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Thirsty Thursday and Simply Naked!

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Real Estate Agent with Sell, Buy, Invest, Relocate, Distressed Properties

wineAt Y Charlotte 4 You, I will preview a great wine or a local Vineyard on Thirsty Thursday.   For this 1st Edition, I am previewing a fabulous Unoaked wine.

I was dining at one of my favorite Pizza Restaurants and they were offering a special of 1/2 price bottles of wine.  As I mulled across the wine list, I came across a wine that  I had never heard of that sounded very interesting.  Why did I think it was interesting?  Because it is an Unoaked wine.  It is called "Simply Naked".  I chose the Chardonnay.  It went well with my chicken, spinach and white cheese pizza.  I found this wine to be crisp and clean tasting, without a bite.  I could taste hints of melon , apple and pear.  It has now become my new favorite.

As with any new favorite, I went to the internet to do some research.  I went to the Simply Naked website to find out their story and to see if they had different varieties.  The winemaker, Ryan Flock, wanted to be one of the few makers of Unoaked wines.  He is quoted as saying "In winemaking, it's all about letting the character of the grape shine through.  Oak often masks the characteristics of each varietal but unoaked wines really allow people to taste how a Merlot grape is supposed to taste, or a Chardonnay grape and so on.  And since we can't use oak barrels to manipulate the flavors in the wine, we have to start with the best quality fruit and manage the entire process very carefully.  It takes a lot of discipline but it's worth it in the end when we have a great tasting wine in the bottle".

So, what do they use to create the Simply Naked line?  They use 100% steel barrels in place of the oak barrels to ferment and age their wines.

They have a full line of wines:

  • The Chardonnay is a light-medium bodied wine with tropical fruits, citrus and pear flavors with a touch of honey.  It pairs best with salmon, chicken, turkey, or cream-based pasta.
  • The Pinot Grigio is a light bodied wine with layers of lime and melon with aromas of peach and passion fruit with hints of spice.  It pairs best with shellfish, chicken, creamy pasta dishes, salads, cheese and fruit or simply by itself.
  • The Merlot is a medium bodied, but very silky tasting wine.  It offers a blackberry jam intensity with fruit forward flavors.  It pairs best with lamb, pizza, meat, tomato-based pasta, or pork.
  • The Cabernet Sauvignon is a medium-full bodied wine with plum, black cherry and cinnamon spice flavors.  The tannins are chewy, but don't weigh down the wine.  It pairs best with hard cheeses, grilled or roasted red meats and tomato-based pasta dishes.

In the restaurant, it went for $28/bottle.  However, I found I could enjoy it from my local grocery store for $8/bottle.  It's only offered in a few states, so check the website link (above) to find retailers.  I hope you too can enjoy the wonderful line of, Simply Naked Wines!

Salut, Mechelle Cranford

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Written by: Mechelle Cranford

Comments (3)

Patrick White
Home Driven Realty, Inc - Baldwin, NY
Driven to bring New Yorkers home

Good Morning Mechelle

Thanks for the post and information. Have a great day

May 12, 2011 02:06 AM
Donna Malone
Waterfront, Luxury, Family, Affordable, Cottage, Deals - Bridgewater, NS
Homes and Property for Sale Nova Scotia

I have tried unoaked Chardonnay in the past. I found it to be a little bitter. I came to the conclusion that oaking the chardonnay produces a better flavor in the wine.

May 12, 2011 02:16 AM
Mechelle Cranford
Sell, Buy, Invest, Relocate, Distressed Properties - Charlotte, NC
Residential Real Estate-Wilson Realty

Hey Patrick, thanks...you, too!!

Hey Donna...give Simply Naked a try.  There were 3 of us sharing that bottle and not one of us thought it was bitter.  Good luck!

 

May 12, 2011 02:25 AM