Jim Clendenen, Au Bon Climat

“I went to Austria to do a charity event with Wolfgang Puck. While I was there, my friend Alois Kracher gave me a case of wine. They’re all great, but the one I’ll single out is the 1995 Chardonnay-Welschriesling blend. It’s a trockenbeernauslese-style dessert wine that is just unbelievably unctuous. Welschriesling is this weird type of grape they have over there that has the highest levels of acidity I’ve ever tasted. It’s so shrill it makes Sauvignon Blanc taste luxurious. Without the richness of the Chardonnay, it would be completely uncoordinated, but when you mix the two, you get a great blend.”