29 Oct Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Monte Rio Cellars 2023 French Colombard, Lodi

French Colombard is a white grape you do not often see on a wine label. It is more commonly used in blends or brandy production and rarely gets the spotlight. But in the right hands, such as with Patrick Cappiello of Monte Rio Cellars, Colombard can shine. Bright, fresh, and full of character, the Monte Rio Cellars 2023 French Colombard, Lodi is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

About Colombard

Colombard is a French wine grape that originated from the Charente region in France. The offspring of Chenin Blanc and Gouais Blanc, Colombard is a grape that is relatively neutral in flavor but has natural acidity. It is a grape more commonly used as a blending grape or, along with Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche, in the production of Cognac and Armagnac.

Colombard is a reliable grape for grape growers. It is late ripening and prolific in the vineyard. And because of this, Colombard was a blending grape for the jug wines that dominated the California wine business before the mid-1980s. Today, Colombard is actually still one of the most planted grape varieties in California. In fact, there is more French Colombard planted than Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. However, it is still a very undiscovered grape unless you drink/drank a lot of jug wine.

About Monte Rio Cellars

Patrick Cappiello is a former NYC sommelier and restaurant owner who launched Monte Rio Cellars in 2018 after working harvest with mentor Pax Mahle. Patrick, along with assistant winemaker Jesus Aleman, works with 15 vineyards, primarily in Lodi. He prioritizes vineyards farmed organically and biodynamically and looks for vines with age. With aged vines come heritage grapes, such as Colombard, Mission, Flame Tokay, Petite Sirah, Cinsault, and Carignane, using old barrels and minimal intervention.

Tasting Notes

The wine is a pale straw color with a hint of green. It is fresh with notes of apple, stone fruit, lime zest, chamomile, and wet stone. The wine is crisp, fresh, and light-bodied with herbal undertones and minerality.  The wine is light but still structured with mouthwatering acidity.

Food Pairing

The freshness and zestiness of the wine makes it a good choice for pairing with seafood, salads, light pasta dishes, or even spicy cuisines like Thai or Indian food. I personally enjoyed it with sushi that I had delivered. It really was the perfect wine to pair with sushi as the wine did not overpower or get overpowered by any of the sauces. It held up to the jalapeno, cut through the tempura and rice, and was fresh next to the salmon and tuna.

Where To Purchase

The Monte Rio Cellars Colombard, like most Monte Rio wines, is priced at $25 and can be purchased directly at Monte Rio Cellars.