Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc originated in the Loire Valley of France. However, New Zealand has taken this grape to new heights in the cool Marlborough region, producing racy wines with tropical fruit and gooseberry flavors. Sauvignon Blanc is usually a dry white wine with distinctive herbaceous qualities. This wine is widely available as a single varietal or as a blend with Semillon.

Kunde “Magnolia Lane” Sauvignon Blanc (2012)

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Kunde Sauvignon BlancKunde “Magnolia Lane” Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc

YEAR: 2012

REGION: US: California: Sonoma Valley

AVERAGE RETAIL: $16

What they say about it:

“A crisp yet smooth wine offering lemon zest and orange rind aromatics, grapefruit and yellow nectarine flavors, with lovely length across the palate.“

What I say about it:

Every once and a while I stumble upon a wine that is exceptional. The Kunde “Magnolia Lane” Sauvignon Blanc from 2012 is one of those wines. Having randomly picked it from the market made it that much more fun of a discovery. After tasting it I am not surprised to find out it’s won the 2013 Sonoma County Harvest Fair Gold Medal and the 2013 Pacific Coast Oyster Award.

Out of the glass and into the bottle….The color of the “Magnolia Lane” Sauvignon Blanc is a clean yellow with a hint of peach to it. Short legs in the glass as the wine is dry.

The nose of the wine is very crisp with big citrus notes: green apples, lemon, grapefruit, orange blossom with honey and vanilla overtones.

The taste is perfectly balanced. Big, bright and crisp with nice acidity with tons of apple, pear, citrus, most notably grapefruit, with a nice full finish. As it warmed slightly I began to pick up more fruit, especially melon. The finish and mouth feel also made me think of the texture of ripe melon. It had a velvety smooth butteriness. There were some slight mineral notes as well.

The Kunde “Magnolia Lane” Sauvignon Blanc will pair well with poultry, seafood and lite savory dishes excellently. For fruits I would recommend dried apricots, figs, apples, and the like. For cheese it will go nice with delicate soft cheese like Brie but even stand up to the robust flavors of a Blue.

Overall this is a fantastic wine and I highly recommend you pick up a bottle to try for yourself. It’s a steal for under $20 as well.

Would Bukowski drink it?  Hey Dave, get a room but leave the bottle. 

Overall Rating: 5 BUKS

5-BUKS

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Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc “Rutherford” (2012)

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Frog's Leap Sauvignon BlancFrog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc “Rutherford”

Sauvignon Blanc

YEAR: 2012

REGION: US: Napa Valley: Rutherford

AVERAGE RETAIL: $20

What they say about it:

“Light-bodied, smooth and juicy, featuring crisp lemon and green apple notes at the core, with aromatic details of fresh thyme and lemon verbena.”

What I say about it:

I had the pleasure of visiting Frog’s Leap Winery and having a special tasting when I was in Napa Valley last Fall for my brother’s wedding. Frog’s Leap is one of my favorite wineries and I really enjoy their whites. The 2012 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent example of why I enjoy them so much. Out of the bottle and into the glass. My first impression is it’s fresh crispness, a burst of fruit with peach, citrus and apple as well as a grassy and herby nose with just a slight hint of floral (orange blossoms and the mentioned lemon verbena). It has a freshness that reminds you of summer and sunnier warmer days. I particularly enjoyed it on a rather typical gloomy late Fall evening in Seattle that was about as far from Summer as possible.

Great wines have the ability to not only satisfy but the pallet but also the soul and the Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc from Frog’s Leap is such a wine. I highly recommend trying it. It will stand up well with lighter fair such as pasta, fish, shellfish, oysters, and poultry. It will also pair perfectly with some pears, a nice blue cheese, olives and some rustic bread.

Would Bukowski drink it?  Sometimes you just have to piss in the sink. Sometimes you have to drink good wine too. Crack open another Dave!

Overall Rating: 5 BUKS

5-BUKS