May
2020

Clos Du Val 2019 Sauvignon Blanc

categories: Booze, Wine

Tis the season for digging into some refreshing white wines and Sauvignon Blanc is probably the stereotype of that sentiment. But what kind of Sauvignon Blanc drinker are you? (Assuming you like it at all.) Are you in the New Zealand super-grassy, overtly passionfruit camp? Or are you in the Loire with its steely minerality? Perhaps you prefer you SB with a bit of Semillon for texture and body.

There are so many different ways Sauvignon Blanc can be expressed based on climate, soil, and of course winemakers’ decisions. The Clos Du Val Sauvignon Blanc, for me, falls somewhere in between the NZ fruit fun and the Loire’s steely gaze, and ultimately balanced with just a touch of “something” extra that I’m going to equate with the Yountville terroir. It’s a Sauvignon Blanc that I look forward to each vintage.

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May
2020

Madroña Vineyards 2017 Nebbiolo

categories: Booze, Wine

Anyone else ever feel like Nebbiolo is the grape that shouldn’t work. It’s so light in color, it’s practically see-through: a faint rouge hue with its rusty orange-y-brown aura that just hints that this wine isn’t what it appears to be: Firm in structure, full-bodied, and undeniably tannic, but balanced by an—at times—racey acidity. The classic aroma descriptor is “tar and violets,” as the wine typically includes scents and flavors of herbs, dried flowers, and the bitterness of a dark coffee. But one only has to taste the differing expressions coming from the Nebbiolo motherlands of Barolo, Barbaresco, as well as Asti and Alba to know that location and climate means everything to this grape.

Here is what California’s El Dorado County has to provide this dark beauty.

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May
2020

Fifty Ways to Find Your Wine

categories: Booze, Wine

Besides the fact that this is a riff on probably the best Paul Simon song in existence, I wanted to highlight just another way the local wine community is coming together to support each other. The Wine Road is known for putting on awesome events showcasing the diversity that is the Sonoma wine region, now it’s become “the ‘one stop shop’ for links to virtual tastings, curbside delivery, as well as shipping and wine deals with wineries adding more tasting ideas and specials to the website daily.” The full press release with links is below. SIP Sonoma, save small businesses, and enjoy great wine. Cheers.

P.S. Bonus points if you can name all the masked wine marvels before the end credits.

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May
2020

Panther Creek Cellars 2017 Chardonnay

categories: Booze, Wine

I’m taking a brief detour from my tour of Panther Creek’s estate Pinot Noir vineyards. (If you haven’t followed along thus far, do take a look at these:  Maverick, Kalita, and Lazy River. And don’t forget the oh-so-fun Pinot Noir-Chardonnay white wine blend. [know, right?]) No, today I’m featuring their estate Chardonnay—a Chardonnay actually worth drinking. I have a hard time with Chardonnay: it can be bland and boring, or completely unbalanced with all the winemaking things you can do to it. Ah, but here we have subtle simplicity holding hands with a solid structure. Drink it on its own, drink it with food, but either way drink and enjoy.

 

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