By cork
Some wineries carry with them the weight of tradition and are slow to adapt, and some wineries—especially the young ones that have popped up all over the world in the past decade or so—start with a progressive vision and move forward with an energy equal to a gust of wind, forceful and unstoppable. These forward-looking wineries place their core values on purity, environmental sustainability and fair pricing.
Such a winery is ANABA, named after the cooling winds that sweep upward along the slopes of their estate vineyards. And the 2013 Turbine White, which you might call a postmodern take on a traditional Rhone white wine blend of Roussanne/Marsanne—Anaba’s blend adds to the mix a uniquely high percentage of Grenache Blanc and Picpoul Blanc—is a brilliant representative of what those aforementioned core values will get you in the bottle. Harmonious, pristine, elegant and pretty, the light gold-colored wine is semi-sweet and smooth, save for a crisp, herbal dryness on the finish. On the nose and palate is a journey through aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, orange blossom, white flowers, honeysuckle, and even banana cream pie. This is exotic, unusual and contemporary. Progress, after all, requires an appetite for risk-taking and willingness to venture out into the unknown. –J.M.
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