Have you ever tasted a wine with such a strong flavor, you’re still tasting it the next day? It’s like a song you just can’t get out of you head. Well, so it is with Husch Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. This unassuming bottle with its near-clear liquid interior is like that sexy librarian — take off her glasses, let down her hair, or, in this case, open the bottle and pour the wine — because what’s hiding beneath is a strong, confident character.
About the Wine: This is my first experience with Husch, so a little bit about the winery here:
Husch Vineyards is a family owned winery operating under their third generation of family members. Fun Fact: Apparently Husch Vineyards is one of the oldest wineries in the Anderson Valley appellation, Mendocino, California.
Husch Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes from various vineyards in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino. The grapes were gently pressed, cool fermented with the addition of several different yeast strains. Husch bottles the SB early, preserving those innate flavors of the grape along with those developed during fermentation.
13.8% ABV
Flavor Profile: This gentle, just off-clear yellow, emits the strongest aroma of pomelo. And trust me — I’m an expert on the smell of pomelo because I have a pomelo tree that’s beyond fruit forward (get it?). One sniff and you’ll feel like you’re on a tropical island, as background scents of sea salt air pay due respect to the Mendocino terroir. Take a sip, and you are further immersed in that scene and situation. The primary flavor will be that pomelo for sure, but there is a pleasant minerality — a beachy-earthiness — that both enlightens and soothes the senses, cutting through the acidity, and balancing that citrus fruit flavor. Let the wine settle on the tongue for a bit, and enjoy the slightest effervescence that, again, adds both interest and balance to the flavor profile. Now here’s the kicker — and you have to pay super attention to your taste buds here — the aftertaste has a fun, funky smokiness to it. It’s the kind of “smokiness” you’d find in a red bell pepper — fresh. And if you are paying attention and you do get to enjoy that element, you’ll find that the finish is a complete one, a satisfying one, and, yes, a lingering one, as each component — the pomelo, the sea, the bubbles, and the pepper — dance tippy-toe, tingling the tastebuds.
Food Pairing: Husch Sauvignon Blanc is so well balanced. Despite its fruit-forward characteristics, it is actually quite a dry white wine. So don’t be afraid to play up that pomelo or other tropical citrus fruits in your food pairing. And I have to add — if you couldn’t gather already — that this wine is fun both for the palate and for the brain. So think fun food too.
I would highly recommend Husch Sauvignon Blanc to accompany a Hawaiian-style pizza. Or, take yourself to that tropical island, and live it up with a Mahi-Mahi fish taco or burger topped with a pineapple salsa.
More Info: This was my first experience with a Husch Vineyards wine and, I have to say, I will be coming back to them again. As they are a family-owned winery, I’m eager to try their reserves and single vineyard options — you know, those that would sing songs of their specific estate. But they do have a good selection of what they call their “Daily Favorites,” which can be found more readily. I was able to find the Husch Sauvignon Blanc at Safeway (Sale Price: $11). For more information about Husch Vineyards and to purchase their wines directly, please do visit the Husch Vineyards website.
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