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Summer 2009’sfavorite white

Sauvignon BlancSummer 2009’sfavorite white Grape

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Buying Guide

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From tangy and grassy to flinty and mineral to bold-ly tropical, Sauvignon Blanc lends itself to a myriad of tastes and occassions. It’s home is Bordeaux, from where it has travel throughout France and the world around, finding great success in California, Washing-ton, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and particularly in New Zealand where it stands as one of the flagship white grapes. The sauvignon blanc also participates in important dessert, such as Sauternes and Barsac where it’s a grand partner to the se-million variety. The name Sauvignon Blanc comes from the French words “sauvage” and “blanc”, which mean ““wild” and “white” respec-tively.

France In Bordeaux, blending Sauvignon Blanc with Se-millon is a common practice that can add richness and an extra element of figs to the aroma, softening the sometimes abrasive Sauvignon Blanc character. This blending is widespread in the Graves district of France’s Bordeaux region (normal-ly 75-85% Sauvignon Blanc to 15-25% Semillon). In the communes of Sauternes and Barsac, a blend of 60-70% Semillon with 30-40% Sauvignon Blanc is more typical. When allowed to hang, past the normal ripeness point for dry table wine, the grape flavors may be concentrated by the influence of a naturally-occur-ring mold known as “Noble Rot” (Botrytis cinerea), to make the area’s famous dessert wines. Sauvignon Blanc is queen in the Loire Valley, where it is vinified unblended. Here the flinty, min-eral and fresh cut grass aromas are most distinctive.

You will know that Sauvignon Blanc is in the bottle when the names “Sancerre” and “Pouilly Fume” are on the label.

California Charles Wetmore, founder of Cresta Blanca winery, brought the first cuttings of Sauvignon Blanc to Cali-fornia in the 1880s. Some came from the vineyards of

the legendary Sauternes Cha-teau Y’Quem, world’s most expensive and famous dessert wine. These plantings did well in the Livermore Valley and Sauvignon Blanc became one of the early American favor-ite wines, though mostly in a sweet style. Today, Sauvignon Blanc is made by 85% of Californian wineries and some have creat-ed truly distinctive styles. You will also find Sauvignon Blanc termed as “Fumé Blanc”.

Washington The state’s milder climate allows for a style of Sauvignon Blanc that it is not too pungent nor too tropical. Mineral, citrus flowers, elderflowers, mel-ons, gooseberries and milder herbs such as dill, are more common widening this grapes already affinity to cuisine even more. Washington’s lower (in general ) price makes it a great American alternative.

Southern Hemisphere New Zealand had adopted Sauvignon Blanc as one of its white emblematic grapes. New Zealand’s style is a very embellished one and it incorporates notes from all other sauvignon blanc’s growing regions. Because these vineyards are located in one of the cooler growing regions of the world, when it comes

A Great Food Wine

Dry-style Sauvignon or Fumé Blancs are very versatile in accompanying foods and can handle components such as tomatoes, bell peppers, cilan-tro, raw garlic, smoked chees-es or other pungent flavors that would clash with or over-

power many Chardonnays.

The styles of Sauvignon Blanc

Common Aroma Descriptors

Lantana (cariaquillos)Boxwood (follaje, boj)

BroomTomato Brush

Blackcurrant budElderflower

NettleAsparagusArtichokeCapsicum

Grenn BeanPea Pod

Green OlivesVegetal

Cut GrassDill

Bay LeafCelery

GooseberryFigs

Green AppleGrapefruit

CitrusZest

PassionfruitMelonMango

Tropical FruitMineral

FlintGunpowder

A note on the “cat’s box” aromaExcept for boldly tropical sauvignon blanc styles, the appearance of the the cat box aro-ma is very typical on these wine. And as brow rising as it might sound, when it comes to the moment of tasting it is the complementing aromas which makes this note interesting. So don’t hold back on tasting sauvignon blancs that clearly state this on its notes. Remember there’s a lot of variation on the intensities of each note, which is the real fun!

Common Palate Descriptors

Crisp, tangy, fresh, bright, smoky, racy, nervy, tingling, zesty, vibrant,

mineral, persistent.

to tropical aromas and flavors, these tend to be present although not as bold. In South Africa, it is the elderflowers, the gooseberries, the dill, the mineral notes that are more evident in the nose, with the more vegetal sensations of asparragus, artichoke and fine herbs are more present in the palate. This combination is extremely favored by lo-cal chefs to use this profile to their advantage. Chile and Argentina both have increased their Sauvignon Blanc productions. Chile’s wine are marked by their vegetal notes (grass, bay leafs, green peppers, cat’s box and box-wood) and tend to be very crisp and tangy. Argentina’s style is a bit bolder, adding to the Chilean mix more tropical notes and citrus zest.

-Amarylis Dávila

Pouilly Fumé It is in Pouilly-sur-Loire, that the Sauvignon grape va-riety develops unrivalled complexity and aromatic palate. A dry, fruity white wine, Pouilly Fumé is full-bodied. It recreates for us the inimitable taste of the Pouilly land in its bottle thanks to its “flinty” aromas. Its mineral and fruity aromas are its trademark! Several million years old, the Pouilly land, made up of Kimmeridgian marls and hard calcareous rock and flint, gives Pouilly Fumé its minerality, finesse and its rather fresh and lively character, clear-cut and long in the mouth, with hints of fruit always present. These may in-clude citrus fruits (hints of lemon and grapefruit), fruits from the area and elsewhere (redcurrant, bush-peach, pas-sion fruit, lychee), white flowers (acacia, lily); as well as hazelnut and quince. A few pointers : Pouilly Fumé can be kept for five to ten years, according to the year and vintage. It normally peaks in its second or third year. It exists as a white wine only and should not be confused with the similar-sounding Maçon wine, Pouilly Fuissé , a product of the Chardon-nay grape.

From the official Pouilly-sur-Loire AOC site.

Sancerre Sancerre, the most famous appellation of the Centre Loire, produces the most imitated Sauvignon Blanc wines in the world. The chalky and silex soils are ideal for fresh, fruity Sauvignon Blanc and perfumed, full Pinot Noir. Wine making has a long history in Sancerre. Gregory of Tours wrote of vineyards here in 582 and local wines en-joyed a good reputation as long ago as the twelfth century. The vineyards lie on a series of hillsides dominated by the “Piton” or peak of Sancerre. The geology of the soil is a fortunate coincidence of nature resulting in three kinds of terroirs, Terres Blanches (“white earth”) is compact chalk on top of kimmeridgean marl and is characteristic of the western part of the region. Les Caillottes is gravel and limestone. Flinty, silex-clay soil is found in the east-ern vineyards. Each type of soil produces wines of differ-ing character. Some producers like to blend wines from the three terroirs for balance, while others prefer to let the character of the terroir determine the character of the wine. Although it is far from common practice, some pro-ducers will age exceptional wines in wood. These wines develop an exceptionally rich flavor and a pungent floral bouquet after several years in the bottle. White Sancerre is lively and fruity. Its aroma suggests both citrus fruits (especially grapefruit) and the mineral-

rich soil in which it was grown. The aroma of red Sancerre suggests Morello cherries. The wines are light bodied and supple with a long finish. They, like the white wines, are ideally suited to the goat cheese for which the Centre Loire is also famous.

From the official Sancerre AOC site.

Which white Loire is for you? Sancerre is the lighter, drier and more vibrant of the two. It’s perfect for summer drinking, especially with shellfish or light, freshwater fish, such a trout. Pouilly Fumé is slightly fuller than Sancerre and can have attractive gunflint and mineral flavors. Because of its fuller weight, Pouilly- Fumé goes well with rich fish, such as salmon, or with chicken or veal.The term “fumé” or “smoked” has two implications: one linked to the grape, the other to the land... The Pouilly Fumé grape is derived from the Sauvignon blanc, with egg-shaped berries in tight clusters resem-bling tit’s eggs. When mature these berries are covered in a smoke-coloured, grey bloom, which explains why the Pouilly wine growers talk amongst themselves about Blanc fumé (smoked white) to describe the Sauvignon grape or wines produced from it. The word fumé also refers to the incomparable, universally-recognized aro-mas and bouquet (or fumet - smokey aroma - the famous gun flint aroma, released by rubbing two flints together), which comes from the outstanding land of Pouilly/Loire vineyards.

Fumé Blanc Robert Mondavi Winery’s Fume Blanc is introduced with the 1966 vintage which was introduced in the mar-ket in 1968. At the time Sauvignon Blanc was a sweeter wine than the Sauvignon Blancs produced today. Drier wines were also gaining consumer favor. When Robert introduced his dry fermented, and oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc he knew he would have to call it something differ-ent in order to differentiate it from the style of Sauvignon Blanc that was being produced in the mid 1960’s. So, he took a general term used in the Loire Valley of France, “les blancs fumés” and created the term Fumé Blanc. Technically all Fumé Blancs are Sauvignon Blancs and vice versa; however the crisp, dry style of Robert Mon-davi Winery Fumé Blanc Napa Valley remains true to Mr. Mondavi’s original vision.

From Robert Mondavi website and WineLife notes.

Other Names for Sauvignon Blanc

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The Sauvignon BlancSummer 2009 Buying Guide

Choose from

BordeauxLoire

CaliforniaWashington

New ZealandArgentina

Chile

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FRANCE

Clos Nardian, Chateau TeyssierSt. Emilion, France Made by Jonathan Malthus (Le Dome, Colonial Estate) from a tiny vineyard that makes up Clos Nard-ian which nestles next to the Mairie in the leafy village of Saint Aubin de Branne, just south of Saint Emilion. Fully south facing and situated along a ledge of clay over a sub-soil of limestone, the vineyard consists of forty per cent each of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. These fifty-year-old vines are planted in the classic Saint Emilion style of one and a half metre rows. The addition of twenty per cent of seventy-year-old Mus-cadelle to the wine provides aroma. The hands-on approach to the wine incorpo-rates green harvesting, very low crops - three bunches of grapes to a vine, and soft whole bunch pressing in a pneumatic press. Once in brand new French Oak the lees are continually put in suspension to plump up the wine. Only ten barrels are made each year - but the re-sult? A massive, broadly structured, multi-layered and atypical dry white wine with great minerality, length and individuality.

Clos Nardian 2004Jancis Robinson“Fascinating rich but dry white made at Ch Teyssier in St Emilion from 40% Semil-lon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Mus-cadelle. Very full and expressive nose with quite a hit of lemon. Peachy flavours, a bit sharp on the palate and not quite as power-ful and persistent on the palate as the nose suggests it might be.”

Decanter“4 STARS. From a 45% each Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc/10% Muscadelle blend, this is more musky and less grapefruit than

in previous years. Full yellow in colour, floral and cit-russy, with bright clear flavours, very good oak, long fleshy fruit and rounded, dry finish. Drink 2006-12.”

Wine International“Jonathan Maltus’s unconventional white wine always seems to have a more exotic note than other white Bor-deaux. 40 per cent each of Sauvignon and Sémillon, with an usually high proportion of Muscadelle, are fer-mented in new oak barrels. The result is bright and ripe, with intense flavours of pineapple, grapefruit, lemon and, of course, new oak. Acidity is lean, and the finish is perfumed and elegant.”

Justerini & Brooks“Clos Nardian belies its roots, offering a tropical rich-ness previously unknown in a Bordeaux blanc”. “Deep gold appearance with tints of youthful silvery green. Very good nose of fresh and juicy fruit, almost tropical hints; excellent weight and balance, delicious and long. Superb.”

Clos Nardian 2003Wine International“POINTS 91. The maverick star of this tasting, Clos Nardian is the no-expense-spared white equivalent of a garage wine. Only eight barrels a year are produced from 50-year-old vines. It is made by Eng-lishman Jonathan Maltus, who also pro-duces Le Dome in Saint Emilion. Lovely, rich honeyed Semillon aromas, with soft but balancing acidity and good pure apri-cot fruit. A deep-gold colour with a ripe peachy nose almost exotic. The palate is really ripe and weighty, with balanced acidity and length.

Wine Enthusiast“POINTS 91. Produced by Jonathan Maltus, who also makes the superstar Saint-Emilion wine, Le Dôme, this a beautifuuly crafted wine that brings together tropical fruits, flavors of quince and creamy vanilla. There is some good acidity, despite the hot year, which brings everything into balance.

The Wine Journal“Just 8 barrels of this rare white Saint Emilion. A citrus, chalk dust nose with fine definition. The palate is well-balanced, still quite creamy at the moment. Very tight

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but it certainly has the freshness and vigor to turn into something interesting. Not dissimilar to a top end Napa white (that is not a pejorative comment.) Excellent.”

Justerini & Brooks“Vivid pale straw colour, with a big, exotic nose of pineapple, peaches and orange peel, even hints of mar-malade. It has a full, creamy texture on the palate, very fresh and long with heaps of fruit through to the finish. Jonathan Maltus is constantly surprised by the wines he makes from these small vineyards south of St Emil-ion, and this is the most spectacular wine he has made to date. We have developed a loyal following for this wine and can never get enough of it, and tasting the 2003 it is easy to see why”.

Decanter“4 STARS. This wine comes from Chateau Teyssier in St Emilion. Full, pale gold colour, really rich Semillon nose with a touch of minerality, citrus fruits and oak pronounced at the moment, very impressive despite low acidity. 2005-8.”

Clos Nardian 2002Tomas Clancy“The wizard of St Emilion, Jonathan Maltus, once again beats the older boys at their own game. Maltus famously re-peats that Bordeaux talks terroir, but sells brands. Here he is playing the opposite game taking tiny parcels from Grand Vin and releasing them as terroir-driv-en wines. This is a sauvignon-semillon blend, with a dash of muscadelle from St Emilion hinterlands. It is superb, featur-ing oils and lemon over a gravelled inte-rior, out-gunning Graves.”

Steven Spurrier Choice for Decanter“Best Old World White - If his Cabernet Franc-domi-nated Le Dome was Jonathan Maltus’ version of Che-val Blanc, Clos Nardian is his take on Laville Haut-Brion. With 40% each of Sauvignon and Semillon and 20% Muscadelle, this is a broad, structured, dry white, grapefruity and exotically ripe, yet controlled and bal-anced with a long finish”

Justerini & BrooksMaltus. Aromas of exotic citrus and pineapple, fresh acidity and complexity. The low yields and naturalive-ly acidity combined with the broad structure and bar-rel ferment make for a wine of great depth and length. 40% Sauvignon, 40% Semillon and 20% Muscadelle.”

Andrew Jefford“Ambitious white wine produced by Jonathan Maltus from just half a hectare of vines on the northeastern edge of the Entre-de-Mers. Fifty-year old vines and a yield of 25 hl/ha plus barrel fermentation in new oak gives sumptuous results for this 50/50 Sauvingnon-Semillon blend.”

Domaine de la Perriere 2007Sancerre, Loire, France Crisp, vibrant with flinty undertones that come back in the finish defining its person-ality. Broad center, clean finish. Pairs great with Seafood Salad, Grilled swordfish, Goat cheese, Grilled shrimp.

St. Laurent Pouilly Fume 2004 Loire, France

St. Laurent is one of the communes under the Pouilly Fume Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, where Sauvignon Blanc is, by law, the grape used in order to claim AOC recognition.

Classic Pairings: Grilled and roasted fish, St Jacques scallops, White meat with cream or lemon sauces and the always delightly pouilly companion fresh goats cheeses.

UNITED STATES

Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2007Napa Valley, CaliforniaThis lush and inviting Sauvignon Blanc combines a

rich, creamy mouthfeel with bright acid-ity and a long, refreshing finish. The aro-ma brings together appealing elements of Meyer lemon, grapefruit, orange blos-som and peach nectar, with hints of hon-eysuckle and graham crackers. On the palate, tropical flavors of pineapple and mango are complemented by layers of citrus, peach and ginger spice.

90, Wine Enthusiast Duckhorn has been remarkably consis-tent with this bottling…The ‘07 is right up there, a sweetly oaked, leesy wine whose citrus and lemongrass flavors are

fattened up with the pears and figs of Sémillon. The fin-ish is quite dry and rich.”

Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine “Duckhorn’s Sauvignon Blancs have typically steered away from overt herbaceousness and have instead been defined largely by rich, oak-sweetened, ripe melon fruit. This latest effort runs true to form, and its frontal, squeaky clean fruit is free of any grassy intrusion. It is rounded in feel and pulls up just a bit short with a touch of finishing coarseness taking hold, but service with roast chicken will smooth its way.” (September 2008)

Wine Spectator Well-balanced and proportioned, offering ripe pear, peach and candied citrus flavors, a rich texture and a terrific juciness.

Duckhorn’s bright, vibrant 2007 Sauvignon Blanc sings. Notes of melon, Meyer lemon, pinenapple and white flowers dominate the wine’s complex perfume, which also shows elements of honey, fresh thyme and a hint of spice. The palate is rich, with a toasty brioche mouthfeel that complements the wine’s mix of tropical and citrus fruit that lingers long onto the finish.

Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc 2007Rutherford, Napa Valley, CaliforniaDry-farmed and stainless steel fermented, this 2007 Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, bright wine that would pair equally well with fish and chips and

oysters. Notes of lemongrass, citrus and a subtle miner-ality reflect the wine’s Rutherford origins.

The Second Glass by Tyler BallietAfter tasting a slew of California reds at a wine tasting last week, this white, which happened to be the least expen-sive bottle in the room, was our overall favorite. In order to please all parties we’ve written this review in two ways:

Wine Speak: This is a crisp Sauv Blanc with flavors of citrus fruit and wet stone. It is 100% stainless steel fermented which preserves the delicate minerality of this wine.

Non-Wine Speak: This isn’t your typical California Sauv Blanc. This be an old-

school Sancerre-style wine. When everyone was oak-ing California Sauv Blancs, Frog’s Leap was making the best wine they could, regardless of what was fash-ionable. They end up with a timeless classic like this crisp and super delicious wine. Drink with oysters, fish and chips or and what’s left of “summer.”

Silverado Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2006Napa Valley, CaliforniaPale yellow with a green tinge to the color. Flint, Mey-er lemon and grapefruit citrus aromas, fresh citrus and green apple fruit flavors with a crisp acidity, lingering flavors through the finish.

88, Wine Advocate “Silverado Vineyards’ previous over-zealous acidification program looks to be past history as recent cuvées are more naturally made with better textures as well as more expressive aromatics. The lovely-scented 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Miller Ranch exhibits loads of fig, mel-on, and honeyed grapefruit, followed by a dry, crisp finish.” - Robert Parker

89 Wine Review Online“Although the Silverado has only one gram of residual sugar--a truly dry wine by any standard--its soft and vis-

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cous texture, especially on the fore palate, can appeal to wine drinkers the way that a touch of sweetness can. Without this texture, the wine might border on austere-ly dry. Instead of being austere, the wine has a certain roundness, perhaps thanks to its small Semillon content, and that roundness is interwoven with enlivening acid-ity, for a compelling contrast. The wine’s aromas and flavors include grapefruit--which is refreshingly pierc-ing on the nose--and other citrus notes, as well as melon and some flinty minerality.” - Mary Ewing-Mulligan

Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Lodi, California95% Sauvignon Blanc, 4.4% Semillon, .3% Viognier, & .3% Muscat Canelli

Ken’s Wine Guide Rating: Very Good+ (90)Wine Review: KJ has done a terrific job with their “Vintners Reserve” level whites in recent vintages. This wine is no exception. As a matter of fact, we think this offering is a terrific wine and value. We recently conducted a mini blind tast-ing of Sauvignon Blanc’s and this wine tied for the top spot. It is pale yellow in color and opens with a ripe pear and tan-gerine like bouquet. On the palate, this light to medium bodied wine is nicely balanced with tasty pear and tangerine

flavors. There is a hint of spice as well on the back pal-ate. The finish is dry and subtle. This Sauvignon Blanc would do quite nicely on its own or certainly enhance a mild flavored meal like broiled scallops or trout al-mandine.

Winemaker Notes: “Lime, melon and Anjou pears in-termingle with sweet and tropical fruits such as fig and kiwi to create this delightfully refreshing wine. Hints of grapefruit highlight the mineral qualities of this wine’s suprisingly long finish.” Randy Ullom, Winemaster

Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc 2007, California100% Sauvignon Blanc

Vibrant citrus and tropical fruit character with enticing spice, mineral and floral nu-ances. Crisp and refreshing, with hints of lime on the clean finish. An inexpensive, ideal alternative to serve at BBQ parties, larger gatherings or when a simple, fresh, crisp white wine is just perfect!It’s Mondavi heritage tells you this is an inexpensive but well thought wine that continues to set the benchmark quality in its category.

Chaleur Estate Blanc 2006, DeLille CellarsColumbia Valley, Washington61% Sauvignon Blanc, 39% Semillion

Top 100 Enthusiast Wines for 2008, Wine Enthusiast #73 Top 100 Washington Wines of 2007 - Seattle Times

90, Stephen TanzerPale yellow. Aromas of lemon, toast and straw; very much in a white Bor-deaux style. Ripe, dense and quite dry but with an intriguingly saline, tactile quality and a honeyed nuance giving it a subtle sweetness. Finishes ripe and persistent, with late hints of honey and herbs. Winemaker Peterson has cut back on the percentage of new oak (it’s now 80% rather than 100%), and this is all to the good.

Seattle Metropolitan “A Woodinville wine that recalls the famous dry whites from Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux, France.” To create a list of the best Pacific Northwest wines currently in release, Seattle Metropolitan enlisted wine critic Condé Cox, a current candidate for the prestigious master of wine certification, who braved serious palate fatigue from tasting over 1,000 different bottles.

91, Jay Miller, Robert Parker’s Wine AdvocateOne white wine is produced under the DeLille label.

The 2006 Chaleur Estate Blanc is a blend of 61% Sauvi-gnon Blanc and 39% Semillon. The wine goes through full malolactic fermentation with lees stirring. Medi-um straw-colored, it has an enticing bouquet of spring flowers, melon, and fresh herbs. Toasty, complex, and mouth-coating, this full-flavored wine could easily pass for a top Pessac-Leognan like Fieuzal. It can be enjoyed now and over the next several years.-J.M.

94, Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast Rich and Smoky, this Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend delivers a nose suggesting golden raisins, ripe figs, white peaches and light streaks of butter, honey and car-amel. The fruit and wood are balanced and the alcohol is a moderate 13.5%. Everything here is in proportion, layered, smooth and seductive. More than past vintages, this is a Chaleur Estate Blanc that seems destined to age and develop over the next decade or more. May 2008

Chateau Ste Michelle Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Columbia Valley, Washington96% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Semillon

“The mostly stainless steel fermentation makes this a crisp, clean, refreshing style of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine offers fresh aromas and flavors of lemongrass, ap-ple and melon. We add Semillon, which contributes an appealing fig character and a beautiful soft,which qual-ity to the wine.” Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker

• Yeasts specifically designated for white Bordeaux va-rieties were used to initiate the three-week fermentation and release varietal aromas.

• 80% stainless steel fermented to preserve Sauvignon Blanc’s delicate fruit character.• 20% barrel fermentation for five months in older French oak for added complexity.Pairing: Chicken, clams, halibut, oys-ters and even better if enhanced with basil, garlic, oregano and rosemary.

88, Wine Enthusiast “This is a model for inexpensive do-mestic Sauvignon Blancs. It’s per-fectly ripe, blended with 4% Semil-lon to flesh out the mouth. Round and

juicy, fleshy and full, the mix of stone fruits, citrus and pineapple is refreshing and delicious.”

Chateau Ste Michelle Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Columbia Valley, Washington100% Vineyard Designated Sauvignon Blanc

90, Wine SpectatorSmooth and vibrant. A juicy mouthful of pineapple, cream and pear flavors that remain pointedly focused as the finish lingers with finesse.

Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker“This pure Sauvignon Blanc from our Horse Heaven Vineyard delivers aromas of white grapefruit, lime and grass. We used partial stainless steel fermentation to preserve the Sauvignon Blanc’s delicate varietal character and fresh, crisp quality. We also made some changes in the vineyard to help achieve more varietal

green, grassy character in this Sauv Blanc, including smaller crops loads, larger canopies and picking the fruit slightly earlier during harvest. These vineyard practices have helped us push the Sauvignon Blanc in the direction we want it to go.”

• Horse Heaven Vineyard is located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and adja-cent to the Columbia River in Paterson, Washington.• Planted in the 1970s, this is a moder-ately warm site, tempered by the Co-lumbia River.• This vineyard is characterized by gen-tle south facing slopes, sandy loam soil and a long growing season.• Horse Heaven Vineyard produces fruit of consistent quality and intense varietal character vintage after vintage.• Yeasts specifically designated for white Bordeaux varieties were used to initiate

the three-week fermentation and release varietal aromas.• 58% barrel fermented for slight spice and texture in older French oak.• 42% stainless steel fermented to preserve Sauvignon Blanc’s fresh, delicate fruit character.• Sur lie aged for three months for complexity and structure.

Pairing: Mussels, halibut, chicken, goat cheese and dishes enhanced with cilantro, oregano, rosemary, thyme, cumin, curry and ginger.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

The Crossings Marlborough, New Zealand100% Sauvignon Blanc

Bright with a pale yellow/green hue.Powerful aromas of passion fruit and tropical notes. Melon and stone fruit flavours are underpinned on a complex palate by a zesty acidity and the classic Awatere flinty mineral spine.

89, Wine SpectatorZingy style has lively lime and grapefruit flavors at the center, picking up a green apple note as the finish lingers.

89, Robert FrancisGood solid aromatics to this wine with the usual New Zealand pungency on the nose. There are nice leafy, lime, grape-fruit and stone fruit on the nose. The wine smells crisp, dry, and fresh with the slighest touch of some floral charac-teristics in the background.

On the palate there are loads of limes, grapefruits, stone fruit and melon. The fruit is ripe, crisp and totally palate cleansing. With the limes and grape-

fruits following through right to the finish. There is re-ally nice mouthfeel, balance and acidity to this wine.

Overall I really liked this wine, one which is hugely popular with a number of my friends. It is clear to see why ! It shows as well that New Zealand can do dif-ferent things whether it be the teeth shattering pea/as-paragus/grassy combinations or the more tropical fruit/stone fruit combination there is a sauvignon blanc for everyone !

Kumeu River Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Marlborough, New Zealand100% Sauvignon Blanc

Kumeu River makes some of NZ’s best white wines and their Sauvignon, unlike their other wines, comes from Marlborough and is aromatic, crisp and drier on

the palate than most. Crisp, green fla-vours without the over-the-top tropical-ity. Flavour-filled and restrained, this shows prime Marlborough fruit at its best.

88, Stephen TanzerGood pale color. Tangerine and spice on the nose and palate. Brisk, focused and clean but not hard; the light but in-tense flavors are perked up by a pep-pery nuance.

87, Wine EnthusiastThis Sauvignon Blanc is a distinctively typical Marl-borough Sauvignon that also displays a Kumeu River stylistic charm. The aroma is apungent and zingy expression of the best of Marlbor-ough with a palate that has concentrated fruit flavor, with the rich texture and balanced acidity. A fresh, fruit-forward style, this wine offers bold passion fruit and gooseberry flavors with just a hint of nectarine. It’s not terribly complex, but the refreshing flavors linger nicely on the finish.

Miguel Torres Santa Digna Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Curicó Valley, Chile

100% Sauvignon BlancMiguel Torres Santa Digna Sauvignon Blanc is light yellow-gold in color, showing aromas of ripe tropical fruits, apple, grapefruit, and fennel. Light-me-dium in body with bright acidity and a silky mouthfeel, the wine offers flavors of grapefruit, passionfruit, green apples, and lime. Fermented in stainless steel, with no oak, it is nicely balanced to en-joy now and over the next 3-4 years. This crisp white is long and cleansing on the finish.Enjoy Miguel Torres Santa Digna Sauvignon Blanc to start the evening and

follow with grilled shrimp, roast chicken, baked Chil-ean sea bass, pasta, and cheeses.

Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Maipo Valley, Chile

100% Sauvignon BlancFrom a leading producer, a cool fermented stylish Sauvignon, invigoratingly rich and zesty. This wine has a gorgeously floral, elderflower bouquet. Coming from Santa Rita’s best vineyards, this wine shows an intense aroma and fruity flavour reminis-cent of peaches, tangerines and melon. It has a great harmony and structure with a long persistence on the palate.

Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Doña PaulaMendoza, Argentina

100% Sauvignon Blanc

Michael McVittieThis weeks wine is a killer little sauvi-gnon blanc from Los Cardos, the entry-level wine label of Dona Paula, Argen-tina. The whole Los Cardos lineup has been highly successful. I’ve tasted their wines since the beginning and they have done nothing but improve. Still at a rea-sonable price, they produce a cabernet, merlot (also new), malbec, chardonnay and the sauvignon blanc. The entire line is also now bottled with screw caps so every drop is just as the winemaker in-

tended. Its brilliant pale straw color dances in the glass. The nose is terrific: forward, gooseberry, grapefruit and citrus. Wow! It’s New Zealand aromatics with-out the price. The mouth follows suit with grapefruit and gooseberry. The acids are high, so it’s a good food wine. Crisp and clean, it’s just the ticket for lighter dishes and fresh caught seafood of the summer.

La Flor Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Pulenta Estates, Mendoza, Argentina

100% Sauvignon BlancA very refreshing taste of Sauvignon Blanc that is perfect to enjoy when you are looking for a wine that will be bright but clean at the same time as it is the case with Ceviche, pickled dishes and mild “escabeches”. Try it with a Serenata for an easy, self service, summer entrée! -WL

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SAUVIGNON BLANCS PROMOTION JULY 15 - JULY 30TH, 2009 Reg Price Sale

___Clos Nardian 2002, Ch. Teyssier, St. Emilion, Bordeaux $73.67 $ 59.67

___Clos Nardian 2003, Ch. Teyssier, St. Emilion, Bordeaux $77.67 $ 62.91

___Clos Nardian 2004, Ch. Teyssier, St. Emilion, Bordeaux $66.33 $ 53.73

___Domaine de la Perriere 2007, Sancerre, France $30.70 $ 25.00 ___St. Laurent de l Abbaye 2004, Pouilly Fumé, France $28.67 $ 23.22

___Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Napa Valley, California $30.00 $ 24.50

___Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Napa Valley, California $27.00 $ 22.00

___Silverado Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Napa Valley, California $25.33 $ 20.52

___Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Napa Valley $16.75 $13.50

___Woodridge Sauvignon Blanc2007, R. Mondavi, Napa Valley, California $12.33 $ 9.99

___Chaleur Estate Blanc, DeLille Cellars, Columbia Valley, Washington $39.67 $ 32.13

___Ch Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Columbia Valley, Washington $16.75 $ 13.50

___CSM Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Columbia Valley, Washington $23.67 $ 19.17

___The Crossings 2006, Marlborough, New Zealand $22.75 $ 18.50

___Kumeu River 2006, Marlborough, New Zealand $25.00 $ 20.25

___Miguel Torres Santa Digna Sauvignon Blanc, Chile $12.00 $ 9.72

___Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Maipo Valley, Chile $14.00 $ 11.50

___Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Doña Paula, Mendoza, Argentina $13.33 $11.00

___La Flor Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Pulenta Estates, Mendoza, Argentina $14.50 $12.00

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