Attributes:

Kenwood

Sonoma County, United States

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2005: CGCW Rating: 89

concentrated, fruity

2005: WineEnthusiast Rating: 84

crisp

gooseberry, grass

2004: CGCW Rating: 89

powerful

melon, minerally, oak, pear, smoky

2004: WineEnthusiast Rating: 90

complex

oak

ripe

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 87

lively, tangy, tart

2002: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

clean, soft

delicious

grapefruit, grass, lime, vanilla

2002: CGCW Rating: 85

chalk, herbs, oak, spice

smooth

2002: WineAndSpirits Rating: 88

light

Food Matches:

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

Like its neighbor Napa, Sonoma is a small area filled with independent wineries and characterized by microclimates that vary according to the topography. The coolest parts of Sonoma are the fog-filled south, where the grape varieties are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Northwards up the valley the climate warms and provides a good base for Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. In general Sonoma wines are less dramatically flavorful than those of Napa. Cabernet Sauvignon is relatively soft, with blackcurrant fruit, minty and eucalyptus perfume, and some soft buttery oak. Zinfandel ranges from soft and gulpable to massive bramble and pepper styles. Chardonnay is rich and juicy, especially from the Russian River, and Sauvignon Blanc can be zingy and grassy. Most Sonoma wines have a freshness and a soft edge which makes them very suitable for drinking on their own, however they partner well with strongly flavored fish and meat dishes. The old-style Zinfandels are delicious with spicy cuisine.

Attributes:

Les Tuileries

Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux - White

750 ML

Food Matches:

A region in western France that grows famous red wines from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes and white wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle grapes. Situated on the Atlantic coast, Bordeaux has a maritime climate with warm summers and fairly mild winters as well as an abundance of rain during harvest time. When young, the finest red Bordeaux wines have a deep cranberry hue and aromas of blackcurrants, plums, spice, cedar, and cassis. For the first ten years or so these wines can be very dry, with tannin masking the fruity flavors. Eventually the wines turn garnet, and develops an extraordinarily complex bouquet and flavor as well as softer tannins. The finest red Bordeaux wines still take 20 years or so before reaching their maturity. Two distinct red wine production zones exist within the Bordeaux region; the Left Bank and the Right Bank. The Left Bank vineyards are located west of the Garonne River and the Gironde Estuary, into which the Garonne empties. The Right Bank vineyards are east and north of the Dordogne River and east of the Grionde Estuary. Of the various wine districts on the Left and Right Banks, four are the most important for red wines: Haut-Médoc; Pessac-Leognan, St-Emilion, and Pomerol. For white wines, the most important are Graves and Pessac-Leognan.

Attributes:

Evans and Tate

Western Australia, Australia/New Zealand

Cabernet Sauvignon

750 ML

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 78

light

vegetal

2002: WineEnthusiast Rating: 88

strong

Food Matches:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.

Western Australia is the largest state in Australia. Covering one third of the mainland, most of the wine regions within the state are concentrated in the southwest corner. The first inhabitants of Australia arrived from the north approximately 40,000 to 60,000 years ago. The country originally had no native grapes. Australian made wine was available for sale domestically by the 1820s. Gregory Blaxland became the first person to export Australian wine, and was the first winemaker to win an overseas award. The climate of this region is basically continental, with high summer daytime temperatures and cold nights, which compliment the production of spicy, Rhone like red and white wines. About 130 different grape varieties are used by commercial winemakers in Australia; the staples of region are Shiraz (a.k.a Syrah), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.