August Wine Focus: Grapes named Blanc

[Robin Garr]

August starts tomorrow, and since it's Friday, let's go ahead and get the new Wine Focus started already in case anyone wants to open a bottle tonight.

This month we're taking a wide focus, bringing in any grape named Blanc that you can find. This includes Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, of course, but also Grenache Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Ugni Blanc, maybe even a sparkly blanc de blancs! Don't draw a Blanc (sorry! ) this month. Find a Blanc you like, taste it, and come tell us about it!

Great theme this month. Just back from butterflying in S BC and spent most of my time away from the Okanagan tourist circus!

[David M. Bueker]

Believe it or not I am going to open at least one SB.

One Pinot Blanc for benefit of Jenise...hoopla.

Works for me. Got Chenin Blanc.

How about Mel Blanc? (Sorry, sorry, I know; I'm dethpicable.)

Considering today is 102 I like the theme!

I'm getting confused not only by the day and date but also which month it is. When I read this thread yesterday I thought 'woo-hoo' I've got a Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge already for dinner. Now I realise that yesterday was 31 July. But. It was probably August in some part of the word....

This time of year retailers here are discounting their NZ savvies, presumably to make way for the new vintage which must already be on the seas heading towards us. So Jo bought a case of our 'go-to' NZ savvie and this is it...

20200501_Villa-Maria-SB-19.png

2019 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin (New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough)

We don't drink much white, and if I'm going to go white I want one that tastes, the devil take subtlety!

Oz Clarke once characterised NZSB as like 'bungee jumping into a gooseberry bush'.

Private Bin is the basic line or lowest rung in Villa Maria's 6 level range and it's pretty impressive how they maintain quality with large production. This has all the tastes I want: new mown grass after a summer shower, gooseberries galore and refreshing crisp acidity. We've been drinking a lot of Villa Maria since we sat next to the founder/owners Sir George and Lady Gail Fistonich one lunch. We've also visited the winery in Auckland a couple of times. It is next to the airport so is a good place to lunch before flying out; last time we had lunch with Sue (of this parish) & Neil Courtney



fact sheet

Here in France, "Chenin" and "Sauvignon" are most often referred to without the qualification "blanc". The first two of the other grapes mentioned have "blanc" as part of their name to distinguish them from the grape of the same name with a different colour, e.g. Grenache noir or Grenache gris.

That won't stop me from pulling out, say, a Vouvray or Sancerre and posting about them this month .

Offhand, I can't think of a wine made from Ugni Blanc (aka Trebbiano), as distinct from a brandy, which I really like.

How about Mel Blanc? (Sorry, sorry, I know; I'm dethpicable.

Does a "BLANC de MALBEC" qualify? (Its the name of the wine / wine type)


Salute

Not according to the thread title...*

Same as Blanc de Blanc Champagne doesn't match.

Sauvignon Blanc may be colloquially known as just Sauvignon in France (and there was me thinking Sancerre/Pouilly Fume), but it matches the name of the thread as the grape name is Sauvignon Blanc which distinguishes it from Sauvignon Vert, Rose, Gris and Rouge.

*though when has that ever stopped us

[Jenise]

How about Mel Blanc? (Sorry, sorry, I know; I'm dethpicable.)

LOL.

[Jenise]

Considering today is 102 I like the theme!

Sunny and about 74 F here. Very breezy, good sailing weather. You should never have left!

Already 80 and humidity 96% so a Blanc wine as next bottle sounding better and better.

[Jenise]

I recently acquired a case of the Phelps Creek Sauv Blanc below and we opened a bottle yesterday. The winery is located on the Oregon side of the Gorge, which I happen to think is the most exciting viticultural area in WA right now. I love living in a place where wine areas are growing and new discoveries are happening all the time. Can't resist pairing this review with one on another Sauv Blanc from relatively close by but from lush Valley fruit that we had about two weeks ago--the two couldn't wines have been more different.

2017 Phelps Creek Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Gorge
Love this style SB. Electrifying acidity and gooseberry etc fruit dominated by loads of fresh cut grass. No oak. Underlying minerality, typical of Gorge fruit, is fantastic.

2018 Andrew Rich Sauvignon Blanc Croft Vineyard Willamette Valley
Not often do you taste a wine that blows away every frame of reference for place/grape that you have, but that also dazzles you completely. But this is that wine. Great body and nervy acidity with white nectarine, grapefruit, sweet basil and cloves. Very much in the same lane as Rochioli SB out of California which I worship. Never expected a wine like this from Oregon!

[Jenise]

One Pinot Blanc for benefit of Jenise...hoopla.

Hey, one of the great wines of the OK Valley are the pinot blancs. They have heft, precision and minerality of a type virtually unknown to that grape when grown in Oregon or California. Drink one for me, Bob!

I recently acquired a case of the Phelps Creek Sauv Blanc below and we opened a bottle yesterday. The winery is located on the Oregon side of the Gorge, which I happen to think is the most exciting viticultural area in WA right now. I love living in a place where wine areas are growing and new discoveries are happening all the time. Can't resist pairing this review with one on another Sauv Blanc from relatively close by but from lush Valley fruit that we had about two weeks ago--the two couldn't wines have been more different.

2017 Phelps Creek Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Gorge
Love this style SB. Electrifying acidity and gooseberry etc fruit dominated by loads of fresh cut grass. No oak. Underlying minerality, typical of Gorge fruit, is fantastic.

2018 Andrew Rich Sauvignon Blanc Croft Vineyard Willamette Valley
Not often do you taste a wine that blows away every frame of reference for place/grape that you have, but that also dazzles you completely. But this is that wine. Great body and nervy acidity with white nectarine, grapefruit, sweet basil and cloves. Very much in the same lane as Rochioli SB out of California which I worship. Never expected a wine like this from Oregon!

Your notes sure have me interested. Bummer. Not available locally.

TN: 2013 Spier Chenin Blanc 21 Gables, Stellenbosch S Africa.

One of the best CBs out of S Africa in my opinion. 14 months in French oak, 60% new. 14% alc, Lot 4-087. SC, I usually cellar 4 yrs, $31 Cdn and I like to serve quite chilled.

Shows no real sign of age, medium yellow, not even close to gold.
Apricot, pear, mineral, hint of smoke after an hour. Taster across the table thought "vanilla".
Initial entry thought was some sweetness and nicely evolved. Very good fruit balance here, oak has integrated for sure. No downside here! Pineapple, peach, apricot..thirst quenching. Has slight honeyed edge after a couple of hrs, "not too citrussy". This wine was still drinking nicely on day 2. Bravo!

Next up...2018 Gisselbrecht Pinot Blanc. The owner of the store downtown thought perfect for this months Focus!!

Spier is a good winery, and 21 Gables is their premium label.

Sounds good. I've had Spier's Chenins in the past and many 21 Gables, but I don't recall any 21 Gables Chenin. Good is was drinking well 7+ years after vintage

[Jenise]

Last night on a friend's patio while cooling off from what passes for sweltering heat in the Pacific Northwest--76F--we enjoyed a 2019 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc. This is a very good vintage for this wine that, thanks to Costco pricing, has become a summer staple at both our homes. There's a creaminess in this wine that lends sophistication to the classic citrus basket that is the NZ profile.

I love the wine, but the WOW moment belonged to what we opened next, the 2019 Massican Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley. Encouraged by notes by David and Tom Hill (I think), as well as a really great bottle of the 2015 we had somewhere two years ago, I sought this out. Not as chiseled as the '15 was, and more concentrated, it's brilliantly attenuated with limestone, lime, orange zest, bay leaf and cardamom. Must buy more!

Second day note: we didn't finish the Massican until last night where the alcohol was pretty prominent, seemed more than the 13.9% indicated on the label.

LWS has the Greywacke for $16. Good deal?

Of course, the Dashwood at $10 looks decent. If they had the PN I'd put it on my list. In the past, that PN was $8 and QPR was fab.

Massican new name to me.
Think I will pick up a NZ Gravel and Loam when downtown. Thinking BC, I have never come across a decent SB.
Somewhere, I have a note on a Saumur Blanc.

[Jenise]

LWS has the Greywacke for $16. Good deal?

Of course, the Dashwood at $10 looks decent. If they had the PN I'd put it on my list. In the past, that PN was $8 and QPR was fab.

Yes, the Greywacke is more than twice as good for less than twice the price.

Not sure how many Pinot Blanc fans are here but winestore downtown had a couple from Alsace. I decided on the Gisselbrecht as they seem to turn out some excellent whites..Riesling and Gewurz.

TN: 2018 Gisselbrecht Pinot Blanc Tradition, Alsace.

Good nat cork, 12% alc, $22 Cdn
Medium straw color, nose not to aromatic initially but as it opens green apple, lemon/lime, more perfumed as it opened after an hour. But really not all that enticing I thought.
Initial entry thought was dry, light to medium bodied. Took time to open up with quince, apple but so-so acidity. "No citrus tones to speak of" from across the patio. More white stonefruit, subtle complexity on day 2. Also noted some sweetness and better/very good acidity as we drained the bottle!
Food was pork scallopini in a mushroom sauce.