California Sauvignon Blanc Tasting and Food Pairing - Part 1

If you want to Eat, Drink and be Merry, take the time to enjoy both your food and wine by consciously tasting your food and wine.  First, selectively shop and prepare a meal you like.  Second, consider a wine that will enhance or maybe simply just bring you the greatest pleasure with your food.  Food and wine pairings can make an ordinary meal extraordinary and memorable.  The bonus - you learn more about the wines you like!

I have long been a fan of Sauvignon Blanc.  My introduction to Sauvignon Blanc was when I worked at Clos du Bois Winery.  Back then Clos du Bois produced a Graves style Sauvignon Blanc blended with Semillon and stainless steel fermented.  When I was a stay at home mom, the budget ruled and Sauvignon Blanc was affordable and I usually picked up Geyser Peak, I liked the grassy herbaceous style.  Now years later, I am still enjoying my fair share of Sauvignon Blanc.   I know why after reading "What to Drink with What you Eat" by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page,  Sauvignon Blanc complements the foods I like to eat.  Vegetables from the farmers market, fish, chicken ~ Mediterranean, Mexican and Middle Eastern cuisines.

The world of Sauvignon Blanc has grown since I had my first glass.  Some of the top Sauvignon Blanc growing regions are the Loire Valley in France, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume,  Marlborough in New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and of course, California.  Like all wine, the end product is influenced and determined by terroir (soil & environment), climate, wine making, vintage, vineyard practices....and the list goes on.  

So I know I like Sauvignon Blanc, but with so many good choices and top growing regions, I want to hone in on what style and regions I actually like, paired with the foods I like to eat.  In other words, side by side tastings of top Sauvignon Blanc growing regions.  

Part one:  California Sauvignon Blanc with a simple Greek Style Herb Chicken Salad (fresh greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, feta cheese and a vinegar olive oil vinaigrette.  Herb chicken is from the previous post and homemade Naan bread.

To keep track of how I rate the wines I'll use "What to Drink with What you Eat" five point scale ( +2 to -2, best to worst)

Part 1 - California Sauvignon Blanc

1.  2013 Frog's Leap

12.4% alcohol

100% Sauvignon Blanc

100% Rutherford

100% Stainless-Steel fermented and aged

My Tasting Notes:  Beautiful grassy nose, nice acidity and crispness.  Notes of citrus and herbs.

With a Greek Style Herb Chicken Salad:  Crispness was mellowed, the fennel from the chicken came alive, nice balance and depth of overall flavor.  Both the food and wine enhanced. 

Rating: +2

2.  2013 Geyser Peak

13% alcohol

97% Sauvignon Blanc 3% Viognier

Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Solano and Clarksburg Counties

100% Stainless-Steel fermented

My Tasting Notes:  Citrus nose, lighter, nice acidity with hints of lime and grapefruit.  Finishes soft but flat.

With a Greek Style Herb Chicken Salad:  Good but neutral neither wine nor food enhanced.

Rating: 0

*Just for fun also tried with Tzatziki it was a match that greatly enhance both the wine & food.  The wine came alive with more crispness and acidity and the garlic in the Tzatziki was nicely highlighted.

3.  2013 Duckhorn

13.5% alcohol

84% Sauvignon Blanc 16% Semillon

Napa Valley

Barrel fermented in new oak, 5 months on the Sur-lies

My Tasting Notes:  Grassy Mineral nose, crisp with a melon richness.  More complex and longer flavor finish.

With a Greek Style Herb Chicken Salad:  More layers of flavor came through especially in the wine.  Good but not a wow food pairing. 

Rating:  +1

In conclusion, the more you taste, the more you learn, the better you get.  

3 Tasting Steps from "What to Drink with What you Eat" - Look - Smell - Taste.

Remember - everyone's palate is different, you are not wrong if you taste something different from someone else.  It is helpful to know grape varietal characteristics and regional styles.

Highly recommended reading - "What to Drink with What you Eat" by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page