2004 Spring Mountain Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley California. $30 from Andrea Robinson Wine Club.
Pale yellow color, clear hue, rich aromas of tropical fruits and flowers, melon and citrus tastes with a pleasant peppery note and a persistent honey sweetness, smooth mouth feel with firm acidity, very refreshing despite the sweetness, long finish. I haven't liked this style as much as a drier, firmer acidity style, but this one worked wonderfully well with a simple vegetable stew -- the sweetness of the wine add a real balance ot the vegetables. No EGA. 3*+.
My experience with the vegetable stew combo has encouraged Janet and me to try Robinson's risotto soon.
Notes:
Winery: http://www.springmtn.com/
La Perla and Miravalle vineyards, 100% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% New French Oak Barrels, 90% 2-4 Year Old French Oak Barrels, 3,015 6-Pack Cases.
Rich, floral and tropical fruit aromas hover in the nose of this vintage’s gratifyingly balanced Sauvignon Blanc. Nuances of peach, melon and honey delight the palate, perhaps reminding one of swinging under an Oak tree on a warm, country summer day. Hints of tea, mango and lemon meringue pie co-mingle on the palate, producing a creamy texture and long finish, a tribute to the sur lie barrel aging process. A refreshing, yet elegant wine.
Andrea Robinson: All Sauvignon Blanc varietal wines made throughout the world are modeled on one of the two French classic versions - the stainless steel-fermented Loire Valley version associated with the regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, and the barrel-fermented and -aged version of Bordeaux associated with the Graves and Pessac-Leognan appellations. This sophisticated wine is inspired by the latter, and in fact when we have tasted it blind it has fooled us into thinking it was a white Bordeaux from one of the great Chateaus. But no, it is Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc at one-third the price!
It also differs from some of the great Bordeaux Chateaus in that it is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, whereas many of the Bordeaux benchmark wines have substantial proportions of Semillon blended in. The Semillon provides richness and a creamy mouth-feel that this wine manages to carry off without Semillon, thanks to its greater fruit ripeness. It is aged in 10% new and 90% two- to four-year-old French oak barrels. Why the mix? New barrels give a strong oaky-vanilla and spice character to the wine, too much of which would, in a white, overpower the fruit. This wine has just the right whiff of that richness. The older barrels allow a gentle oxidation of the wine, which softens the acidity and enriches the texture. The fruit flavors and scents of ruby red grapefruit, passion fruit, mango and tangerine, combined with the oaky creaminess, remind me of dessert - key lime pie, Pavlova, cheesecake - without any cloying quality. The vibrant acidity in the wine will allow it to age gracefully for 5-7 years and I encourage you to acquire some and do so if you have the storage space because it will achieve a gorgeous honeyed quality over time.
Try it with this wonderful risotto.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO Serves 4
6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
6 sage leaves, finely chopped
1/2 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan to a simmer. Turn the heat to low to keep warm. In a large, heavy saucepan, cook the bacon over medium until crisp. Drain on paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped sage and the squash. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, to coat the squash. Add the wine and 1 cup of the hot chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook at a bare simmer until the squash is softened, 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir in the rice and 1 cup of the stock and bring to a lively simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Continue to add stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid, until the rice is al dente and creamy in texture, about 25 minutes. If you run out of chicken stock before the rice is cooked through, add warm water to the rice. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon butter, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the risotto among 4 warmed bowls. Crumble a slice of bacon over each bowl. Serve immediately.