As a crisp wine without wood aging, Vidal is very clean with floral and resinous notes
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.
Fine dining in Manila Philippines, wine and dine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar, great wine list
Many tourists traveling north to Baguio or Bataan make a stop at Clark Philippines to relax and unwind at this famous fine dining restaurant. Conveniently located in the Mimosa Leisure Golf Estate, next to the Casino and the well known 36-hole championship golf course of Mimosa, frequently visited Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar is a well known destination for tourists and residents of Angeles City Pampanga and Manila to be one of the best fine dining restaurants in the Philippines. Wine lovers from Manila and all other cities in Asia already know of Yats Restaurant for its award winning 2700-item wine list.
Places to go during holidays in Philippines, wine & dine in Clark at Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge, one of 600 restaurants in the world to win Wine Spectator’s Best of Awards of Excellence Wine List.
Recent opinion survey of frequent travelers heading north towards Subic and Clark Pampanga revealed that the number one most frequently visited fine dining restaurant in Pampanga is Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar located in Clark Philippines. Reasons given include good food, excellent service, an elegant, cozy and upscale ambience, availability of exclusive private dining rooms, a nice garden for outdoor alfresco dining and cocktail parties. There are two very impressive wine cellars that contain some of the world’s finest wines and rare vintages. Yats Restaurant is already recognized as one of the top rated restaurants in the Philippines. It is frequently visited not only by local residents but also tourists arriving in the Philippines for a memorable dining experience.
The best place to hold group dinners in Clark Pampanga is Yats Restaurant and Wine Lounge. Located in the upscale and quiet location of Mimosa Leisure Estate that is famous for its Championship golf course and the Clark casino, this top rated restaurant is highly recommended for event organizers looking for a good restaurant to hold group dinners. Companies in Subic and Angeles City Pampanga frequently choose this restaurant in Clark for meetings, parties and functions. Residents of nearby Angeles City, San Fernando and other cities of Pampanga travel to Clark to hold their group dinners and social gatherings in this popular restaurant in Clark. Yats Restaurant is well known among residents of Manila to be a place to visit whenever they travel out of town on a getaway to the north towards Subic, Tarlac, Baguio or Pampanga. Very often, group dinners, family gatherings and social functions are held in this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines.
For comments, inquiries and reservations click on Click here for inquiry and reservations
Restaurant@Yats-International.com
(045) 599-5600
0922-870-5178
0917-520-4401
Ask for Pedro and Rechel
Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Pampanga? 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.
Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar
Mimosa Drive past Holiday Inn, Mimosa Leisure Estate,
Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines 2023
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay
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