Spier - 2005 Private Collection Sauvignon Blanc

Spier is a South African Winery who's roots in the industry take back to the late 1600's.  They make wines in as many as 6 different tiers. Prices, styles and intent range amongst the tiers. Over the next few days I'll be looking at 4 wines in the Spier portfolio. The 2005 Sauvignon Blanc is from the Private Collection. This is the highest rung on the Spier quality scale.  The wines at this level are from single vineyard plots and released in limited quantity each year assuming the selected grapes are up to snuff. Suggested retail price on this wine is approximately $28.

The nose of this wine opens with a lot of citrus which is underscored by a subtler but persistent grassiness. The first sip reveals and incredible fruitiness and well balanced acidity. This wine is rounder and more full bodied than the average Sauvignon Blanc. The mid palate continues the citrus theme with an undercurrent of pineapple and a touch of green pepper. The finish is long and persistent with spice notes closing things out.

For a Sauvignon Blanc that's three years old as I write this, the Spier Private Collection is very fresh and lively. It has another 2-3 years of life ahead of it, assuming it's well stored.

Truthfully I don't often consider spending the sort of money on a Sauvignon Blanc that this wine goes for. That said it's one of the more impressive and complex Sauvignon Blanc's I've had in a long while. And while the retail is in the upper $20's, this wine can be found for much closer to $20. At that price Spier is offering a wine that straddles the world of Sauvignon Blanc's. It has the citrus associated with them in many parts of the world as well as some of the grassiness most often associated with Sauvignon Blanc emerging from New Zealand.

Up Next: Spier Private Collection Pinotage.

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Schug - 2006 Sauvignon Blanc

Up first, in my coverage of Schug Carneros Estate wines, is their 2006 Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit was sourced from several diverse vineyards in Sonoma County and just over 1,600 cases of this wine were produced. Retail price on this Sauvignon Blanc is $18. A ton of grapefruit is the main story of this Sauvignon Blanc's nose. The first sips reveals an accompanying zesty tartness. That tartness disappears pretty quickly as the wine opens up a bit in the glass. This gives way to a lot more fruit flavors that coat the mouth through the mid-palate. More grapefruit, melon and lychee fruit come out and carry on through the substantial finish, which also features an underlying spiciness that tingles the tongue and back of the throat in a very pleasant manner. This wine is clean, crisp and very well balanced. Some of the wine was aged in large oak casks. This added a layer of complexity, but is subtle enough not to detract from the fruit.

This Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent match for mild cheeses. I had it with a wine cured goat cheese and found it to be a perfect complement. I expect it would also be a terrific match for entree salads and other lighter foods. Though it's built for food, this wine also works well sipped on it's own. Drinking it made wish for summer to get here quickly.

For $18 the 2006 Schug Sauvignon Blanc is undoubtedly a good buy. What impressed me the most about it is the impeccable balance and restraint it shows. Often Sauvignon Blancs swing too far one way or the other for my taste. The 2006 Schug Sauvignon Blanc however, is right in my sweet spot for this varietal.

Tomorrow: A look at two distinct Chardonnays from Schug Carneros Estate.

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Shannon Ridge Vineyards and Winery

Napa and Sonoma get a lot of attention for producing great wines. Much of it is deserved, but there are several areas in California that aren't as well known yet, also producing noteworthy wines. One of those regions is Lake County California. Many well known wineries from outside Lake County have been sourcing fruit there for years. Now the number of wineries in the area is also growing. One of these Wineries is Shannon Ridge. They were founded in 2002 and currently produce about 13,000 cases of wine. Their winery sits on 1,000 acres in Lake County. Eventually they plan to have between 60 and 70 percent of that land under vine.  The rest will be preserved for the wildlife that roam the area in and around them.

Sauvignon Blanc is one of 3 whites Shannon Ridge made in the 2006 vintage. It hits you immediately with a big nose full of citrus and guava notes. The first sips are surprising considering how big the nose is. This Sauvignon Blanc hits the palate gently at first. The citrus is present but not overwhelming.  The mid palate of this wine is quite delightful. It absolutely dances on the tongue, balancing citrus, gooseberry and a nice acidity. It fills the mouth, but drinks smoothly with no sharp edges. The finish is significant, long enough in fact to be noticeable and impressive. Although this Sauvignon Blanc drinks beautifully on it's own, it will also pair well with a variety of different foods. I found it to be a wonderful match with Chinese Pork Dumplings. The suggested retail price is $16.00 although Wine-Searcher.com shows it can be found in some shops for a few dollars less. Well worth the money.

At just over 3,700 cases the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon stands as Shannon Ridge's largest production of 2006. The Sauvignon Blanc was close at 3,600 cases. The Cabernet has berries on the nose and the first sip reveals a touch of tartness. This likely comes from the 10% Petite Verdot that was blended in. After the wine had time to breathe that touch of tartness softened up and the wine had a more luxurious quality to it. White pepper is the story of this Cabernet's mid palate. If you enjoy the spice on your tongue and the back of your throat that comes from those peppery notes this is indeed a Cabernet to seek out. Along with the spice there are lots of deep, dark berry notes present. A touch of oak shows up but does not overwhelm the palate in any way. This is definitely a Cabernet that is ready to drink now. It will also marry well with a wide variety of foods. I had it with pork and it was a nice accompaniment. It's is however a Cabernet Sauvignon that is smooth enough to enjoy on it's own. The suggested retail price is $19.00 but Wine-Searcher once again shows it can be found for a couple of dollars less in some instances. A solid Cabernet to drink in it's youth and a must for lovers of strong white pepper notes.

Significantly smaller in production than the other two wines is their 2006 Syrah. This less than 1,500 case lot has 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petite Verdot blended in. The first thing that hit me from this Syrah was a huge nose filled with Blackberries. Sipping it the Syrah reveals itself to be pretty big and bold. There is a bit of jam that brings to mind Zinfandel. That thought only lingers briefly though. The mid palate brings on some mocha notes and more dark berry fruit. This Syrah is full bodied, mouth filling and an absolute pleasure to drink. The finish has blueberry notes as well as a hint of malted chocolate. It lingers on the palate for a good long while. A treat to drink on it's own this Syrah will pair well with roasted meats, BBQ and perhaps even dark chocolate among others. Retail on this wine is also $19.00. As with the others I found it to be fairly priced.

All three wines I previewed from Shannon Ridge Vineyards and Winery are enjoyable and worth seeking out. However, I found the Sauvignon Blanc to be the most unique of the three and worth going that extra mile to find if you have to. In the grand scheme of things Shannon Ridge are a fairly young operation. With these wines, they show themselves to be one to watch.

Hall - Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

  Depending on where it's from and how it's made Sauvignon Blanc can take on many distinct flavor profiles. Taste a well made example from New Zealand side by side with a Sauvignon Blanc from anynwhere else in the world if you need proof that wine can have a sense of place.

The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc from Hall in Napa Valley leads with a citrus laden nose. A hint of guava follows behind it.

The first sip reveals more citrus accompanied by an undercurrent of mineral and a well defined sense of acidity.

Zest comes through heartily on the mid-palate and hangs through the long, lingering finish.

There is a cleanliness to this wine that makes it incredibly refreshing and easy to drink. It's long finish and complexity however make it a Sauvingon Blanc to contemplate.

This is unquestionably a wine to take seriously. Suggested Retail Price is $20.00. However a quick look at Wine-Searcher.com reveals it can be found for as low as $15.00. This is an extremely well made wine easily worth either price.

Some Napa wineries seem to treat Sauvignon Blanc as an afterthought. Just a white wine to pour before the big reds. Thankfully that's not always the case. When made well, Sauvignon Blanc can be a revelation. It's clear that Hall treats theirs with as much care, gentle handling and respect as the rest of their well regarded portfolio of wines.