Category: Sauvignon Blanc

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Two from Down Under

Linchpin McLaren Vale ShirazLinchpin McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004

This award-winning Shiraz hails from McLaren Vale on Australia’s southern coast. The complex soil types here combine with the St. Vincent’s Gulf breezes to make for ideal vineyard conditions.

Winemaker Matt Rechner believes the best way to make excellent wine is through simple processes and minimal handling for maximum flavor extraction. Here the grapes were harvested from low-yield vineyards, then spent 20 months in French and American oak. The concentrated fruit, supported by notes of chocolate and blackberry, certainly comes through in this relatively high-alcohol (15.2%) Shiraz. It has a lush, velvet-like mouth feel and well-balanced oak tannins.

Serve with lamb stew accented by eggplant, saffron, and raisins, or shepherd’s pie.

https://ekhidnawines.com.au/product/linchpin-shiraz-2016/

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Kim Crawford is perhaps New Zealand’s most famous wine maker. After 20 years as an independent, three years ago he sold out to an American holding company. However, he was allowed to pursue boutique bottlings, and we have one of those here.

This Sauvignon Blanc dodges the grassiness which so often mars this varietal when it originates in New Zealand. Instead there is a tart, refreshing, distinct grapefruit nose and taste. Completely dry, with a bit of flint on the finish. Delicious.

Pair this wine with lobster tacos, seafood paella, or parmesan-dijon chicken drumsticks.

https://www.kimcrawfordwines.com/us/products/sauvignon-blanc/

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Sonoma Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot

Sonoma VineyardsTom Klein graduated from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1979, and established a career as a management consultant. In 1985, Klein received an assignment to evaluate the business of Rodney Strong Vineyards. He liked what he saw, and in 1989 he and his family purchased the winery.

Under the guidance of the Klein family, the winery has prospered and grown to become one of the more respected operations in Sonoma County. Rodney Strong remains the flagship brand of the business, and Sonoma Vineyards is the more casual, relaxed, and affordable “little brother.”

Sonoma Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2007

The winemaker at Sonoma Vineyards decided to dabble in sauvignon blanc for the 2007 harvest. The result? A quite tart style of sauvignon blanc, full of really ripe grapefruit flavors (grapefruit being very often characteristic of this grape), along with some tropical fruit that hints of of guava and passionfruit, but with none of the grassy or herbaceous flavors that I think sometimes mar the similar wines from New Zealand. No oak whatsoever was used.

Match this up with spring green salad with chèvre; fresh snapper ceviche (only for the adventurous) with tequila, lime, and roasted sweet peppers; grilled marinated prawns with fresh melon salsa; risotto of lobster and sea vegetables with peas and asparagus; or spicy shrimp ravioli in a citrus achiote vinaigrette.

Sonoma Vineyards Merlot 2003

The label on the back of this bottle states, “…loaded with in-your-face fruit that will have you dreaming of wild berries staining your fingers and juicy plums dribbling down your chin.” Well, not for me. I found this wine to be very much in the European style (not that there’s anything wrong with that.) There is some fruit, but this is counterbalanced by a slightly bitter, slightly smoky finish. The tannins are moderate and unassuming.

Pair this merlot with rosemary portobello burgers, pot roast, or porterhouse steaks with arugula and Parmesan cheese.

https://www.rodneystrong.com/

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Jack Nicklaus Cabernet Sauvignon and Private Reserve White

Jack Nicklaus Wine
Golden Bear Meets the Golden State

Even among non-players, two names in golf are widely recognized: Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, aka the Golden Bear. Nicklaus has been a wine collector for many years, but only recently decided to pursue the production of wines carrying his name, although he had been urged to do so for quite some time.

Since Nicklaus obviously knows a lot more about golf than making fine wine, after five years pondering and researching a possible wine project, he decided to partner with Terlato Wines International for support and assistance in his wine program. The Terlato family was a natural fit. Scion Bill Terlato is a member and former club champion at the Nicklaus-run Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida, and the Terlato empire includes extensive vineyard holdings in northern California. Nicklaus was particulary impressed by the Terlato-owned Chimney Rock and Rutherford Hill wineries in the heart of Napa Valley during an early visit as the joint venture was being established.

Nicklaus selected from barrel the wines for his signature label. They are crafted by the Terlato winemaking team, with day-to-day winemaking being handled by Marisa Taylor-Huffaker. The fruit is sourced primarily from vineyards in the famous Rutherford and Stags Leap District appellations of Napa.

 Private Reserve White 2011

This proprietary white blend is “based on sauvignon blanc,” with no further information available. It was barrel fermented, with a portion of the wine in French oak, and the balance fermented in stainless steel barriques.
It is pale gold, bordering on colorless. The nose features stone fruit, particularly peach, and green apple. The taste is surprisingly delicate, with a hint of grapefruit. The mouthfeel is nicely textured.

With only 541 cases made, distribution is limited, and, frankly, the price reflects exclusivity more than taste.

Pair this up with Clams Steamed in Sauvignon Blanc with Apples, Shallots, and Chervil, or Linguine with Halibut, Tomato-Basil Purée, Squash, and Garlic.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This cabernet shows garnet in the glass, with a somewhat lighter density than one might expect. The nose features red fruit (i.e .cherry and raspberry), with hints of dark chocolate.

The taste follows through with suggestions of dark stone fruit, toasted spices, and cedar, although the fruit is rather recessive. The flavor is balanced by well-structured tannins which deliver a medium finish. If you normally prefer merlot, I suggest you give this medium-bodied cabernet sauvignon a try.

Serve this wine with Pizza with Pesto, Tomatoes, and Fresh Mozzarella, Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Merlot and Molasses, or Fried Chicken with Buttermilk and Cornmeal Crust.

http://www.jackshousefoundation.org/jack-nicklaus-cabernet-sauvignon

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Bink Wines

Bink WinesCalifornia Girls

The unusually-named Bink Wines is owned and operated by two women, which is also rather unusual (but becoming less so).

Fourth-generation-Californian Cindy Paulson grows the grapes, while also maintaining her day job as an environmental engineer (she earned a doctorate in environmental engineering at Colorado University at Boulder). Her farming philosophy is deeply rooted in sustainable practices, coming from her environmental background and love of the outdoors.

Deb Schatzlein makes the wines. This Connecticut native is known as a fun-loving free spirit; her grandparents set the mold early, making gin in their bathtub during Prohibition. She has degrees in chemistry (with an early career as a chemical engineer) and biology, and has taken extensive coursework in viticulture and enology.

And that name? It’s a contraction of ‘black ink,’ the color characteristic of their red wines.

Bink Randle Hill Vineyard Sauvingon Blanc 2008

This all-stainless-steel 100% Sauvignon Blanc is unfiltered. Consequently, this pale-yellow wine can pour out cloudy, without the crystal-clear appearance most consumers expect. To avoid this, let the bottle rest upright for an hour or so, and decant carefully. Or, if you insist on transparency, you could pour it through a paper coffee filter; unorthodox, and it may strip out some of the flavor nuance, but it works.

This wine’s birthplace, the 13-acre Randle Hill Vineyard, is certified organic, and yielded a small production of 350 cases.

The wine opens with delicately sweet honeysuckle and mango flavors, which then lead to a body featuring grapefruit notes and a supportive minerality.

Serve with Red Chile-Honey Glazed Salmon, BBQ Marlin with Avocado Vinaigrette, or Rum-Brown Sugar-Glazed Shrimp with Lime and Cilantro.

Bink Hawks Butte Merlot 2006

The Hawks Butte vineyard is part of the Yorkville Highlands Appellation, and is located mid-way between the small California towns of Yorkville and Boonville. It is 1200 feet above sea level and 35 miles inland from the Pacific coast. The rocky soils and southern exposure of the vineyard make for high-quality but low-yield vines, providing only enough juice to make 150 cases of this wine.

It was aged for 22 months in 30%-new and 70%-old oak barrels.
As is to be expected of Bink, the color is deep garnet in the glass. The nicely full palate features black currant and stone fruits, supported by somewhat forward tannins and some spice. This Merlot is an excellent value.

Enjoy this substantial wine with Balsamic-Marinated Flank Steak, Asian-Spice Rubbed Pork Chops, or Burgers with Cheddar Cheese and Horseradish Mustard.

Bink Wine closed permanently in 2017.

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Chimney Rock Winery

Chimney RockThe Stags Leap District AVA is in the very heart of Napa Valley. It runs from north to south for about three miles along the Silverado Trail, and its 1,350 [very prized] acres were first planted with Cabernet Sauvignon in 1961, for which it would soon become renowned. The name comes from an outcropping of red rocks at the area’s eastern boundary, where a stag supposedly escaped his pursuers by leaping across the treacherous gap.

The Stags Leap District’s reputation was assured in 1976, when the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar’s S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon won the famous (some would say infamous) “Judgement of Paris” International Wine Competition, besting the likes of First Growths Mouton-Rothschild and Haut-Brion. This now-legendary growing region received AVA [American Viticultural Area] status in 1989.

Situated at the far southern end of Stags Leap, the Chimney Rock estate was started on a 180-acre parcel (which originally included a golf course, but that was turned over to vines long ago). Initially, 59 acres were planted with a combination of red and white grapes, and the first vintage of Chimney Rock estate wines was produced in 1989. In the mid-1990s, after a phylloxera infestation necessitated the replanting of the entire property, only red Bordeaux-variety grapes were used in recognition of the unique characteristics and potential of the Stags Leap District.

In 2004, the Terlato Family empire acquired sole ownership of Chimney Rock, and they have diligently worked to steadily improve this already excellent winery.

Chimney Rock Elevage Blanc 2008

Seeing the very pale straw color of this wine in the glass you might think, “well, this is a lightweight.” But, you would be wrong. There is much to like in this unusual blend of Sauvignon Blanc [70%] and the rarely used Sauvignon Gris [30%]. The nose shows aromas of mango, pineapple, and vanilla, and there is a hint of coconut on the finish. Even so, this wine is strictly dry, with a full, rich mouthfeel. The fruit is nicely balanced with the proper amount of acidity.

Pair Elevage Blanc with Quail Stuffed with Ricotta, Bacon, and Greens, or Soft-Shell Crabs with Vegetable Slaw.

Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

I strive to be coolly unbiased in this blog, but I have to be honest: this is one of my all-time favorite wines. The color is deep garnet red. The bouquet features black currant and vanilla. Although a classic Big Cab (with support from Merlot and Cabernet Franc), this wine is completely approachable. The dark fruit flavors are supported by smooth tannins and just the right amount of acidity for balance and liveliness. Aging was 18 months in 50/50 new/used French oak. 100% sourced from the Stags Leap District, this wine will easily cellar for ten years; ten days is more like it in mine. And although expensive, this Chimney Rock will easily compete with Cabernet Sauvignons costing twice as much.

Serve with Filets of Beef Stuffed with Roast Garlic and Herbs, or Goat Cheese-Stuffed Roasted Chicken.

https://www.chimneyrock.com/

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