Try Vouvray for rich, full-bodied taste of Loire Valley

When I suggest a Vouvray to some of my friends, I often get a response like, "Sounds sexy, but what is it?"

Vouvray is sexy, but it is often not understood by inexperienced wine drinkers because it can come in so many styles, ranging from very dry to slightly sweet.

Vouvray is the appellation for wine that comes from one of eight villages in the Loire Valley of France, including the village of Vouvray. It is made from the chenin blanc grape.

The dry wines can be rich, full-bodied and intense, while the sweeter wines can be very fruity and full of flavor.

Vouvray can accompany a wide range of foods. The dry wines can pair with chicken and white sauces or fish and seafood. The sweeter wines may be drunk with spicy Asian food or Indian curries.

I asked the wine-tasting group to compare four Vouvray wines ranging in price from $12.99 to $20 in a blind tasting. Here are our findings:

- 2003 Chateau de Montfort Vouvray at $12.99. The aroma suggested white peaches, mandarin oranges, green bananas, rose water and minerals. In the mouth, it was very tart with an extremely light and delicate body. Its zingy character is not typical of Vouvray wines. We tasted tangerines on the finish. The Chateau de Montfort tied for first in the tasting.

- 2003 La Craie Vouvray at $14.99. This wine had the classic Vouvray aromas of honey, pears and a bit of must. In the mouth, it had a waxy texture with bright acids. It tasted like it smelled, with an Old World-style mustiness. It was more ripe and round than the Chateau de Montfort, but it had a short finish.

- 2002 Remy Pannier Vouvray at $10.99. The nose reminded us of honeysuckle and apricots and, as one expert said, "funky, exotic" smells. On the palate, it had a nice acidity and tasted like lemon drops and lemon oil. Cloves emerged on the finish. This wine tied for first.

- 2002 Marc Bredif Vouvray at $19.99. The aroma offered smells of orange blossoms, grapefruit and lemon drops. It had a heavier mouth feel than the others. It was fruity sweet with not much in the way of acids. The first three we tasted were dry while the Marc Bredif was sweeter, perhaps needing some Thai food to be at its best.

- 2002 Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Demi-Sec at $19.99. This Vouvray was tasted outside the blind tasting later. The aroma yielded scents of tropical fruit, honeysuckle and other floral notes. The first impression in the mouth was sweet with honey and pear followed by the tartness of green apples. It had a slightly chalky aftertaste.

Surfing the wine shelves:

- 2002 Talus Lodi shiraz at $7.99. This fruity shiraz smelled of black cherries and roses that carried through in the flavor, along with subtle hints of vanilla. The tannins were soft, and it had a short finish.

- 2003 Sebastiani Dutton Ranch chardonnay at $25. We first noted the aromas of pear and peach, with undertones of toast and butter of this wine. In the mouth, layers of flavors, including Golden Delicious apple and lemon, washed over the tongue and lingered on the palate. It was fruity, lush and rich.

- 2002 Koves-Newlan Estate merlot at $26. This wine had subtle aromas of plum and black cherry. In the mouth, the ripe, fruity tastes of these fruits made a strong first impression but left quickly leaving little behind on the finish.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 or e-mailed to fsutherland