California Sauvignon Blanc remains as popular as ever, fueled by outstanding wines at reasonable prices. The category is a consistent source for fresh and fragrant white wines that pair well with a variety of foods and settings, yielding dozens of bottlings that emphasize the range of styles to choose from. There’s consistency from vintage to vintage and relatively affordable prices compared with similar quality wines made from other white grapes in the Golden State.
Looking at the 60-plus wines that rated 90 points or higher in my blind tastings since my previous report (“Sauvignon Blanc, California Style,” April 30, 2022), you can see impressive diversity among the top-scorers. In fact, the range of expressions is even more pronounced than in previous years.
The rich Greive Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley Double Eagle 2020 (94 points, $50) shows lanolin and honeysuckle notes, while Shared Notes delivers two distinctive offerings: the Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley Les Pierres Qui Décident 2021 (94, $75) features saline and dried ginger, and the Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon Russian River Valley Les Leçons des Maîtres 2021 (93, $75) offers a note of honey-drizzled melon. The aromatic Quintessa Sauvignon Blanc NapaSonoma Counties Illumination 2021 (93, $55) is among this report’s most memorable wines, a credit to winemaker Rebekah Wineburg.
There are many more wines worth highlighting from my recent tastings, yet none more notable than the Companion Wine Co. Sunny B Oliver’s Vineyard Edna Valley 2021 (90, $11 for a 375ml can), the best canned expression I’ve seen of the grape—and the first canned wine to make Wine Spectator’s annual Top 100 list.
Esta historia es de la edición May 31, 2023 de Wine Spectator.
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Esta historia es de la edición May 31, 2023 de Wine Spectator.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.
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Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:
War in Middle East Affects Vintners
The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.
Savoring Persimmon Season
For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"
Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack
Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.
Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!
Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"
Kistler's DARKER SIDE
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built
THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE
THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES
MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman
Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.
