We tried last night (7/13/16) Some New White Wines:
1. DryCreekVnyd SauvBlanc DryCreekVlly/SonomaCnty (SaH: 23.8 Brix; Frmtd: 92% SS/8% barrel; 14.5%;
TA: 0.62; www.DryCreekVineyard.com) Healdsburg 2015: Light yellow color; very strong herbal/mineral/bit weedy/
aspargras/classic SB nose; fairly tart/lean rather herbal/weedy/aspargras/classic SB bit mineral flavor;
very long herbal/weedy/aspargras/classic SB bit mineral/stony; more towards the NZ SB spectrum. $nc (KS)/$18.00
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2. DryCreekVnyd Fume Blanc/SauvBlanc SonomaCnty (13.5%; Vine age: 17+ yrs) 2015: Med.light yellow color; lighter
less stony/herbal more figgy/melony/ripe light oak rather quiet/low-key more interesting nose; less tart some
figgy/melony/SB lightly herbal light oak slight tangy/metallic flavor; long somewhat figgy/melony/ripe/SB
lightly herbal finish; a more ripe quiet expression but more interesting SauvBlanc; quite a lovely SB at
a great price. $nc (KS)/$14.00
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3. DryCreekVnyd SauvBlanc Taylor'sVnyd/MusqueClone/DryCreekVlly (425 cs; 14.1%) 2014: Med.light color; very fragrant/
perfumed floral/SB/melony almost muscatty light toasty/oak quite lovely nose; softer/riper very lush very strong
floral/SB/melony slight muscat-like/floral light toasty/oak flavor; very long/lingering ripe/lush/balanced
quite floral/melong/SB light toasty/oak finish; very perfumed almost muscat-like aromatics; a beautiful
rendition of Calif SB. $nc (KS)/$28.00
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6. DryCreekVnyd Chard DCV Estate Block 10/RRV (100% barrel frmtd; 85% malolactic; 14.5%; TA: 0.62;
SaH: 23.7 Brix; 1253 cs) 2014: Med.yellow color; lovely perfumed light toasty/pencilly/oak very strong
ripe/melony/lemony/pear/Chard light spicy/nutmeg very attractive nose; rather lush/ripe very melony/
lemony/classic Chard bit spicy/nutmeg light toasty/pencilly/oak very balanced restrained flavor; very
long/lingering ripe/melony/Chard/pear/spicy light pencilly/toasty/oak finish; a beautiful balanced/
restrained/nuanced Chard at a great price. $nc (KS)/$24.00
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More blatherings from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. FumeBlanc: According to the JancisRobinson book, DaveStare was the first person to name his dry SauvBlanc as
FumeBlanc, as in Pouilly-Fume. This is not correct. In '68, RobertMondavi made a dry (they'd been off-dry before),
barrel-frmtd SauvBlanc, but realized that marketing it could be difficult. So he coined the name Fume Blanc" to
denote this change in style. To his credit, he did not trademark the name and allowed others to freely use it.
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2. SauvMusque: This is a particularly aromatic clone that was "discovered" by DougMeador/Ventana, lurking on the
grape variety list of UC/Davis FPS. He planted it in Monterey & very much preferred its strong aromatic character.
It has been planted w/ greater frequency in Calif but seldom labeled as Sauv Musque. There is also a Chard Musque,
though I've never heard of a Chard made from this clone in Calif.
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3. DryCreekVnyds: I have, of course, followed DCV from the very start, when DaveStare released his '72 GamayBeaujolais.
I think now, under winemaker TimBell, DCV are consistently making the finest wines they ever have. Across the
full spectrum of varietals. And still reasonably priced.
Tom