What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

The Erath 2006 Pinot Blanc ($13) offers yet another addition to my growing list of delightful, inexpensive wines to enjoy this summer.

We paired this pinot blanc with a simple meal of grilled chicken thighs, broccolini, and rice pilaf, while enjoying it as an aperitif beforehand. Overall, the Erath's balanced acidity and moderate alcohol (13.8%) offered a nice complement to the Caribbean-style chicken marinade.

In fact, it clearly lived up to the promise of the back label, for it is pure fruit enjoyment as a result of being steel fermented:

...a crisp, dry white wine made in a "fruit forward" style that complements a range of food

On the eyes, the Erath pinot blanc is almost colorless. On the nose, there are hints of tropical fruits while on the palate, these become even more accentuated with additional notes of citris, lemon and a bit of minerality.

Like many white wines, this pinot blanc improved as it warmed up the glass (coming out of the refrigerator it was a bit too cold). I would definitely serve the Erath 2006 Pinot Blanc again this summer, if not look for the 2007 when it's released.