Posts Tagged ‘lime’
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: New Zealand
Cost: $11 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Complex aromas of fresh asparagus, zesty green pepper, and sunshine-warmed box hedge are contrasted by lighter, brighter top notes of honeydew melon and juicy lime citrus. Made to be enjoyed while young and fresh; we recommend drinking this wine over the next 12 months.
My Review: Wow, it almost feels like I haven’t done one of these in forever since I’ve been so busy with formal tastings and the 2011 North American Wine Bloggers Conference, which is a shame because these really are why I started this site. Anyways, I digress.
I’d received the 2010 Nine Walks Sauvignon Blanc as a sample last month and while it had been sitting in my fridge, reminding me that it’s hot as hell outside in Virginia in July and that it would do a great job of taking the edge off the heat, I just didn’t quite get around to it. Finally this week I did.
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: California – USA
Cost: $11 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Lemon/lime with freshly cut grass and floral notes on the nose. The flavors of the same family with a nice acidic backbone. The acidity leans to the citrus side making for a very food friendly wine. Enjoy this superior Sauvignon Blanc with crab salad, calamari, prosciutto-wrapped pears, and roasted chicken.
My Review: I don’t think it’s any surprise when I say that I really enjoy Sauvignon Blanc, especially this time of year as the weather gets progressively hotter and (at least here in Virginia) more humid and having a nice crisp wine is a near must have.
While I’ve grown particularly fond of Sauvignon Blanc from South America in recent years, I’m certainly always looking to expand my wine horizons, so I was happy to receive a sample of the most recent vintage of Robert Mondavi’s Sauvignon Blanc. Relaxing with my wife this weekend with a lunch of munchies, we opened up the bottle to give it a try.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris
Region: Oregon – USA
Cost: $15
My Review: I don’t drink too much Pinot Gris, so when the Good Works Wine Club included a bottle in a recent sample pack they sent to me I was certainly interested to try it. If you don’t remember my previous mention of the Good Works Wine Club you can check out the details of their organization here, but the long and short of it is that they make charitable donations when you buy wine from them.
With Cinco de Mayo upon us, my wife and I decided to forgo the typical “Mexican” food that is prepared on this “holiday” and went with some tequila/lime chicken and homemade fried rice with bell peppers. Wanting something crisp and acidic to go with that, and not feeling like blending up some margaritas, I decided to open up the bottle of 2009 Winfield Estate Pinot Gris, wanting to see just how “bone dry” it really was. It was plenty dry.
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 »
As I’ve done in the past, this past Wednesday I did an interactive tasting on Twitter of some Finger Lakes Riesling courtesy of Jon Witherspoon (@vcuspoon) at his shop, The Wine Cellar. Along with my wife, we sampled 6 Rieslings from the Finger Lakes region of New York.
The first one we sampled was the 2008 Fox Run Riesling. A high acid wine with petrol on the nose (a theme throughout the night), the best descriptors for this wine were “green sour patch kids” and “alcoholic sour skittles”. With lemon on tropical fruit on the palate and only 1% residual sugar, it wasn’t the typical sweet Riesling that most people think of when considering Riesling.
Next was the 2008 Ravines Riesling. The wine with the least residual sugar (.3%) was one of my favorites for the evening, with flavors of green apple, lemon, and lime with a bit of mineral and effervescence when held in the mouth. This wine would be a great substitute for champagne of a morning with breakfast.
Our third wine of the evening was the 2009 Lamoreaux Landing Red Oak. The nose on this one let you know it was a Riesling, but it was light in the glass with floral, peach notes that reminded me of nothing so much as a Viognier. A great deck wine, it was probably my favorite of the evening. 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.
