Edition #3: Week of July 17, 2023

     This week we're going to do a little dive into last week's memories of Sauvignon Blanc. This is where the word "terroir" comes up: essentially how soil, climate, and all atmospheric elements can change the profile of a single grape. We'll also take a trip to Spain to experience an aged, big, fat blend. This is another good week to fire up the barbeque.

2022 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc

$19.99    $15.99

Marlborough, New Zealand

    Here's where an understanding of terroir first arrives on our palate. Think about the white Bordeaux from last week, which contained over 75% Sauvignon Blanc (the balance made of Semillon.) That wine focused on grassy notes, some fresh yellow fruit, quince, etc., but New Zealand famously presents a different monster. So... why? Ultimately, it comes down to soil, but in this case it's mostly climate. Clay, loam, sand, limestone, and a wide variety of soil types are found all over the world, but the climate where the fruit is grown is an extremely important element in regards to overall wine profile. 

    Bordeaux is warm -- hot, actually (and it's getting hotter!) -- whereas New Zealand is considered a cool climate region. Sauvignon Blanc pretty much put New Zealand on the wine world map due to the incredible conditions. Since the climate is cool, the grapes can hang on the vines for a longer period of time before being too full of sugar due to too much sun exposure. With that extra hang time, there are new, riper flavours that develop inside of the fruit, which then translates into the wine.

    So, what is this famous Sauvignon Blanc like? Well, it's damn good, and I strongly encourage a parallel tasting next to the Mouton Cadet (or any other Sauvignon Blanc you can find from any other region in the world.) This Marlborough label has much stronger fruit-forward notes, primarily quince jelly, ripe yellow plum, lemon meringue pie, and yellow jolly rancher. Sounds good, doesn't it? Now put it in your mouth and appreciate that acidic ballet balanced by a round mid-palate. Makes sure this is nicely chilled before you put it in your face.

Food pairing: shellfish, grilled zucchini, goat cheese salad, pulled pork sandwich

2017 Monasterio de las Viñas Reserva

$15.99    $14.99

Aragón, Spain

    This may be nearly a six-year-old wine, but it's still tight. If you were to open this and drop it into your mouth immediately, you're going to find quite a grippy tannin structure (think of peeling a grape and eating only the skin,) and some pretty muted flavours of black pepper and earth. This is all typical, considering the blend of four burly grapes: Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cariñena, and Cabernet Sauvignon. These are big animals that need some taming

    So, how do we open this puppy up? This is where a decanter comes in. Tip the decanter on a 45-degree angle, and gently pour the wine into it, making sure that the liquid drapes down the neck into the wide base. Leave the decanter out for at least half an hour before drinking it. The idea is to introduce oxygen into the wine, which will then help it rapidly age, and then you have a perfectly drinkable wine. 

    If you don't have a decanter, you can pop the cork, take out a glass, and then put the cork back in the bottle. This will take a little longer to decant, but it still does the job. You can also start on that glass you already poured, but be sure to swirl it around a bunch so that the oxygen gets in there and the wine is essentially aging in the glass, getting ready for you to enjoy.

    Now that this wine is decanted, give it a sniff. You'll notice that the aromas are much more profound, accented in dark soil, blackberry, blueberry, tobacco, and black cherry. Due to the decanting, the tannin will also fade into a delicate texture, which balances nicely with the overall profile of this wine. Feel free to try some wine prior to decanting to better understand the reasoning behind this process.

Food pairing: barbeque ribs, hamburger, lamb shanks, mushroom risotto

TIP:      What is "Reserva"? Wine-aging classifications in Spain are split into three parts: 'Crianza'  is the first tier of aging, which assures that the wine in question has been aged for at least two years in barrel with a minimum of one year in bottle before sale; 'Reserva' states that the wine must be aged for three years, with at least one of those years in oak; 'Gran Reserva'  must be aged for at least five years with a minimum of three years in oak. This is why there are so many Spanish wines with such distant vintage dates. Just check them out at your local liquor store!