: Spain
This is another World Market find. I was on a quest to try different wines and this one had such a tempting price of $4.99 I thought, better give it a go! And I am so glad I did! This is a coupage* wine, with blends of 40% xarel·lo, 30% macabeo, and 30% parellada. I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of these grapes. I really liked this wine and for the price you just can’t get a better deal. With the onset of summer, this is a great spring to summer wine. It’s bright, refreshing, and has a nice fruity flavor of apple and pineapple. It’s not too sweet and it’s not too dry. I learned something new with this wine. The company describes the wine as “elegant, greenish tones” which I had no idea what that meant. Turns out green wines are wines made from under ripe grapes; they lack richness of full mature grapes. Who would have known?
Would I buy it again? Yes, for sure. This is a great wine to get you out of the same old, same old white wine shell. It’s not the standard pinot grigio or chardonnay but a nice choice that is a balance between the two.
Fun Wine Fact: Did you know that white wine is preferred by more women than men? Supposedly it’s because white wine is more delicate in flavour and scent, and red wine’s rich, full qualities may lead the gentlemen to hard liquor like whisky, brandy or cognac.
Pairs Well With: Seafood, summer salads, pasta, poultry or shellfish.
Never, never trust anyone who asks for white wine. It means they’re phonies.
-Betty Davis
*Coupage – derives from the French word “couper,” meaning “to cut.” In the world of wine, coupage refers to a blending wine or a cutting wine that is used to change the taste or color of the primary grape.