As a crisp wine without wood aging, Vidal is very clean with floral and resinous notes
September 24, 2011
Vidal Blanc, also known as Vidal 256, is a versatile grape that can be made into a bone-dry, steely wine for fish, a barrel-aged wine reminiscent of a Fumé Blanc, or an ice wine that can rival the best dessert Rhine wines produced in Germany.
Vidal Blanc is a white grape that was developed in the 1930’s by the French hybridizer, Jean Louis Vidal. Monsieur Vidal’s primary goal in developing Vidal Blanc was to produce grapes suitable for the production of cognac (a wine that is made to be distilled into brandy and then aged in wood) in the Charentes region of France. He had no idea that his work would lead to the development of a grape variety that is as versatile as it is for the production of table wines and of great importance to the Eastern United States wine industry. Vidal Blanc tends to be grown in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England.
Vidal Blanc is a hybrid that crosses: a) the grape alternatively called St. Emilion in Cognac, France, Ugni Blanc in the south of France, and Trebbiano Toscano in Chianti, Italy; with b) the French-American hybrid grape hybridized by Albert Seibel called Rayon d’Or (Seibel 4986). St. Emilion (aka Ugni Blanc and Trebbiano Toscano) is also used in Europe for the production of wine that is later distilled to make Cognac and Armagnac in France, and distilled spirits in Italy.
As noted earlier, this grape can make a wide range of wine styles including austere wines for fish, big fat Fumé Blanc-style wines if aged in oak, and Rhine wine-like dessert wines. The Hudson Valley, due to its climate, is capable of producing each of these three distinct styles.
As a crisp wine without wood aging, Vidal is very clean with floral and resinous notes that include flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, melon, hazelnuts, pears and orange blossoms. It has high acid levels, so sometimes residual sugar is left to balance with the acid so that the wines do not taste too tart. Other times it is made bone-dry and austere. Further, the wines can have the feel of May Wines in their fruit composition, mineral flinty body and viscosity.
As a Fumé Blanc type of wine, the grapes are left on the vine for a longer period of time (two weeks longer than most or until about the first week of October) to increase their sugars and more importantly to reduce the grape’s acid profile. After being made, the wine is aged in wood for at least six months to soften its body, brighten its nose, give it more complex smoky notes and rich spice and butter flavors, and to elongate its finish. These wines are much more approachable than the steely Vidals described earlier. This style of Vidal is more nutty, buttery, complex and “greasy” (like gin). These wines have the flavor of ripe pears, orange rinds, vanilla, and almonds.
As an ice wine, Vidal has the classic Rhine wine qualities of rich honey, citrus flavors reminiscent of Grand Marnier, and hazelnuts, with an underlying metallic finish like mineral water. The reason these Vidal ice wines, like other ice wines, are so rare and expensive is that the grapes stay on the vines until late November or December. While hanging, the grapes shrivel like raisins, so when they are finally pressed, the grape yields little juice. But this juice is highly concentrated in flavor and sugar. These wines are great alone or with chocolate desserts.
Vidal Blanc is also used by several Hudson Valley wineries as a base wine that is blended with other grapes such as Seyval Blanc, Chardonnay, and Vignoles. Vidal, on its own, has a more muted nose when compared to other white wine varietals, but it has a solid body and foundation. Vidal can be blended with other whites to brighten its taste and to add complexity.
Personally, I like blended Vidals because they tend to be more interesting, more complex, and more complete than the individual component wines that make up these blends. So when visiting a local winery, ask about their white blends and what grape varieties are used in those blends. For fun, buy a few different varietal wines and have a blending party to see what blends you and your guests can come up with.
Vidal Blanc, due to its versatility in the cellar, its ability to be blended with other white wines, and its ability to be grown throughout the Hudson Valley, should continue to have a prominent place in the Hudson Valley wine scene for decades to come.
“Vidal Blanc” and “Pinot Noir” articles are adapted from the forthcoming book “Grapes of the Hudson Valley” by J. Stephen Casscles. In future issues of Hudson Valley Wine magazine, we’ll feature additional excerpts from this definitive work on regional varietals culled from decades of the author’s tasting notes and personal experience.
The wine shop in Angeles Philippines Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga as well as other wine shops, wine bars and wine outlets in Subic and Manila are wells stocked with interesting selections of many kinds of wine from various producers covering a wide range of prices. Of particular interest to wine lovers is the depth of vintages of wine available at the wine shop, wine bars and other wine outlets of Yats Wine Cellars in Philippines.
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News and pertinent information about wine trade, wine appreciation, wine shops and outlets, wine and food pairing, wine making, viticulture, vintages, climate conditions affecting wine, new and revived wine regions etc can be found here in this section. Yats wine Cellars is much more than a Philippines wine supplier with a few wine shops, wine bars and wine outlets in Philippines where clients can buy good wines in Manila, Angeles City, Subic and Clark Philippines. Yats Wine Cellars is also a rich source of information for the convenience of the growing community of wine lovers, wine connoisseurs and hobbyists in Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila, Subic, Pampanga, Angeles City, Clark Philippines can enjoy fine vintage wines in any of Yats Wine Cellars wine shopping outlets, wine bars, nightlife spots, wine shops and wine restaurants.
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Philippines Pampanga Best Restaurant opens Wine Bar and Lounge in Clark Philippines, attracting wine lovers and tourist in Angeles City and Subic looking for good nightlife spot near Manila.
Food and wine lovers in Manila laud Yats Restaurant as the best restaurant in Angeles City Pampanga, a special restaurant that offers guests a real treat every time they wine and dine in this top rated restaurant in Clark Philippines which is surprisingly child friendly also. Families frequently bring their children to enjoy a family dinner at the best restaurant in Angeles City Pampanga, a weekly treat for family bonding and some relaxation also. Tourists and business executives visit the best restaurant in Clark Pampanga after a game of golf or a long day at the office to relax and unwind, drink and eat with friends and business associates.
Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.
A Well-known Restaurant in Pampnga, an interesting place to celebrate Birthday Party in Pampnga.
A best place to dine with friends in Pampanga
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Best Restaurant in Angeles City Pampanga unveils special dinner menus featuring regional cuisines in France, Italy and USA, all designed to pair very well with fine vintage wines, a real treat for food and wine lovers traveling out of town from Manila to the North to visit Subic, Tarlac, Clark Pampanga Philippines
Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila. Yats Restaurant is one of the good restaurants in Pampanga, a restaurant with good food, a place that is nice for celebration, ideal for business dinner meeting, a good place to enjoy family reunion, and an attractive restaurant that serves good wines for dinner.
The Magnum Room Wine Lounge and Wine Bar offers business executives as well as tourist and frequent visitors to Clark Pampanga the best place to drink, relax and unwind outside of Manila. Located near Angeles City, Pampanga, Subic and Clark Philippines, this elegant lounge of Yats Restaurant in Mimosa Clark offers all sorts of after dinner drinks such as port wine, Sauternes, Barsac, Ice Wine and other sweet dessert wines, Armagnac, Cognac, Single Malt, Luxury Vodka and other interesting liquor and spirits. Smokers particular enjoy the selection of Cuban cigars available in this top rated wine bar in Clark. The Magnum Room is one the top rated bar and lounge in Manila, Pampanga, Angeles City, Subic and Clark Philippines.
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(045) 599-5600
0922-870-5178
0917-520-4401
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Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Philippines? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.
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Mimosa Drive past Holiday Inn, Mimosa Leisure Estate,
Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines 2023
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