White Doe Wine
The enchantment begins

by Linda Kissam
Head Wine Chix

There are two things I like a whole lot. A good mystery and an intriguing marketing plan. Wait! Make that three things I like a lot – a good new wine, also.

I’d like you to meet The White Doe, a new white wine from American Pioneer Wine Growers. Its first release is a stylish blend of light and refreshing Chenin Blanc and Viognier. The wine is dedicated to the delicate, ethereal creature depicted in ancient folklore. You know the one…the White Doe. It represents a love “that could never be.” I sense some eye rolling. Stick with me. This wine is really good.

The producers tell me it pays homage to the long-standing heritage of American wine growing and is taken from a page in history. It’s an American myth that goes like this:

Her name is whispered
through the mists in
the forest.
A lover’s curse obscures her fate.
Vainly, men seek her footprints.
But The White Doe eludes
capture.

The good people who make the new White Doe wine have a question for us. “Where will she lead us?” (The doe, not me). OK, this is a good day in Linda Land because I actually have the answer to the question as I got to sample this wine the other night with a lovely bow tie white- cream pasta chicken and Gorgonzola dish. The answer is…ta da…it leads us to a sophisticated new wine.

The blend of Chenin Blanc and Viognier is good enough for a glass or two or three at one sitting. Perfect by itself or plays well with many dishes. The Chenin Blanc component (80%) provides the core fruit and bright natural acidity, creating an integrated crisp, clean finish. At 12.6% alcohol, it is not overdone.

A portion of this varietal was grown in Clarksburg, an area well-known for producing some of California’s best Chenin Blanc. Warm daytime temperatures giving way to evenings chilled by cool Delta breezes help showcase the region and the blend. Fermenting and finishing in stainless steel allowed the purity of the fruit to speak its mind and strut its stuff This is one of those “taste-the-place” wines. Expect classic white peach flavors, a beautiful summer meadow scent and a tinge of tropical fruit. It has a subtle elegance and purity of heart. It’s the whole white doe story come to life in a glass.

The producers say that 2013 was an excellent vintage across California, making it the ideal year for the debut of The White Doe. “There was very little rain that year and temperatures never got excessively warm for any period of time. Plus, we got extra hang time out of the season, harvesting a week and a half later than usual. These conditions allowed the fruit to ripen steadily and develop concentrated, aromatic flavors and excellent body.” Yup. And all that eventually produced a very good wine.

The White Doe is one of several new wines that will be released over time, which will eventually all come together to explain the legend behind The White Doe. I’d like to be part of that story.

Released May 2014. 12.6 alcohol. Retails for about $14.99. Ask about The White Doe wood presentation boxes for a two-bottle gift. All part of the charm of this effort.

To purchase The White Doe, please visit: thewhitedoe.com. You can also order by calling 707–735–3500 or email service@americanpioneerwinegrowers.com.

Learn more by visiting the home of the White Doe located at 22281 Chianti Road, Geyserville, CA 95441.

Photo credit to American Pioneer Wine Growers