King Estate’s The Code: White Blend

This wine is definitely different for a King Estate wine, but that doesn’t mean the qualities I’ve come to expect from King Estate aren’t showcased as usual.

I sampled this wine at the latest wine club member wine tasting and release party, and I knew it was different from my first glance of the bottle. The label consisted simply of a larger than usual QR code (quick response code) and the words, ‘The Code: White Blend.”

The Code: White Blend was an experiment where several different varietals from several different regions were blended to produce a wine that King Estate refers to as, “varietal and geographic mix-ology.”

The winemaker blended a Washington Riesling with an Oregon Chardonnay and Viognier along with little bits of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Muscat. The result is a wine with sweet honey and vanilla aromas that lead into flavors that are surprisingly drier than expected. With the sweet aromas, I thought it was going to taste similar to a Muscat or sweet Riesling, but it was actually very citrusy with a level of acidity that gave it a well rounded and palatable profile. It was quite refreshing and vibrant, and would be great on a hot summer day.

Apparently this one was an exclusive release to wine club members, so your chance of sampling this tasty white blend is slim –  unless you’re a wine club member or know someone who is.

By the way, the QR code on The Code: White Blend is not just for looks, it’s fully functional.

We also sampled the 2010 Signature Viognier and the NxNW 2009 Merlot. It’s true, being a Tower Club member at King Estate has its perks-simply read my review on the 2009 King Estate Domaine Pinot Noir that we received in our wine club box during this tasting – it’s a Magnum.