Williamsburg Governor's White: A Chilled Delight

By Steve and Claudia Evans

Here's the best white wine under $10 that Claudia has tasted. "Extremely versatile," she says, "this can be paired with a light chicken salad for lunch or a seafood dinner. It's reasonably priced and can be enjoyed year-round."

The 2009 Governor's White would be especially delightful at parties and festive celebrations, as this unique blend of Virginia grapes contains hints of Sauvignon blanc and Muscato. Slightly sweet, extremely fruity and tangy at the finish. "I taste apricots and pears, and would love to pair this with a fruit salad for a beach picnic," says Claudia. (I'll hold her to that promise.)

This is the best selling wine at Wiliamsburg Winery, which is the largest winery in Virginia. At a suggested $8 the bottle (but you can find better deals at wine stores), take a chance and stock up on a few bottles of this delicious wine. The 2008 is even better, with a stronger hint of the oak aging, which is proof positive that this blend improves with time. 

It's more complex than other wines found in this price range. The Governor's White has more going on than your average $8 Riesling or Sauvignon blanc. It's sweet, but also dry. "Nicely balanced," says Steve. "And it has a nice color to it, with the slightest hue of peach."

This is not a wine you can pin down and label, which is why it goes well with so many dishes.

We enjoyed the Governor's White with provencal chicken, mashed herbed potatoes with butter and asparagus.

Our weekend itinerary takes us west to Williamsburg Winery for a tasting. We'll be back with a full report on the fall harvest, sampled wines and plenty of photos.

A Wine for All Seasons copyright (c) 2010 by Steve and Claudia Evans. All rights reserved.