Posts Tagged ‘grapefruit’
Varietal: 50% Semillon; 50% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: France – Bordeaux
Cost: $12
Winemaker’s Notes: An elegant pale yellow colour, green at rim, with a nose of white blossom and citrus fruit, these aromas melting into the ample, supple palate. A discreetly fizzy sensation imparts vibrancy and freshness to rich, fleshy extract. Pairs well with chicken and seafood such as shellfish.
My Review: On a recent trip to my local Fresh Market, there was a small selection of wines (2 wines to be specific) being poured. One was a Malbec blend, and the other was the 2010 Sirius Bordeaux Blanc. Impressed enough with it and the price, I grabbed a bottle to take home to my wife. I’m thoughtful that way.
We actually opened the bottle first on Sunday and enjoyed a glass on the deck while getting some sun and reading, but make sure to save some for dinner the next night to pair with some pesto tilapia with risotto and sauteed spinach from the local farmer’s market. On the first day I got a lot of the Sauvignon Blanc aromas that I would expect, lime and grapefruit mostly, and even in the palate at first I started to question whether the bottle was lying to me on it being a 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, but instead of the citrusy, acid finish that I’ve come to expect from even the most mellow of Sauvignon Blancs I got a more subtle mineral note that was quite refreshing, especially on a hot afternoon on the deck.
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: California – Napa Valley – USA
Cost: $17 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Pale straw color with aromas of lime, white grapefruit, notes of passionfruit, vanilla, and honeydew melon. Flavors of lime zest, mineral, citrus blossom, grapefruit and hints of guava. Lingering flavors of lime and melon through a long, crisp finish. Pairs well with seafood, chicken, and soft cheeses.
My Review: Anybody that’s followed along for any amount of time knows that I’m a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc, especially those with lots of citrus on them. Fortunately, the 2009 Franciscan Estate Sauvignon Blanc has just that.
Very pale in color, with just enough yellow in it so as not to be completely clear, the wine was abundant in aromas and flavors of citrus, particularly lime. There’s a definite lime zest/pithiness to the flavor that I found very enjoyable – it’s crisp and clean and full of flavor all at the same time. Read the rest of this entry »
So this past Wednesday I was fortunate enough to get to participate in a virtual blogger tasting of 8 Chilean Sauvignon Blancs. Myself and several other bloggers were all sent tasting kits that included wine that we would taste on the 12th while interacting with the wine makers via webcam and chatroom.
Since they sent us 8 bottles of wine, I did the only wise thing, and invited several friends over to help me taste all the wines and to get their opinions on them as well. If you’re in the Richmond area you can follow them on twitter at: @ptmartinez ; @melrv ; @jkennett ; @akennett ; and @knownhuman.
All of the wines we tasted were the 2009 vintage and all were 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Our first wine was the Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley (SRP $10.99). It featured a good bit of citrus with a bit of an effervescent, tart finish, while remaining crisp. Nice and light this would be a great deck wine and was the favorite of my wife’s friend Marisa (she’s not on Twitter or I’d share her login).
Next up was the Ventisquero Sauvignon Blanc, also from the Casablanca Valley (SRP $17.00). With a bit of pepper on both the nose and the palate – there was debate if it was bell pepper or jalepeno – I found it more enjoyable than the first wine, only because I could see pairing it with food better.
Our third wine of the evening was the Undurraga T.H. Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley (SRP $15.99 – 16.99). A combination of grapefruit and melon on the nose lead into apple flavors, with us debating the type (I settled on Granny Smith, others were saying Gala and Fuji). Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Argentina
Cost: $7.50
Crisp and refreshing with aromas of sweet citrus and spicy chives. Grapefruit and peaches on the palate with a hint of mineral on the finish. Pairs well with seafood, white meat, hors d’oeuvres.
Recommendations: While restocking our wine cellar, my wife and I decided to pick up a different Sauvignon Blanc than our usual Root:1 we were both caught by the description of the Entrada with its mentions of spicy chives. After sitting in our fridge for a few days, we paired it with a meal of chicken and green beans.
The aroma of spicy chive was fleeting, but I very much enjoyed the flavors of grapefruit and peach, which were much more subtle than what I usually get from either Root:1 or Terra Andina. We seasoned our chicken with a decent bit of spice, so the crispness of the wine was a nice counter note to the food. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: California – USA
Cost: $11
Light color with aromas of citrus that are also found on the palate. Refreshing and crisp, pairs well with seasoned white meat, creamy dishes, cheese, or by itself.
Recommendations: I’d picked up this bottle a while back with an idea of what I would be pairing it with – leftovers from Christmas dinner. My wife took the leftover ham we had and combined it with some scalloped potatoes and cream soups to make a nice, hearty casserole that used up the leftovers and created new ones at the same time.
The crispness of the wine did an excellent job of cutting through some of the salt from the pork and the creaminess of the casserole itself. That, coupled with the flavors of lemon, lime, and grapefruit (which surprised me with its presence), helped make a heavier dish feel less so.
My usual guide to whether or not I like a wine is if I can enjoy it without pairing it with food – a test that Sauvignon Blanc as a whole typically holds up to. This one was no exception. If you’re in the market for a light white wine that you can find in most grocery stores, this is a good one to keep in mind. Definitely worth the $10 – $13 you’ll spend on it.
Varietal: Pinot Bianco
Region: California – Los Carneros – USA
Cost: $24
A light to medium-bodied wine with flavors of apple and grapefruit. Pair this wine with seafood, especially shellfish, Chinese food, picnic food, or just by itself.
Recommendations: Another gift from my parents, my wife and I enjoyed this after pairing a bottle of their Pinot Grigio with salmon. My first impressions of this wine were that it was a lighter version of the Pinot Grigio we had just enjoyed. That’s not to say that it didn’t have its own unique flavors, only that it was very reminiscent of the other wine.
While I didn’t get the grapefruit that Castello di Amorosa claims to be there, I certainly got the apple, and would agree that this wine would pair very well with seafood or just by itself on a warm day. I’m always in the market for wine that I can enjoy by itself, especially a white for hot Spring and Summer days, but for the price I feel like I could do better.
A good wine that’s worth it if you’re planning to pair it with something, but a bit pricey to be just a patio wine.
