The Results Are In
Here I am a full 48 hours after the big event, and I’m still undecided as to what I should write. I’ll start off by saying that I enjoyed sitting down with several wines and spending some 1 on 1 time with each. I feel like I achieved what I set out to do-create a basis to further explore Sauvignon Blanc wine. We tried five very different wines from four continents. Some were better than others, yet I connected with each one on a personal level. This is somewhat strange, I’m referring to wine as if were a person, and in many ways it is. True, all of the wines were composed primarily of the same grape and underwent the same processes, but they were all very unique in their own way.
Sauvion Sancerre-Loire Valley, France $18. This was the top of the list for me. I’m partial to French wines, and this bottle really came through. I was apprehensive after examining the sight and smell, because there was nothing to suggest that it would be any different from the others. In fact, I really got little from the aroma. But once I took that first sip, I knew it was the one. Fiona didn’t care for it, which was great for me because I got to finish the bottle.
Dancing Bull-California $8. The lowest priced bottle we tasted was surprisingly good. This was Fiona’s favorite of the bunch. It’s just a simple bottle of wine that has a really good balance and taste. Unpretentious. I feel that this was the closest to really conveying what the grape is all about. It tasted like grapes, and I like that.
Bogle-California $9. This bottle goes in the middle because both of us were really indifferent about it. Nothing really stood out. I can’t say anything bad about it, but there’s nothing really good to say about it either. I would drink it again, but probably not buy it. A couple of years ago I would have probably loved it. It has that light beer quality that makes it easy to drink. I’m just looking for a little more than that from a wine.
Casa Lapostolle-Chile $10. This was the wine I went to after I finished Frenchie. There was something about it that drew me back to it. It was the least fruity of all the selections and had a truly unique scent. It really lingered around for a while; I kept going back for more because it was so different. I think this wine would work better standing alone rather than going head-to-head with other Sauvs. As I’m writing this, I’m still trying to figure it out.
Porcupine Ridge-South Africa $11. The bottle’s still in the fridge with an inch or two of wine left. That’s not saying that it’s bad, but it wasn’t our favorite. It did help to bridge the fruity to the more earthy, grassy flavor that can show up. To be honest, the only reason there’s any left is because I started eating. Once I hit food mode, I’m done with wine.
I reaffirmed two things that I was pretty sure of on Saturday. 1) The French really know how to make wine. 2) I prefer for wine to let the fruit show through and speak for itself. There’s one problem, these two statements really seem to contradict each other. I’m aware of that. But I’m a truly complex person so it’s ok.
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Hooray! Tasting notes! Congrats on the Sauv tasting. I love French wine, too. I don’t think your two statements contradict each other. That fruit of which you speak holds a world of secrets and delights and it takes a truly careful winemaker to coax it out.
I guess about the same time you were doing this, Morag and I were drinking a fatty ‘98 Muga Rioja. Wooooweeee. It distracted me.
Great job! I can’t wait to see more events like this in the future!
It’s funny you mention the Bogle. I actually like their Merlot for a cheap bottle. I haven’t tried anything else that they make.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Well done on doing the tasting notes and on the result with which I wholeheartedly agree. My experience has been that about 4-5 years ago I found the Casa Lapostolle and thought it had no equal, but then I ventured into the next level up and here we are at the Sauvion Sancerre. It is exciting to realise that there are higher planes awaiting. I congratulate you on getting your thoughts on the wines down on paper. I have to confess I have trouble doing this. I enjoy wine, have opinions, like reading about them, but I just cannot formulate thoughts about fruit and all that. But since we arrived at the same conclusinon, maybe it doesn’t matter. My buddy who just got the knighthood always impressed me with his ability to verbalise about literature which I could never do either…
Josh - try Bogle’s Petite Sirah, it is a pretty good Rhone-style wine.
I agree, roll on the next tasting. I’m thinking of taking a look at Italian reds next, not something I know much about.
June 24th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
@Chieftain - I’ll give the Bogle a shot. Speaking of Italian Reds, I have been wanting to try the Michele Chiarlo “Le Orme” Barbera d’Asti. Let me know if you can find it down there.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:34 am
The Wall Street Journal ran an article on either Friday or Saturday last week about how to run a wine tasting…
Josh - I tried a red last night called something like Antillo Borghelli “Podere Guadra del ???”. 70% Sangiovese, 20 Cab, 10 Petite Verdot, it was really smooth. But all I can deduce is that Borghelli is a small growing area that specializes in Cab, presumably Antillo is a “lower” section, Podere means vineyard, so presumalby the last is its name. I’ve a long way to go to sort out what these long strings of names really signify.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:51 am
@Chieftain - Was it this?
Podere Guado al Melo ANTILLO Bolgheri DOC
Petit Verdot, huh? Interesting. Maybe for structure. Although, I don’t know what Petit Verdot does in Tuscany.