I love how Bellview does their wine events. So many cool themed events throughout the year. Yesterday my wife and I got to do a quintessential South Jersey event. What could be more South Jersey than dandelions? It’s that time of year. I admit I have always thought of them as pesky little (sometimes rather large) weeds. In addition to the bitter greens used to make salads, some folks actually make a sweet wine from the flowers. Many years ago I tasted a dandelion wine made by a friend…well let’s just say it was a nice try by a nice guy.
So my expectations for the dandelion wine tasting were not sky-high. My plan was to do a regular tasting (of mostly dry, tried-and-true favorites here). Then we’d get a meat and cheese plate and pick a bottle of wine to accompany this delicious charcuterie. Finally, we would do our dandelion wine flight for our dessert, knowing that is best enjoyed as a sweet, after dinner (or in our case lunch) drink. The results of this sequence are shared below, with some surprising results.
Traditional Wine Tasting (with my usual sharing with my wife)
Whites
- Pinot Grigio 2017-Light and lively, with a hint of lemon
- Gruner Veltliner 2017 (voted Best in Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition)
- Traminette 2017-Silver Medal Winner at the Atlantic Seaboard Competition; my favorite white wine at this tasting, though the Gruner is also excellent
- Chardonnay-Nicely oaked with little butter and vanilla; Silver Medal winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Competition
- Apus-An off dry to sweet blend of Viognier and Cayuga
Reds
- Chambourcin 2016-Winner of a Bronze Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Competition; another dry winner!
- Solavita- A surprisingly good red blend; oaked, but food-friendly
- Coeur d’Est-Medium-bodied blend; BTI Silver Medal winner
- Blaufrankisch 2016-Very nice version
- Cabernet Franc 2016-One of my favorite reds at this tasting; Bronze Medal winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Competition
- Petit Verdot-While a little pricey ($40), this is a full-bodied winner!
- Vega-A nice dry blend of Blaufrankisch (45%); Syrah (45%); and Merlot (10%)
- Regent-An underrated hybrid that you don’t get to try very often as a “stand alone” grape. A very good, bold, dry, full-bodied red with a beautiful dark hue. I chose to purchase a growler of this wine to accompany our wonderful meat and cheese platter. Needless to say, we judiciously decided to bring home a substantial amount of this wine, after our wide-ranging tasting.
Dandelion Wine Flight
2018 Dandelion Wine-14.4% ABV: Sweet, menthol, very light color. Noticeably more potent than the next two we tasted.
2016 Dandelion Wine-13.8% ABV: Slightly darker, slightly sweeter and smoother than the 2018; not as complex as the 2012, but perhaps a little smoother
2012 Dandelion Wine-13% ABV: The darkest (still only a straw color, but noticeably darker in the glass) and perhaps the sweetest, but more nuanced and complex.
I enjoyed all three dandelion wines much more than I expected. Doing the vertical flight, spanning six years (or 56 with Scott’s generous addition) was delightfully educational. Besides seeing how the vintage is affected from one year to another, one could also see how aging affects the color and other characteristics of the wine. My wife and I could not help but wonder how these three wines might transform if aged as long as the one we were fortunate enough to taste-shown below. Thanks to Scott Quarella!
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The dusty old milk bottle on the left with the adhesive tape (that may have revealed its age) is the same wine that Scott so graciously poured in the glass on the right. It is probably at least 40-50 years old; Scott thought from the 60’s, but no way to be certain. Scott said this Dandelion Wine was made by his Great Aunt and has been stored in their cellar over the years. Scott was also kind enough to share the above photo from their cellar. Fortunately I thought to take a picture (before we finished our taste) showing how it had transformed over the years in color. Compare it to the newer ones in today’s flight. Not only was the color darker with a beautiful sherry color, the taste was much more complex, with a delightful nutty aroma and flavor. It had also developed into a more full-bodied mouthfeel. It is possible that this one was as sweet as the others tasted, but the complexity and nuance gave us the perception of a slightly drier wine. Either way, totally delightful and a great way to cap off our great visit to Bellview Winery. I will never think of Dandelion Wine in the same light again…Thanks Scott, Jim and the wonderful staff at Bellview Winery for making this such a great day! Visit this super South Jersey winery in Landisville.
Cheers!
Still need a copy of New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine? Go to store.bookbaby.com/book/New-Jersey-Uncorked or get your e-book at the Apple iBook App instantaneously for about half the price!
Get your tickets now for the upcoming Winemakers Co-Op Portfolio Tasting at Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery on Sunday, May 19.
Coming Attractions
- Unionville Vineyards 2019
- Some Special Wine Events
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