I enjoy a good Sauvignon Blanc and at this time of year I get excited when my tastings include a Sauvignon Blanc. Recently I tasted out a Sauvignon Blanc that I had not had before.
Concannon 2011 Sauvignon Blanc ($10) is from Central Coast, California. This is 98% Sauvignon Blanc blended with 2% Riesling. The aroma is peach and lemon. The flavor was a mild grapefruit with a tart finish. Some of my customer discussions revolved around our perceptions of the tartness. I thought a pith tart, some thought Granny Smith apple, and the Winemaker's Notes say gooseberry. In any case, the tart finish was agreed on by all. Very popular with my customers. This is a great summertime wine. Not a bold fruit forward wine like New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, but a refreshing change.
Winemaker's Notes: "Selected Vineyards is a crisp and refreshing, food-friendly wine. Th is wine has a brilliant straw hue with notes of gooseberry. e palate is slightly tropical with a good depth of fruit. Cool stainless steel fermentation keeps the flavors bright and lively, and the medium body is slightly rounded in feel, leading to a crisp finish.
Food Pairing: Herb-roasted chicken or your favorite shell sh dish."
One of my tastings last week was for Root 1 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($11) from Colchagua Valley, Chile. This is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 15% Syrah. The aroma was cherry. The flavor was a hint of fruit, but more on the earthy side with mild tannins. This was a nice full bodied wine that customers enjoyed. Customers also found this to be more on the earthy side than fruit.
Winemaker's Notes: "Deep ruby red with intense aromas of red fruits of and cassis. Soft notes of plum and blackberry followed by a hint of vanilla. Abundant flavors of ripe cherries and plums up front, highlight balanced acidity, soft tannins and good structure. Full-bodied with a long and concentrated finish accented by fruit and vanilla notes.
Food Pairings spicy meat dishes like ginger beef or peppercorn tenderloin. The rich, ripe flavors also complement hearty Italian fare like chicken or eggplant parmigiana and is a decadent finish to a meal served with chocolate truffles."
Last night Dave and I opened a bottle of Northstar 2006 Merlot from Columbia Valley, Washington. It was AMAZING! This is 76% Merlot blended with 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% CabernetFranc, and is aged in both French and American oak. The color was a deep rich purple. There was an inviting aroma of raspberry, blackberry, and cocoa. The flavor was just short of jammy with cocoa and dark fruit. Smooth. Wonderfully integrated tannins. Oh so enjoyable and unfortunately our last bottle.
Winemaker's Notes: This rich wine is concentrated and yet elegant, with aromas of cherry, plum, raspberry, and blackberry, finishing off with flavors of toasted oak, vanilla, coconut, mint, and toffee. Enjoy and celebrate!
Apothic has a wonderful red blend (reviewed May 3, 2011). I recommend it to my customers when they are looking for a red wine with spice on the palate. Apothic just released their white blend and I had the opportunity to taste it.
Apothic White, 2010 ($9.50) is from California. It is a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling and Moscato. I enjoy a wine where the flavors are distinct and this has a delicious honey flavor with a hint of fruit and touch of vanilla. A nice, enjoyable wine perfect for the summer.
Winemaker's Notes: A delicate blend of smooth Chardonnay, aromatic Riesling, and lucious Moscato, which creates layers of tropical fruit, complemented by hints of honey and vanilla.
Having enjoyed Ballast Stone 2008 Shiraz (reviewed on 3/2/12), I had to taste their 2009 vintage.
Ballast Stone 2009 Shiraz ($13) is from McLaren Vale, Australia. It is 100% Shiraz and has 15% alcohol. The color is a deep dark purple with a wonderful fruit aroma of cranberry and strawberry, and tobacco. On the palate there is a burst of dark fruit quickly followed by spice and tobacco. It has a long spice finish. Low tannins. Nicely balanced.
Winemaker's Notes: Matured in American and French oak. Aromas of plums, blueberries and spices follow through to the generous palate, finishing with subtle pepper overtones. Made to enjoy now, with cellaring potential of up to 7-10 years.
During my tastings at Christmas and New Year's, several customers told me how much they enjoyed Chandon Chardonnay. It's taken me a few months, but I finally purchased it to taste and review. It's more than I typically pay for a wine, but in the end, it was worth splurging on.
Chandon 2009 Chardonnay ($27) is from the Carneros region in California. This was a nice complex wine. Balanced. I found the aroma to be a bit tropical with a hint of herbaciousness and butter. The flavor was tropical with apple, citrus and spice. Medium acidity. I agree with my customers - a very nice Chardonnay.
Winemaker's Notes: "The wine’s aroma is fresh and structured with floral notes highlighted by elderflower. As a signature of its Carneros appellation, the wine’s mineral aromas remain lifted by balanced acidity. When harvesting at optimal ripeness, characters of white Burgundy are revealed in the wine as subtle, yet present, with the oak being perfectly integrated. Fuji apple, lemon and other citrus flavors create a satisfying, seamless palate that finishes with notes of white peach and apricot.
The depth of this versatile, food-friendly Chardonnay makes it a natural match for hearty seafood dishes like grilled salmon or halibut. Pair it with roasted chicken or with a Chinese chicken salad for a lighter meal."
I had the opportunity to taste Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel. In the past I've enjoyed their Zinfandel and Cashmere, so I was excited to try their Ancient Vines. I do love a nice old vine Zin.
Cline 2010 Ancient Vines Zinfandel ($14) is from California. The grapes are primarily from Lodi and Oakley and the remaining Zinfandel grapes sourced from Mendocino County. It is aged for 6 months in American oak (35% new). Once again, no aroma in the plastic tasting cup. The flavor was berry fruit with a hint of coffee that was quickly followed by black pepper. Medium tannins that were nicely integrated and not overpowering.
Winemaker's Notes: Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel shows wonderful, fat strawberry, with coffee and chocolate characters. Aging in new and used wood has lent this wine a subtle vanilla quality that nicely complements the explosive fruit notes. A nice complement to pasta dishes with a light tomato sauce or grilled meats.
Concannon 2011 Sauvignon Blanc ($10) is from Central Coast, California. This is 98% Sauvignon Blanc blended with 2% Riesling. The aroma is peach and lemon. The flavor was a mild grapefruit with a tart finish. Some of my customer discussions revolved around our perceptions of the tartness. I thought a pith tart, some thought Granny Smith apple, and the Winemaker's Notes say gooseberry. In any case, the tart finish was agreed on by all. Very popular with my customers. This is a great summertime wine. Not a bold fruit forward wine like New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, but a refreshing change. 
