Apothic White

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

We’ve always enjoyed the fruit-forward style of the red blend offered by this California winemaker, so we were intrigued by what the white blend would bring. We were certainly surprised.

Apothic says it was inspired by the “Apotheca,” a mysterious place where wine was blended and stored in 13th century Europe. Perhaps there’s a little alchemy involved in this latest release, because it’s the first time we’ve ever experienced a white wine with a chocolate taste.

The wine is made from a blend of chardonnay, riesling and moscato and is layered in sweet tropical fruit and honey. The winemaker says it also tastes like vanilla, but we both perceived chocolate.

Sherry: “A strange but delightful combination of pineapple, honey and milk chocolate with a light touch of cherry.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “Flavors of pineapple and peach with a milk chocolate finish.” 3 stars

Available locally for about $10.

Coming next week: J. Lohr Paso Robles Merlot