SAUVIGNON BLANC PROVIDES FRESHING DRINKING FOR WARMER WEATHER
With the blistering weather, it’s natural for wine drinkers to think about cooling off with a refreshing white wine. While most U.S. consumers still turn first to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc is an ideal alternative.
It has a noble heritage as a parent of cabernet sauvignon. It is responsible for the Loire Valley wines of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume and, with semillon, white Bordeaux. The grape also has found hospitable surroundings in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and Chile. California, too, is excelling.
Sauvignon Blanc’s flavor profile comes in several styles. Generally expect brisk green citrus (lime, gooseberry) and a distinctive herbaceousness. Many also display peach, tropical fruits and melon. It’s typically quite aromatic, with refreshing acidity. These qualities make it an exceptional accompaniment to food.
Sauvignon Blanc also is a relative good value. And the best value of my tasting was the 2015 Rodney Strong “Charlotte’s Home Vineyard” ($17). Its crisp citrus core joined juicy peach and melon notes.
Other good values: 2015 Liberated North Coast ($17) – strong green citrus and lemongrass notes; 2015 J. Lohr “Flume Crossing” ($14) – more green citrus, fresh but slightly sweet; 2015 Decoy Sonoma County ($20) – tropical fruits precede a touch of hay in a crisp a firm but soft style.
One of the most reliable sources of good value Sauvignon Blanc is the Dry Creek Vineyard. Its 2015 Dry Creek Valley ($18) opens with tropical fruit followed by spicy herbal notes. The entry level 2015 “Fume Blanc” Sonoma County ($14) is energetic with pleasing hints of tonic water. And the 2014 “Taylor’s Vineyard” Musqué Clone ($18) is quite aromatic with spicy herb and surprising viscosity.
For just a few bucks more, I found two fine examples from Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, usually better known fro Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The 2015 Martin Ray ($20) neatly blends citrus and tropical fruits. The 2015 Davis Bynum “Virginia’s Block-Jane’s Vineyard” ($25) offers brisk grapefruit with intriguing creamy and spicy tones. And the 2015 Cuvaison “Solitaire” ($24) from Napa Valley deftly balanced citrus and green herb.
I was even more surprised with a good showing from two Santa Barbara samples: 2014 Presqu’ile Santa Maria Valley ($22) with its juicy lime and savory herbs and 2015 Star Lane Happy Canyon ($22) for a nice mix of bready and lively apple to accent citrus.
And in a little diversion to the Northwest, the 2014 J. Christopher Willamette Valley ($20) was colored green with apple and gooseberry and the 2014 Cadaretta “SBS” Columbia Valley ($23) delivered nice round peach and melon benefitting from 20% Semillon.
Finally two of the three most expensive wines delivered on their price premium with extra measures of complexity and flavor. The 2015 Duckhorn Napa Valley ($30) delivered a tight but rich texture and a creamy, licorice infused finish. The 2014 J. Christopher Uber-Sauvignon “Croft Vineyard” ($35) was intensely aromatic with gooseberry and herbal qualities delivered with confident impact.
[Featured Image Courtesy of Wine Folly, http://winefolly.com]