We were just at the 2018 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, and there were great wines all around. It is our favorite wine and food event of the year, and over the four day festival there are countless wines to try, and something for every palate and budget. We have already published our list of the Top Ten Reds, and you can read it by clicking here. In this article we’ll explore the white wines from the weekend.
As with the Reds, nothing here will be over $100. Also, this is based solely on our opinions, and we didn’t get to try every wine. If you don’t see your favorite wine from the weekend there is a chance we missed it, but we’re glad you didn’t.
Here are our favorites:
1. 2014 Qupé Roussane – with fruit from the Santa Maria Valley of California, this unusual Rhone varietal is 100% Rousanne. The wine has a 
rich nose of ripe fruit. It is structured, clean with perfect balance, and gives you a hint of orange at the end. Not a light and forgettable white, this one is meant to savor a bit. Unexpected and outstanding. A great wine. $40
2. 2016 Ken Forrester The FMC – always one of the best Chenin Blancs around, in some vintages it becomes almost transcendent. This is one of those years. With a rich golden color, the wine has some apricot and apple on the nose. It is surprisingly rich, with great structure and nice body. People were dragging their friends to the table to try this “amazing white wine” – it happened twice during our tasting. I think the surprise of finding the Rousanne gives it a slight edge, but this is pretty amazing as well. $65
3. 2016 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppehen Riesling Auslese – from the Mosel region, this German Riesling has that
refreshing balance an off-dry and brightly acidic white can deliver, when all is perfect. This is pretty perfect. Clean and fresh throughout. Delicious is probably the best descriptor here. $40
4. 2015 Bertani Soave – Bertani placed on the Top Ten Reds list with one of their Amarones, and clearly they are on a roll. They actually had several vintages of the Soave open during the Rosecliff gala, and many people were taking advantage of that. This, in our opinion, was a bit better than the 2014 version. The wine was smooth, fresh and brought some great apple aromas. $22
5. 2017 Tre Monti Vigna Rocca Albana Secco – from the Emilio Romagna province of Italy, this is made with the 
indigenous Albana grape. The color is a light golden, and the nose is apricot and orange peel. There is structure here, and some body. It stays fresh throughout. This was the first time we had tried an Albana. It won’t be the last. $16
6. 2017 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc / Viognier – 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Viognier, the resulting wine carries a stone fruit nose, with rich aromatics. This is smooth, easy drinking and nicely balanced. It is also $12, which is a very good thing.
7. 2016 Anselmi San Vincenzo– this is a blend of Garganega, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and you don’t see one of those everyday. That’s too bad, as this is a rich and layered white. We 
got strong melon and some pear. Very long finish. About $15.
8. 2017 Dry Creek Vineyard Sonoma Chenin Blanc – this was the first wine we tried at the 
Grand Tastings, and it started us off on exactly the right foot. Aromas and flavors of peach and pear form the core of a delightful wine. Delightful price too at about $12.
9. Palmer & Company Brut Reserve Champagne – we grabbed a glass of this on the way out of the Rosecliff gala. For some reason we always seem to find something really good on the way out of wine events. This was very bright and bubbly, but probing further you get nice yeasty tones, lots of minerality and some ripe fruit. There was also an herbal quality. I loved it, and it is a
bit unusual. $50
10. 2016 Sequoia Grove Chardonnay – it took a while to get to a Chardonnay, but this was our favorite of the event from a value perspective. It sees 35% new oak, and no malolactic fermentation. As such it is bright, with beautiful fruit, a little wrapper of oak that takes the edge off and a seamless finish. Really good and excellent value at $30
As with the reds, there were more whites than we could possibly include in our Top Ten. Here are a few of this year’s Honorable Mention white wines:
2017 Ken Forrester Old Vines Chenin Blanc – always a great value wine, this is clean, bright and flavorful. $15
2017 Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc – has great melon, apple and peach aromas and flavors. $20
2016 Barton & Guestier Vouvray – off dry Chenin Blanc based wine from the Loire Valley. Great balance, and $12!
2016 Alexander Valley Vineyards Chardonnay – perfect balance, with a kiss of oak and nice tropical fruit. $18
2016 Dr. Loosen Riesling Tradition Auslese – from the Rheingau, this is classic Riesling at $20.
That’s a lot of great white wine.
A votre sante!
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