ALL-IN ON BOOK REVIEWS: Do you have a (non-fictional or fictional) book related to wine, spirits, or beer that you'd like reviewed? Contact me!

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Wine Review: Ivo Varbanov Chardonnay "Clair de Lune" 2013

August is The Return of Bulgarian Wine Month thanks to BulgarianWine.com, following up last year's original Bulgarian Wine Month!

Ivo Varbanov Chardonnay 2013

To read about the fascinating history of Bulgarian wine, check out Bulgaria - Part 1: Three-Thousand Years of Wine History. To learn about the grapes, wine regions and Bulgarian wine's place in the market, read Part 2: The Current State of Bulgarian Wine. And if you'd like to see what Bulgaria's national drink is all about, find out in Part 3: Invincibility of Rakia.

This is the second of six reviews of Bulgarian wine this month, and the second of three by Ivo Varbanov. Those wines by Ivo are his 2011 Merlot-Syrah "Sheherazade", this 2013 Chardonnay "Clair de Lune" I'm reviewing today, and his 2011 Syrah "Feux d’artifice".

Ivo Varbanov was born in Bulgaria in 1972, and he started playing piano at the age of six. He grew up to become a famous, award winning concert pianist in his home country. In 2004 he started his own winery in Thracian Valley, in which he himself is the winemaker. After taking time off to battle and defeat leukaemia from 2009 to 2012, he got back behind the piano. And back into winemaking.

Ivo calls this Chardonnay "Clair de Lune" after the symphony piece by Claude Debussy. "Clair de Lune" translates from French to "light of the moon". Listen to it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ea2WoUtbzuw



The wine is 100% Chardonnay that was fermented in Bulgarian oak for a year. Filtering and fining were minimal. Of course I'll be listening to the song while I taste this wine, and you should too.

The color is a light gold. There's aromas of white flowers, kiwi, ginger and oak. It's medium bodied, creamy in mouthfeel, has a slight touch of sweetness, and there's some expressive acidity on the swallow. There's flavors of vanilla pudding, ginger, and kiwi and melon. It finishes with kiwi, spicy ginger and an uplift of acidity.

The reasons why I like this Chardonnay are 1) it's yummy 2) the kiwi and ginger qualities 3) it seems to meet the Chardonnay styles right in the middle. By the latter I mean it's not full bodied but it's still creamy in texture, it's not overly malo'd and not annoyingly lactic, you can taste and smell the oak but it's not like biting into a 2x4, and that oak is clearly the real deal instead of oak staves or oak essence.

So it's incredibly versatile. You can drink this with anything, with anybody, at any time, or by itself, with yourself, and still enjoy every sip. I bet it would be at its absolute best with sashimi, nobody else, and a whole world of quiet. Or a soothing piano like in "Clair de Lune".

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING
Price: $17
Rating: 3/5 = Satisfying (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

Newer Posts Older Posts Home

1 comment:

  1. Welcome to the future! Financing made easy with Prof. Mrs. DOROTHY LOAN INVESTMENTS

    Hello, Have you been looking for financing options for your new business plans, Are you seeking for a loan to expand your existing business, Do you find yourself in a bit of trouble with unpaid bills and you don’t know which way to go or where to turn to? Have you been turned down by your banks? MRS. DOROTHY JEAN INVESTMENTS says YES when your banks say NO. Contact us as we offer financial services at a low and affordable interest rate of 2% for long and short term loans. Interested applicants should contact us for further loan acquisition procedures via profdorothyinvestments@gmail.com

    We invest in all profitable projects with cryptocurrencies. I'm here to share an amazing life changing opportunity with you. its called Bitcoin / Forex trading options, Are you interested in earning a consistent income through binary/forex trade? or crypto currency trading. An investment of $100 or $200 can get you a return of $2,840 in 7 days of trading and you get to do this from the comfort of your home/work. It goes on and on The higher the investment, the higher the profits. Your investment is safe and secured and payouts assured 100%. if you wish to know more about investing in Cryptocurrency and earn daily, weekly OR Monthly in trading on bitcoin or any cryptocurrency and want a successful trade without losing Contact MRS.DOROTHY JEAN INVESTMENTS profdorothyinvestments@gmail.com

    categories of investment

    Cryptocurrency
    Loan Offer
    Mining Plan
    Business Finance Plan
    Binary option Trade Plan
    Forex trade Plan
    Stocks market Trade Plan
    Return on investment (ROI) Plan
    Gold and Silver Trade Plan
    Oil and Gas Trade Plan
    Diamond Trade Plan
    Agriculture Trade Plan
    Real Estate Trade Plan

    YOURS IN SERVICE
    Mrs. Dorothy Pilkenton Jean
    Financial Advisor on Bank Instruments,
    Private Banking and Client Services
    Email Address: profdorothyinvestments@gmail.com
    Operation: We provide Financial Service Such As Bank Instrument
    From AA Rate Banks, Cash Loan,BG,SBLC,BOND,PPP,MTN,TRADING,FUNDING MONETIZING etc.

    ReplyDelete

Labels

*SPONSORED* ABriefHistoryOf Abruzzo Agiorgitiko Aglianico Airen Albarino Aleatico Alentejo Alexander Valley Alicante Bouschet Alsace Apothic Argentina Armagnac Arroyo Grande Arroyo Seco audio article Australia Austria Baco Barbera Barrossa Valley Batman Beaujolais beer Best Of biodynamic blend blog Bogati Bonarda book Bordeaux bourbon box wine Brachetto brandy Bulgaria Burgundy Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Cahors Caino Blanco California Campania Canada Canaiolo. cans Cape Cod Captain America Carignan Cariñena Carmenere Catalonia Cava Central Coast certification Chablis Chalk Hill Champagne Chardonnay cheese Chenin Blanc Chianti Chile China cider Cinsault Clarksburg cocktails Cognac Colombard Columbia Valley comics Cotes-du-Rhone Counoise Croatia CSW Dane Cellars DC dessert wine Distill Wars Dona Blanco Douro Dry Creek Dunnigan Hills Edna Valley Falanghina February Felix Hart Fer Servadou Fiano fiction Finger Lakes Folle Blanche formulas France Franciacorta Frankovka Frappato Furmint Galicia Galilee Gamay Garganega Gascony Germany Gewurtztraminer gin Glera Godello Graciano greco di tufo Greece Grenache Grenache Blanc Grillo Gros Manseng Gruner Veltliner GSM guest blog Heroes history horror how to Hungary interview Israel Italy Japan Jerez Kansas kosher Lambrusco Languedoc-Roussillon Left Coast Leyda Valley Lisboa Livermore Lodi Loire Loureira love letter Macon Madeira Madiran Malbec Malvasia Marcillac marijuana Marlborough Marsanne Marselan Marvel Massachusetts Matchbook Mavrud Mazuelo McLaren Vale mead Melnik Mencia Mendocino Mendoza Meritage Merlot Mexico Michigan mixology Monbazillac Monstant Montecucco Montepulciano Monterey Montery Moscato Mosel Mourvédre Muscadelle Muscat mythology Napa Navarra Nebbiolo Nero d'Avola New York New Zealand news non-alcoholic nonfiction Norello Mascalese North Coast Oakville Oregon organic original meme pairings Palestine Pecorino Pedro Ximenez Perricone Petit Verdot Petite Sirah Petite Verdot photo gallery phylloxera Picpoul Piedmont Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris/Grigio Pinot Meunier Pinot Noir Pinotage Pliny podcast Port Portugal Press Release Primitivo product Prosecco Provence quickie quote rakia recipe retail problems Retsina review Rheingau Rhone Rias Baixas Ribera del Duero Riesling Rioja Rondinella rose Roussanne Rubin Rueda rum Russian River Sagrantino Sake Salta Sandanski Misket Sandeanski Misket Sangiovese Sangria santa clara Santa Lucia Higlands Sauvignon Blanc science scotch Sekt Semillon Seyval Blanc Sherry Sicily Somontano Sonoma South Africa South Australia Spain spark Sparkling Spider-Man spirits stemware storage study sulfites Superman sustainable SWE Syrah Tannat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Temecula Tempranillo Tequila Texas thc The Flash Tinta Amarela Tinta Caiada Torrontes Touriga Nacional Traminer Trebbiano Trincadeira Turkey Tuscany Ugni Blanc Umbria USA Valdiguié Valiant Valpolicella vegan Veneto Verdejo Verdicchio Vermentino Vermont Vermouth Vernacca Vidal Blanc video Vinho Verde Viognier Virginia Viura vodka Walla Walla Washington State whiskey White zinfandel Wildstorm Willamette wine Wine Bloggers Off-Topic wine club Wine Pick Wolverine Wonder Woman Zinfandel Zweigelt