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More Sauvignon Blancs !

MURRIETA'S WELL

The Livermore Valley, located a short drive from our shop in Burlingame, is not on the radar screen of most wine aficionados.  The region was, decades ago, as prestigious as the Napa Valley and was the home to two prominent wineries.  

In the 1960s and 1970s, anybody who knew anything about California wine was buying Wente Brothers white wines and Concannon's reds from Livermore.  

In visiting Livermore several times over the past decade, or so, we've found very few wines to be of particular interest.  Many wineries seem to market themselves more as places to host a wedding than as serious wine growers or wine makers.  The Wood Family winery is one of our favorites, though.

With Wente and Concannon, these days, making wine for the marketing departments, we're pleased to report about a wine from Murrieta's Well.  Now this place is actually owned by Wente and yet it produces a stellar Sauvignon Blanc-based white wine comparable with any produced along the West Coast.

The property was owned by a French-born fellow named Louis Mel.  It was called "El Mocho Vineyard."  The neighbor, Charles Wetmore, who owned Cresta Blanca, traveled to France to visit the estate of the Marquis de Lur-Saluces at Chateau d'Yquem.  He obtained cuttings of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle which he brought back to Livermore, splitting them with Louis Mel.  The Mel vineyard was eventually sold to the Wente family and Lur-Saluces came to pay a visit.  He wanted to see "how his children were doing."  Lur-Saluces reportedly was impressed with the remarkable quality of Wente's wine.  Well, that was ages ago.

But the legacy, apparently, lives on.  I bought a bottle of this to see if the wine was as good away from Livermore as it tasted on a tour through the region.  I had been to visit a favorite Pessac-Léognan estate, Smith-Haut-Lafitte earlier that year and brought the bottle along to evaluate with my traveling companion from that journey.

He was impressed by the Murrieta's Well wine.  It's about 65% Sauvignon and 35% Sémillon.  Each fraction is aged separately in oak before blending.  About 60% of the blend undergoes a malolactic fermentation, yet the wine is still rather crisp and tangy.  A bottle of Smith-Haut-Lafitte now runs about $70 and it may be worth its lofty price.  Murrieta's Well, on the other hand, can be purchased in our shop for $19.99.  For most customers, that's an easy decision.

Oh, the estate takes its name from the legendary outlaw (or patriot, depending upon your perspective) from the 1850s.  Joaquin Murrieta is said to have led his band of desperados around California shortly after the Gold Rush and stopped regularly at this site to 'water' the horses he was accused of stealing.  

Currently in stock:  MURRIETA'S WELL 2007 Livermore Valley White Meritage  $19.99




THE OJAI VINEYARD
2008 Santa Barbara County  Sauvignon Blanc  Sold Out
Adam Tolmach is one of the leading winemakers in the Santa Barbara County area.  Never mind that his winery is actually located in neighboring Ventura County.

Adam has made Sauvignon Blanc for many years.  More than a decade ago the wine had a substantial percentage of Semillon and oak, his wines emulating some top white Bordeaux.  I'd say recent vintages have been more along the lines of Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé wines.

The grapes come from the Westerly vineyard, which is not in the western part of the Santa Ynez Valley but in the eastern portion of that appellation.  Adam gets them to farm it the way he prefers, viewing the wine more as an artistic endeavor rather than as a hugely commercial one.  The production per acre is rather small, but it does allow the grape to shine and bring along with it some "terroir."

The 2008 vintage is the current, recent release and, much like last year's wine, this is superb.  It's quite dry and has more of an herbal streak than citrus.  You can't mistake this for anything but Sauvignon Blanc.  That said, it's not a wine for the average wine drinker...it may actually put off some tasters since the character of the Sauvignon is rather intense.





MAURITSON
The Mauritson family has acreage in Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley.   Ages ago, it became apparent that this region was particularly well-suited to Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.  But many of the wineries which grow Sauvignon Blanc in Dry Creek now augment their wine with fruit from other areas.  

We like the Mauritson's wine because it tastes like Sauvignon Blanc from the Dry Creek Valley.  As it should.  There's a grapefruity and stony, minerally element we don't often find in California Sauvignons.  
 
Currently in stock:  2008 MAURITSON Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc $13.99
 




SELENE
The Selene label is that of winemaker Mia Klein.  She's worn a lot of winemaking hats, being affiliated with wineries such as Etude, Dalla Valle, Chappellet, Robert Pepi and now she's at Fisher Vineyards.  

Her Sauvignon Blanc comes from the famous Hyde Vineyards in Carneros.  This vineyard features a special clone of Sauvignon called Musqué.  It's said to be less vegetative in fragrance and flavor and more fruity: think tangy nectarine and grapefruit.  Ms. Klein gives the wine a bit of wood, but it's not the predominant character of the wine.   Some of the juice goes into oak and some into stainless steel.  All remains on the lees for several months to give the wine more richness and dimension.  

Selene Sauvignon is fairly full and intense, so pairing it with well-seasoned white meats or seafood is ideal.  The 2008 is superb...I've shared bottles of previous vintages with visiting winemakers from Europe who have been "wowed" by this wine.

Currently in stock: 2008 Selene Sauvignon Blanc (List $29)  SALE  $25.99
 
 

CLARK CLAUDON

The Clark Claudon label is better known for its Cabernet Sauvignon wine than for Sauvignon Blanc.

I've tasted this wine on several occasions and found it to be a most enchanting bottle of wine.  The fruit comes from vineyards managed by Clark & Claudon's son (Clark Vineyard Management).  It's entirely Sauvignon Blanc and one of the two clones is the aromatic Sauvignon Musqué.  We find citrusy, grapefruity notes and a peach-like tone in the wine.  It's dry, but not especially acidic...I almost wish it had a touch more of a 'bite' to it.  But it's a lovely wine, especially paired with seafood.

Currently in stock:  CLARK CLAUDON Napa "Wild Iris" Sauvignon Blanc $24.99

 

YORKVILLE

Ed and Deborah Wallo purchased a lovely piece of dirt in Mendocino County in the 1980s.  They'd read about the place in a Sunset Magazine article and purchased 110 acres.   They then set about resuscitating the few acres of grapes on the estate and planting more.  Today they farm about 30 acres of vines.

Yorkville is in the Anderson Valley and it's currently home to a handful of vintners.  It's 14 miles southeast of Boonville so it's a place unknown to most people.

The Wallos have been farming organically for decades, too.

They even have some sheep which roam around their property in a small effort to manage the weeds!

Sauvignon Blanc from Yorkville has often been good.  We have the 2006 presently and it's distinctively different from the Sauvignons from Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast.  The Wallos typically produce a wine we find more in the style of Bordeaux than Loire, though this vintage is 100% Sauvignon and has no Semillon (which they also grow).

The juice is fermented in oak, mostly French barrels and then the spent yeast is stirred regularly following the fermentation.  The wood is evident as just a note in this symphony and you won't find it excessive.   The aromas have an herbal character with a hint of lime and some minerality.  It's a medium-bodied dry white and perfect for seafood, especially dishes featuring a bit of tarragon.

Currently in stock:  2006 YORKVILLE CELLARS Sauvignon Blanc $14.99

 




CLOUDY BAY

cloudy_bay.gif (8876 bytes)This winery became an overnight success back in the mid-1980s on the strength of good wines and favorable reviews from some important critics. This winery is the leading name in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, though many New Zealanders are curious as to why the wine is SO popular, since they often  feel others do as fine a job with the grape. Well, when you're identified as the "best" (and the first), people tend to want to buy your wine. Imported to the U.S. market by the Clicquot Champagne folks, this wine is sold, for the most part, to those establishments which manage to move a lot of Clicquot Champagne. We like the Cloudy Bay wines and enjoy, from time to time, their Sauvignon Blanc. Some describe it as having the "gooseberry," citrus and lychee fragrances and flavors which are typical of New Zealand's Sauvignons.

Currently available: 2008 Sauvignon Blanc  $26.99

MULDERBOSCH
This is a highly-acclaimed Sauvignon Blanc estate in South Africa.

Their wine is somewhat akin to New Zealand Sauvignons, though there's a stony element which may remind you of Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume.

The wine is modest in terms of alcohol and oak is not a feature here.

Currently in stock:  2009 MULDERBOSCH Sauvignon Blanc $19.99

 

 
 
 

ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY
r_mondavi.gif (1060 bytes)Mr. Mondavi is to be credited with Sauvignon Blanc being as popular as it is in the U.S. market.  He made Sauvignon in 1966 as a dry wine.  In 1967 he made a sweet wine.  He came up with the name "Fumé Blanc" and his wine was instantly popular, a finer alternative to the white wines of those days:  Grey Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Green Hungarian and California "Chablis."  

Over the years they've continued to make good "Fumé Blanc," adding a "Reserve" bottling and a regional bottling to their line-up.  Most stunning is a Fumé Blanc from an old vineyard called "To Kalon," which has been planted since 1868 and was planted by Henry Crabb.  Mondavi claims it is the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vineyard in California.  They made a special bottling called "I-Block" amounting to but a few hundred cases.  Much in the style of a top white Bordeaux, this is excellent, but expensive.  It's a far cry from the watery wine they make out in Lodi's "Woodbridge" area!

Mondavi raised the price from an ambitious $50 to $75 and we lost interest in the wine...I noticed the distributor no longer even offers this special bottling, so I suppose the Mondavi folks are drinking it all themselves.
Currently in stock:   2002 Mondavi "To Kalon - I Block" Fumé Blanc Sold Out


 
TEMENT 
2005 Austrian SAUVIGNON BLANC "Zieregg"  $54.99
I am certain that few people walking through our doors has even the slightest clue that some of the world's best Sauvignon Blanc wines are made in Austria's Steiermark region.  

An Italian friend who lives in the Alto Adige (they call it the Sudtirol) told me he organizes a blind-tasting of Sauvignons every year and Tement's wine usually wins.

Not surprised.

Tement makes great Sauvignons.  He has two or three of them.  The normal bottling is nearly as aromatic and certainly as distinctive as a good New Zealand bottling.  Dry without being overly tart or lean.

The special bottling is called Zieregg and it's as costly as some of Didier Daguenau's Pouilly-Fumé wines and certainly in the same quality range.  This bottling features a nice bit of wood, too.  Not too much though.  It's not well-distributed these days, but every once in a while we get a call from someone who "knows."  If you've adventuresome, you may wish to join this exclusive little 'club'.
2005 is the current vintage.
Splendid, too.

 
 

NEUMEISTER
The Neumeister family has about 50 acres of vineyards in Austria's Steiermark region.  Located in the town of Straden, the, this is very close to Slovenia and Hungary.

Soil types here tend toward volcanic and basalt.  The rather cool climate produces marvelous Sauvignon Blanc wines and we're fond of the Neumeister's efforts.

Their "Klassik" Sauvignon Blanc is a delight.  


We currently have the 2003 vintage in stock and it's a remarkably fresh, citrusy and dry wine.  The grape dominates as oak is not a feature of this wine.  This is a good match for all sorts of seafood, but it can be partnered with well-seasoned, spicy foods, too.

Currently in stock:  2003 Neumeister Steierische Klassik Sauvignon  Sold Out


The Neumeister family has a modern tasting room, so if you find yourself in their neighborhood, do stop by.
They own a small "inn" called Schlafgut Saziani

which is most comfortable.  It's reasonably-priced, too.
Their restaurant was closed when we visited, but it's apparently a well-regarded, somewhat fancy place which is frequently written up in the various gourmet guides.  
Here's the website:  http://www.neumeister.cc/en_index.asp

 

CLOS HENRI  2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc $22.99

There has been quite a flood of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines arriving in our market.  It's no secret that many of the wines produced there are excellent expressions of the grape.

A real validation for the Marlborough region was the arrival of the Bourgeois family from France's Loire Valley.  Their arrival was rather like the Baron Rothschild's or Christian Moueix' interest in owning a piece of the Napa Valley far from their Bordeaux homes.  

Bourgeois is the leading ambassador for the Sauvignons from various top Loire appellations, especially that of Sancerre.  


The land purchased by the Bourgeois family was virgin vineyard territory, featuring three soil types.  They're planting several hectares annually and expect this to be a 12 year project before reaching the finish line.  They expect to plant about 65 hectares of the 100 hectare estate.

We find the Clos Henri wine to combine elements of top Loire Valley Sauvignons with top New Zealand wines.  Having notes of each makes for an unusually complex bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, no matter the wine's birthplace.   We like the minerality of this wine, as well as the spicy pineapple and citrus tones.  It's got more 'weight' than your average New Zealand Sauvignon, yet it's not as potent as most California Sauvignons.  

We're big fans and delighted to have some bottles to share with our customers.   Don't miss this.  I included the 2006 in a blind-tasting with 7 Loire Valley Sauvignons.  I ranked this in my top 3 and did not find it 'stood out' as something particularly different as would most New Zealand wines.


ROCHIOLI

The Rochioli story goes back to the late 1930s when they purchased some land in Sonoma's Russian River Valley.  For years they sold grapes to local wineries.  When it became fashionable to produce "single vineyard" wines with the grower identified on the label, the Rochioli name became well known for Pinot Noir.  

Like many growers, they saw the prices for wines made from their own fruit and decided they ought to use those grapes for their own brand.  And so, the Rochioli Winery was born in the 1980s.  Teaming up with a national marketing group, prices have escalated to the point where we no longer ask "What does this cost?," but "how much is the ransom?"

Sauvignon Blanc from this producer, though, is quite good.  It displays herbal and citrusy notes which makes it a good partner for seafood...especially dishes seasoned with lemon grass, cilantro, basil or mint.

Currently in stock:  2008 ROCHIOLI Sauvignon Blanc $39.99



FRITZ

The Fritz family purchased a Dry Creek area property in the late 1970s for weekend getaways.  Seeing so much viticultural activity in the area, they jumped into the grape-growing pool and soon found themselves taking a dive into winemaking.

Over the past several decades, the winery has offered some very good wines.  But it had been inconsistent in terms of quality/price ratios and so it's never really established itself as a great brand.  Today we're seeing some very good wines and they're offered at sensible prices.

We have a very good Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Fritz.  It's predominantly vinified in stainless steel, though they give a small percentage of the wine a few months aging in rather neutral oak barrels.  The resulting wine displays good varietal character, showing notes of grapefruit and sweet lemon.  It's dry and relatively low in alcohol as California wines go.  And it's a good value.

Currently in stock:  2007 FRITZ Russian River Valley SAUVIGNON BLANC $13.99

 





 
 
 
 
 



 

 





 

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