Tasting Room
Sauvignon BlancWINE OF THE WEEK
Whitehaven
2006 Marlborough - Sauvignon Blanc ($22)
A rock star. Racy exotic flavors of chiles. Refreshing notes of Meyer lemon and tart apple. Pricier than many, but Wine of the Week winner by virtue of its classic 5-star rating.
2005 California - Sauvignon Blanc ($8)
A very tasty Wine of the Week runner-up. Notes of grapefruit, grass, nectarine and tangelo. An amazing value.
2005 Napa Valley - Sauvignon Blanc ($18)
A delicate-style, elegant sauvignon blanc. Grassy, with notes of apricot, peach blossom, soft melon and honey.
2005 Mendocino - Sauvignon Blanc ($13)
Viognier-like, with floral aromas. Bright, with well-balanced acids. Flavors of melon, straw and mineral. Slightly smoky.
2005 California - Sauvignon Blanc ($18)
A good sauvignon blanc, but slightly disjointed. Lively, with good acid. Dry. Notes of grapefruit, tart cherry and lime.
2006 Colchagua Valley, Chile - Sauvignon Blanc ($2,006)
Showy. A lovely, crisp sauvignon blanc. Savory aromas and flavors of tart Meyer lemon and lemongrass.
2005 East Side Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley - Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
The panel concluded the wine was undermined by off aromas and flavors. Two bottles tasted.
2005 Central Coast - Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
Elegant, rich and showy. Aromas and flavors of tangelo, melon and hints of grass. Medium complexity. Creamy.
2005 Sonoma County - Sauvignon Blanc ($13)
A good, slightly toasty sauvignon blanc. Aromas and flavors of pineapple, mango, melon, grapefruit and lime.
TASTING PANEL: Dan Kosta, Kosta Browne Winery; Stefen Soltysiak, Rodney Strong Vineyards; Tom Simoneau, KSRO's "Wine Guy"; Larry Van Aalst, Equus sommelier; and Press Democrat wine columnist Peg Melnik.
CRITERIA: The panel samples eight to 12 wines a week in a blind tasting. Wine of the Week is based on quality, value and availability and is not necessarily the top wine of the tasting. Price is suggested retail; actual price is often lower.You can reach Staff Writer Peg Melnik at 521-5310 or e-mail pmelnik@pressdemocrat.com