I was so excited to see Quivira Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc at my local grocery store. Not that I know much about them, but I was under the assumption that they were a boutique winery that was so boutique you had to order directly from the estate. Well, apparently not so because, like I said, I found it. Here it is. Yay.
I love this and just have to share this tidbit from the winery’s website:
In the 16th to 18th centuries, the area we know as Sonoma County appeared on European maps as a mythical kingdom called “Quivira” whose streets were said to be paved with gold. Today, the region’s “gold” is the acres of grapevines that thrive there.
The other thing to know aobut Quivira Vineyards is that they are all about biodynamics — both scientifically and spiritually. And I don’t want to quote their whole philosophy behind the movement, but you can read more about it here.
About the Wine: Quivira Vineyards Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes harvested from their vineyards across the Sonoma County. Quivira’s biodynamic approach to farming also comes along with a hands-off approach to winemaking, allowing for little to no intervention during fermentation (and certainly no additives). The wine was aged primarily in stainless steel tanks, but a small amount (percentage unknown) was aged in neutral French oak and acacia barrels — which totally comes through in both the nose and the flavor profile.
13.5% ABV
Flavor Profile: Quivira Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc presents a pale yellow in the glass. The nose of the wine quite subdued — you have to really stick your nose in there, but you’ll get a good aroma of crisp green apple, a bit of kiwi, a hint of banana and in the background you’ll find white, soft nuts (I’m getting cashews maybe a hint of macadamia) that are just delicately kissed with a drop of honey. Subtle indeed, but I encourage you to take a moment and enjoy the hunt for these beautiful aromas.
The palate is truly something special because it maintains that subtlety sensed on the nose. You won’t be overwhelmed by those stereotypical tropical fruit flavors so engrained (at least in my mind) as the SB expectation. No. In fact, I find the primary texture to softer in tone bringing forward that honey-kissed-nut sensed on the aroma. If you’re paying attention the mid-palate comes with a bit of smoke or ash — just ever so slightly — before the acidity in that crisp apple and kiwi bust forward leaving a somewhat fizzle-y finish on the tongue and the roof of the mouth.
Though this is a light bodied wine, it’s fuller than your typical Sauv Blanc. The acidity is medium to high (certainly finishing on that high). The aftertaste, to me, is quite unique, quite fun. It’s like I’m at a campfire eating apple with nut-butter — it’s just a celebration of flavors and textures — even though I’ve already swallowed.
Food Pairing: The first time I enjoyed Quivira Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc I paired it alongside a spicy Thai dish: Pan-seared cod fillet immersed in a coconut-curry broth (containing thinly sliced green, red, and yellow jalepeño peppers, scallions, and various herbs) with a side of steamed jasmine rice. And it was beautiful. The spice in the broth really brought forward that smokey-ashy essence that’s oh so subtle, while the fruit notes in the wine did well to cut through those same spices. Meanwhile the bit of nutty-creaminess in the wine was amplified with the softness of the coconut milk and the steamed rice, both of which soothes the senses when eating a spicy Thai dish.
Was this the perfect pairing? Well, I loved it. I’m enthused to drink this wine again and pair it with something completely different like an apple, walnut, and funky-cheese salad. I think this wine would go really well with a funky-cheese (like a truffled gruyere).
More Info: This was actually my first taste of Quivira and, as you can probably guess, I’ll be coming back to this bottle again. I am quite curious about some of their more exclusive offerings. You know how I’m in to Rhone-style wines? Well Quivira has a few Rhone-inspired blends that I am more than eager to try — specifically the Roussanne-Viognier. So, my fellow wine-nerds, if I come across this bottle, I’ll be sure to sip and share.
For more information about Quivira Vineyards and to order their wines directly, please do visit the Quivira Vineyards website. I found this bottle of Quivira Vineyards Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc at Safeway (Sale Price: $11.99).
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