Opening August 14, the entire museum at Guild Hall in East Hampton will be devoted to site-specific installations by Barbara Kruger. I own a few Krugers—only mine happen attached to bottles of wine. The Taste label from Bedell Cellars has featured an original design by Kruger since 2004. The labels work as art and as branding since Kruger uses words, the printed word, to convey graphic messages.
The newly released 2008 Taste white is an unusual blend: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Viognier. By percentage (59%) Chardonnay dominates, and you can pick up some chard characteristics if you look for them, but the appeal of this wine is that it is not readily identifiable (unless of course you have a nose like a scanner). What comes through in the glass and on the palate is a dry, rich flavor, familiar citrus, apple and pear aromas, some distinguishing texture and a very satisfying encounter with a high-quality wine. It’s excellent for summer drinking and big enough to carry you into the cool days of fall, which will arrive right after Labor Day. The 2008 Taste white blend sells for $30.