In Search of a Unicorn - A Great White Wine Under $10

Dennis and Denise have a budget-friendly show tonight, with each wine costing less than $10. Also, see if you can catch ten references to different songs.

Tonight we will have a Picpoul from the South of France. This is a new wine for us. Picpoul (Pronounced peek–pool) Means "stings the lips" is grown mostly in the Languedoc in southern France around the Mediterranean. It was rewarded its own AOC in 2013, and its popularity has grown considerably in the past 15 years. This wine pairs great with seafood or spicey dishes or for a summer sipper.

Our second wine is from the Columbia Valley in Washington. This is the State's largest wine region. It is an arid region that receives lots of sunshine during the growing season (more than Napa Valley). It also has some cooler weather that gives the grapes good acidity.

Our final wine is a Le Grand Noir Chardonnay from France. This is a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) wine from the Pays D'Oc. The wine is a 85% Chardonnay and 15% Viognier blend. Unlike other French wines, PGI wines are allowed to list the variety of grape.

Tonight, our three wines include:

1. 2023 Foncastel Picpoul De Pinet, purchased at Trader Joe’s for $8.99. Reverse Wine Snob rated it a buy. It has 13% alcohol. Mostly citrus on the nose. Lemon and lime smell. Palate is more acidic and also has some salinity.
2. 2022 Pacific Rim Riesling, we purchased at Costco for $7.89. The wine comes from the Columbia Valley in Washington. The Wine Enthusiast rated it a 90. The grapes are picked early, so has good acid and then bottled with 25.2 g/l of residual sugar. Pairs well with with spicey Asian or Mexican food.
3. 2022 Le Grand Noir Chardonnay. We purchased this wine from Costco for $9.99. It is made with 85% Chardonnay and 15% Viogneir. 30% of the Chardonnay spends sometime in French and American Oak. The wine maker said they wanted to make a lightly oaked Chardonnay that was drinkable alone and pairs well with food. Pair with seafood or white meats. Wine Enthusiast rated it a 92 and gave it a "Best Buy".

Next week we will have something a little different. It’s Denise’s birthday, and to celebrate, we will have ice wine and birthday cake.  The two wines we will taste include:

1. 2023 North Wind Vidal Ice Wine. We purchased it at Costco for $19.99.
2. NV Cooper’s Hawk Lux Ice Wine that was purchased at Cooper’s Hawk for $29.99.