Summer sipping: Sauvignon

Originally published on Facebook, July 1, 2012 at 10:04pm

I started drinking "serious" wine in the late 1970s. I quickly adopted wines made from the Sauvignon blanc grape as my favorite white table wines. Most Sauvignons from California were pretty insipid, but Robert Mondavi bottled his under the label "Fumè Blanc." I liked it. It reminded me of a good Pouilly Fumè...especially in his somewhat pricey "Reserve" edition. Best of all, though, were the really austere white wines of Bordeaux, often described as being "steely" of "flinty."

Like the rest of the wine-nut world, I was thrilled to discover the truly wonderful potential of this grape when examples from New Zealand first hit the wine stores around me about a decade ago. The Sauvignon from the Marlborough District was unlike anything before it: a combination of hard unripe "green" flavors and lushly rich tropical fruits. Like most good Sauvignons, they are very dry in the finish, but wonderfully complex and refreshing in the mouth. Tart, fruity, hard, lush...unusual at least, off-putting to many, but downright thrilling at their best. Following the lead of the Kiwis, other Antipodal winegrowers started making Sauvignon in this newer style: especially those in South Africa and Chile.

Tonight the temperature is hovering in the high 80s as we approach 10 pm. Humidity is not far behind, and the dew point is about the same as my skin temperature, judging from the dripping of my brow-sweat. I have chosen to chill out a with some Sauvignon that I made from a homemade kit wine, a Chilean Sauvignon blanc from Winexpert.

I'll spare you the tasting notes, except to say it is quite good, quite refreshing, and heads and shoulders above the affordable French and Californian examples I used to love. Not quite as good as Winexpert's New Zealand Sauvignon, which I have also made and will make again. And this wine costs me approximately 4 dollars a bottle. So why isn't everyone making some?

Okay, so not everyone wants to be a winemaker. So go out and find yourself a nice 8-12 dollar bottle of Chilean or NZ Sauvignon. If you don't like it, well, there is no accounting for taste. It is sure cooling down the inferno for me. Stay cool!

Blue Mountain Full Nelson Virginia Pale Ale

A Beer Advocate Review
Rating 4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I'm tasting this one poured from a can that is two days past its "best by" date. The pour produces a moderately full head of foam that fairly quickly subsides to a nice wreath with a lacey surface and well decorated sides to my goblet. The beer is perfectly clear, medium amber in color, and absolutely appropriate for an ENGLISH pale ale.

The aroma is primarily malty. Very lovely aromas of vanilla sugar cookies and caramel. I have had this beer often and, when it is fresh, there is no question that the hops are aromatic American types. I think the brewery actually uses estate grown Cascades. But in this example, there are no hints of pineapple or tangerines. The hope contribution to the aroma is slight, but clearly earthy. There is a very subtle note of oxidation, as well, although I don't find it detrimental in this case.

The flavor is wonderful. i think too many hopheads have reviewed this lovely ale. It is very much like a fine English strong ale or ESB. The body is medium full, rich, creamy. The hop bitterness is spicy, bracing and palate cleansing. Slightly more bitter than I personally prefer, but very appropriate for a big, rich, classical ale. 

Mouthfeel is, as I have hinted, medium-full, creamy, rich, beautifully balanced. The finish is dry, long, slightly too bitter for my liking, but otherwise fantastic. 

I really appreciate that Blue Mountain is making a very nice example of a classic Burton-style strong ale. Keep in mind that "strong" is a relative term. This is a fine English bitter pumped up to the "export" or ESB level in alcohol and hoppiness. Well done, Blue Mountain. Even this "past date" aluminum can is a very fine brew.

danmouer, 41 minutes ago  Edit  Delete