Lady of the Lake sparkling pear wine from Mt. Konocti Winery is not just some novelty fruit wine.
Yes, people occasionally find interest in pioneer flavors — the berry wines of the Appalachians, the rugged native grapes found across the land, the dandelion wine produced by frontier folk obviously desperate for a little alcohol.
But there is terroir and tradition behind Lady of the Lake. The name comes from a storied local label from the facility’s pear packing days. The fruits are picked in Lake County, with a combination of Bartlett and Bosc contributing to the finished product. And winemaker Miguel Silva adheres to the structured Methode Champenoise method of double fermentation.
Oh — and it is a wonderful, pleasing wine.
The scent of peeled pear and caramelized fruit invites you into the glass, where you also sense a light floral wisp over a more rugged minerality.
The aromas are welcoming and friendly, yet also intriguing. And these draw you to a crisp, spirited wine that enlivens the palate with a rich, ripe pear flavor that is somehow more intense than a bite of fresh fruit. A nice, natural sweetness provides an aura — discursive, but apparent. As this flutters around the palate, and earthier note tags along, combining a dash of minerals, a hint of dry grass and just the vaguest notion of salinity.
This is an accomplished wine — bright, but also compelling and consequential. No wonder Lady of the Lake has so many suitors, who return year after year for another round.
No, Mt. Konocti’s fruit wine is no novelty. It’s something uniquely Lake County.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
