By Tom Marquardt And Patrick Darr
The oppressive heat we are experiencing this summer is a challenge for wine drinkers who are determined to eat al fresco. Even in the evening hours, the temperatures can exceed 80 degrees – too warm for most red wines.
While keeping hydrated is very important in these blistering temperatures, you can still enjoy a glass of chilled wine.
We find ourselves turning regularly to rose, an inexpensive and versatile wine that is best drunk chilled. But we also like sauvignon blanc, a wine with high acidity to embrace the warmth and serve as a foil to herb-scented or salty foods. Its varietal pineapple and citrus flavors complement cheese, fruit, salads, fish and chicken – summer staples.
The flavor profile can range from the grassy, tart sauvignon blancs from New Zealand to the rounder, Semillon-blended versions from Bordeaux. California sauvignon blanc tends to be less tart and more friendly. Some of the more expensive versions are even aged in oak barrels.
The best values in sauvignon blanc come from Chile.
Here are several sauvignon blancs we have sampled this summer:
Matanzas Creek Winery Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($25). Ripe honeydew melons combine with citrus and nectarine to make for a nicely layered wine.
Brandlin Estate Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($45). Aged for 11 months in cigar-shaped French barrels, this extraordinary sauvignon blanc is the best we have tasted this year. Rich from lees contact and lush in texture, it has more layers of fruit character than most sauvignon blancs. Floral aromas with fresh and lively citrus and grapefruit flavors.
Murphy Goode North Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($18). Pineapple, citrus and white peach notes dominate this multi-layered, well-priced sauvignon blanc.
Carmel Road California Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($18). Simple but refreshing, this wine has orange and grapefruit flavors.
Justin Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($16). Simple yet delicious, this wine has classic citrus and herbal notes with a touch of minerality to keep it interesting.
Darioush Sage Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($65). Very complex for this wine category, the Darioush has all the hallmarks of what makes its wines so good. Lush mouthfeel with bright citrus notes and a lingering, flinty finish.
Markham Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($30). The musque clone used in this nicely textured wine provides an herbaceous aroma with generous floral notes as well. Flavors are varietal pineapple and melon notes with a hint of lime and lemon.
The Paring Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($25). The texture of his Santa Barbara wine is richer than most sauvignon blancs. Complex aromas of white peach, melon and orange marmalade. We loved it.
Alma de Cattleya Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($25). Lemon, melon and a bit of grapefruit highlight this delicious value. The Mount Veeder grapes give it a solid backbone. Varietal grapefruit notes mingle with lemongrass and toast. Soft mouthfeel is balanced with acidity.
Justin Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($18). From the Templeton Gap area of the Central Coast, this lively sauvignon blanc has lime and apple aromas followed by pineapple and peach flavors with a hint of limestone.
Carmel Road California Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($18). Simple but with good varietal flavors of citrus and grapefruit.
Chalk Hill Estate Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($38). Herbal, grassy, lemon notes with a streak of minerality. Chalk Hill also makes a delicious Windy Ridge version from a single vineyard block that is more elegant with tropical fruit notes and tamed acidity.
Silverado Vineyards Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($30). The vineyard for this special wine is located south of Yountville. Citrus and melon notes with a bit of grapefruit and bright acidity.
Gerard Bertrand Change Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($17). Balanced acidity, refreshing and with notes of orange, lime, peach and pineapple. Great value.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($12). A great value from Washington, this simple and medium-body sauvignon blanc has pineapple, herb and citrus notes.
Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($16). This is a classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc with vibrant herbal, citrus and grassy character. It would be perfect with raw vegetables.
Kenefick Ranch Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($30). This gem from Calistoga has grapefruit and mango notes with a mineral finish and a dash of herbs.
Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($30). Bright kiwi and grapefruit flavors with crisp acidity and a tangy finish.
Cuvaison Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($28). Floral aromas with grapefruit, tangerine and citrus flavors. Good acidity but still round ni the mouth.
Gamble Family Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($45). Gamble uses four clones – two originating in Loire and two in Bordeaux — in this complex and broad-shouldered sauvignon blanc. For us it mirrored the sauvignon blancs we enjoy from the Loire Valley. Citrus and white peach notes abound.
Duckhorn Vineyards North Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($32). The addition of semillon to this wine rounds off the corners of the high acidity and the touch of new French oak gives the wine more dimension. Tropical fruit and pineapple, citrus notes.
Wine picks
H3 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($15). Bold in style with a good dose of cocoa to add to the generous black cherry flavors. Good value from Washington state.
Vara Tinto Especial 2020 ($45). Albuquerque-based Vara Winery & Distillery has a big hit with this delicious, full-bodied blend. It draws carinena (29 percent) and mencia (28 percent) from Spain to add to cabernet sauvignon (15 percent) and tempranillo (10 percent) from Central California. The rest consists of garnacha, syrah and merlot from Spain. That’s quite an eclectic collection to produce a round, fruit-forward blast of black cherries, plums and boysenberries with hints of mint and slate.
Lake Sonoma Winery Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($55). Forward, ripe fruit of blackberries and plums with hints of mocha.
Republished with permission
Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr have been writing a weekly wine column for more than 30 years. Additional Wine reviews on MoreAboutWine
All photos are randomly selected and do not indicate any preferred wine. Listed prices are subject to change and do not include tax or shipping.
You can send questions to Tom Marquardt marq1948@gmail.com
Always drink responsibly![/vc_message]
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
