Opulent (adj) •• Characterized by rich abundance; luxuriant; rich and superior in quality.
Opulent wines are our white wines that demonstrate a richness and fullness that sets them apart from other white wines. While a number of these wines are the big chardonnays, there are also other whites which exhibit a richness in aromas or taste, such as a semi Ilion or viognier, which really puts them in this class. Below are some of our opulent wines.
Ron Melville, the owner of Melville winery, actually started out growing high quality grapes in Sonoma. But after 7 years he moved down to Santa Barbara and has devoted his time to chardonnay and pinot noir. The wine is a light golden straw color that might have the slightest hint of green when it gets into the glass. It smells of citrus, with some tropical fruit. The taste is the thing with this wine. It is rich and creamy without being too much of either. The feel in your mouth is round and soft, but with some crispness. It is a great example of California chardonnay done the right way.
The Cutrer Vineyard consists of approximately 250 acres on the rolling hills of the winery's 450-acre estate. Located in the heart of the cool Russian River Valley, the soils of the Cutrer Vineyard reflect the geological history of the area - from its origin as ocean floor to the volcanic eruptions of Mt. St. Helens. Volcanic ash, filtered through soil layers, has left the ground deficient in nutrients and water. The resulting stress on the vines is beneficial to the quality of the fruit by significantly reducing cluster size, thereby enhancing the flavor of the juice.
Ferentano is made from 100% Roscetto, a recently re-discovered local grape in Lazio, just to the north of Rome. This grape can be difficult to make good wine from, but Falesco has a special method that deals with the problem. They speed chill the grapes with C02 to break the skins rather than crushing them. The juice then runs free, avoiding the bitter flavor the skins can impart, and the wine is fermented in stainless and oak. The resulting wine has tropical fruit aromas, and a full, rich flavor with a long finish. Excellent example of how good Italian whites can be.