Noisy Water Winery

But then along comes a dry red wine that refuses to be polite, refuses to wait to be asked in. Instead of a well-mannered knock at the door, it comes crashing through a wall like the Kool-Aid man… without the sugary sweetness.

Syrah, also known as Shiraz, is one of the darkest, full-bodied red wines in the world. Depending on the climate where it is grown, it can be full of dark fruit flavors of blackberries and boysenberries with a rich, jammy finish, or it can snap with the spiciness of clove or licorice or pepper. In our 2017 Winemaker’s Select Syrah, Noisy Water has hit a perfect balance between the simplicity of Grandma’s homemade jam and the complexity of rich tannins and a subtle spiciness.

Although actual “port” must come from Portugal in order to be labeled as such, wines that are aged with brandy and produced here in the States are commonly distinguished as “port-like” or “port-style”. It is typically served after dinner as a dessert wine because of its higher alcohol content and sweet finish, though it can be an intriguing wine to serve with a cheese course as well.

Besito de Coco is a port-like wine, fortified with brandy and embellished with a hint of chocolaty goodness. Unlike many port-style wines which are fuller bodied, richer, and heavier than most wines, with almost a syrup-like consistency, Noisy Water’s Besito de Coco is lighter bodied, still rich in flavor, but not as heavy on the tongue. It makes a fabulous dessert after a heavy meal if paired with fresh strawberries or raspberries, or it can be served as an accompaniment to a cheese course to balance the nutty saltiness of cheeses such as Gruyere or Asiago or sharp Cheddars.
 

Then I learned about skin-fermented wines, also known as “orange” wines, which is the process used in making Noisy Water’s 2019 Skin-Fermented Chenin Blanc.

Chenin Blanc is a versatile white wine grape. It can be made into sparkling wine; it can be light-bodied and crisp; it can be aged in oak and give Chardonnay a run for its money. Noisy Water’s winemaker went in a different direction and fermented the wine with the grape skins, giving the wine an amber-orange hue that gives it the name “Orange Chenin Blanc”. The result is a white wine with a fuller body and stronger tannin structure, yet crisp and refreshing at the same time.

“You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew”
 – “Colors of the Wind” from “Pocahontas”, lyrics by Judy Kuhn