sauvignon blanc

Indulge Wines Thinks Outside the Box

Filed under: Wine

Remember back in the day when wine came only in bottles? Then came boxed wine. But even that is essentially a bag inside a box. But now Californian vineyard Indulge Wines is cutting the box out of the equation with wine in a bag.

The winery based in Buellton, Santa Barbara County, is offering a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2009 Pinot Noir in 1.5-liter bags that are equivalent to two regular-sized bottles. And while they may not seem as classy, they do offer several benefits. One is portability, in that the bags are lighter to transport both for the buyer and for distribution, the "Astrapouch" accounting for only 2% of a full bag's total weight. There's also less waste, and the wine is set to keep for 30 days after opening.

[Source: Indulge Wines via Slashfood]

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Tags: boxed wine, indulge, indulge wines, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, wine, wine in a box, wine in a sack

Napa Valley Vodka, Sips of Sauvignon Blanc

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Last year saw the introduction of Napa Valley Limoncello, this year Arthur Hartunian, the owner of the Napa Valley Distillery, has a new trick up his sleeve, Napa Sauvignon Blanc vodka. The luxury vodka is made from pricey Napa Valley grapes.

According to an article in the LA Weekly it can take nearly 20 tons of grapes to produce a 300-gallon batch. The vodka is filtered 10 times, first through bone charcoal and later through platinum-plated filters. After that it is given a waiting period of up to 60 days. Like other grape-based vodkas this one is described as slightly sweet with a complex finish. The 2008 'vintage' of Napa Valley Vodka sells for $75. This year's release was limited to 2,600 signed bottles.

Tags: grape vodka, grape-based vodka, napa valley, napa vodka, sauvignon blanc, vodka

Gourmet Latino Vino: Sampling Offbeat Wines from (Way) South of the Border

by Amy Cortese (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Wine, Events

If your idea of Latin American cuisine is tacos and a frosty Corona, you're missing out, amigo. From Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, Latin America offers up a stunning array of flavors and culinary traditions -- and all were on display recently at the Gourmet Latino Festival, a five-day series of events and tastings in New York City. There was Argentine barbecue, Mexican mole, and cocktails made with Peruvian Pisco, Mexican tequila and Brazilian Cachaca.

Being a wine lover, I was intrigued by an event that promised to pair Latin America specialties with wines from surprising regions like Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico. it was held at at Palo Santo, a Latino restaurant in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, where chef-owner Jacques Gautier serves up unusual but authentic pan-Latin cuisine, often using ingredients from his rooftop garden.

"I like to showcase dishes I've come across in my travels but that are less well known," explained Gautier. The same could be said for the wine served that evening.

Tags: chardonnay, chenin blanc, latin american cuisine, Maria Luz Marin, Palo Santo, patagonia, pinot noir, red wine, riesling, sauvignon blanc, south american wine, uruguay, white wine, wine

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Chilean Wines Making Impression on U.S. Consumers

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Argentina and Australia have both widened our national palates and expanded our wine vocabulary. As they have grown in prestige and density the U.S. has embraced their unique qualities and beamed with pride at the continued diversity of personal wine knowledge.

Another country home to the Southern Hemisphere is also prompting increased interest among oenophiles -- Chile. Although known for their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends exports for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenere and Syrah have increased in spite of the American recession. To capitalize on consumers' continued interest in the range of wines from Chile the 'Wines of Chile' is to open a new U.S. office in NYC.

If you're unfamiliar with Chilean wines I suggest you start with the Carmenere -- typically they are full-bodied and hold a deeply colored essence plus it sounds sensual when it rolls of the tongue.

Gallery: Chilean Wine Tasting

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Tags: cabernet blends, cabernet sauvignon, CabernetBlends, CabernetSauvignon, carmenere, chile, chile wines, chilean wine, ChileanWine, ChileWines, pinot noir, PinotNoir, sauvignon blanc, SauvignonBlanc, syrah, wines of chile, WinesOfChile

JAQK Cellars

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

There's a new arrival on the wine scene bound to whet your appetite and stir your inner gambler. JAQK Cellars, a playful take on the Jack, Ace, Queen and King of cards, is offering eight distinctive limited production wines this season. From the High Roller 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon to the Charmed 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, this creative and alluring brand pairs a healthy dose of frivolity with the enticing draw of a smoky, high-end casino. Completing the selection are Black Clover 2006 Merlot, Soldiers of Fortune 2006 Shiraz, Pearl Handle 2007 Chardonnay, 22 Black 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bone Dance 2006 Merlot, and Her Majesty 2007 Chardonnay. The bottle will cost between $23 and $70 but their four-bottle gift boxes offered for the holidays range between $120 and $220. I'd be willing to bet this California-based wine will increase your odds of enjoyment.

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Tags: 22 Black, 22Black, black clover, BlackClover, bone dance, BoneDance, cabernet sauvignon, CabernetSauvignon, chardonnay, charmed, Her Majesty, HerMajesty, high roller, HighRoller, JAQK, JAQK Cellars, JAQK wine, JaqkCellars, JaqkWine, merlot, pearl handle, PearlHandle, sauvignon blanc, SauvignonBlanc, shiraz, soldiers-of-fortune

Signaterra Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Benzinger's Signaterra wine is a new wine label that seeks to join the best of three forces, earth, nature, and man for excellent wine. They have produced two wines, the 2006 Bella Luna Pinot Noir Russian River Valley and the 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Shone Farm Vineyard Russian River Valley. The Signaterra wine notes are divided into Earth, Nature and Man categories which describe the location of the vineyard and how it is formed, the climate and how the grapes are tended (often using organic, biodynamic and sustainable farming methods) and the way the grapes were harvested and how the wine was produced. At $24, the Sauvignon Blanc is on the pricier end of that varietal. The San Francisco Chronicle recently named it tops in their tasting of Sonoma County Sauvignon Blancs finding it rich and well-balanced with notes of jasmine and mango cream aside the citrus and grassy flavors traditionally associated with Sauvignon Blanc.

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Tags: benziger, pinot noir, PinotNoir, sauvignon blanc, sonoma county, SonomaCounty, wine

French Maid Wine

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

In keeping with White Rocket Wine Company's niche of bringing new brands of high quality, affordable wines to the new generation of wine drinkers comes French Maid Wine. Each of the five varietals from the French 'Old World' Languedoc region is given a 'New World' spirit. Offering a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc, each French Maid Wine brings French terroir to the newbies of the wine world on a smaller budget of only $12 per bottle. For the connoisseur who prefers more luxury priced wines this may not be the bottle of choice but as an introduction to wine it just may fit the bill.

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Tags: cabernet sauvignon, CabernetSauvignon, chardonnay, french maid wine, FrenchMaidWine, merlot, pinot noir, PinotNoir, sauvignon blanc, SauvignonBlanc, white rocket wine company, WhiteRocketWineCompany

Blue Monster Reserve, A Wine Just For Microsoft

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Bill Gates can afford any wine he wants but now there is a special wine made just for Microsoft. The Blue Monster Reserve Sauvignon Blanc was created by South African winery Stormhoek for Microsoft and its employees. Hugh MacLeod, the talented cartoonist and blogger behind GapingVoid and the marketing strategist for Stormhoek, created the Blue Monster image after meeting many of the Microsoft employees after sponsoring dinners for those in the tech community. His cartoon of a fanged blue monster along with the tagline: "Microsoft – change the world or go home", has become an unofficial mascot for some people in the company. The Blue Monster bottles are only available only to Microsoft and people who belong to the "Friends of Blue Monster" Facebook group or who attend the geek dinners that Stormhoek sponsors or attends.

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Tags: gaping void, hugh macleod, microsoft, sauvignon blanc, stormhoek, wine

Groth Vineyards

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

The Miami Herald has a piece on Groth Vineyards in Napa. Originally, Dennis Groth was an accountant and later the CFO for Atari. He and his wife Judi got into winemaking as a tax shelter idea and bought 121 acres in 1981 near Oakville, near such legends as Screaming Eagle and Opus One. Now they have a thriving winery that makes well-respected Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Current releases include the 2003 Groth Vineyards Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon which sells for $55.

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Tags: cabernet sauvignon, california wine, groth vineyards, GrothVineyards, napa, sauvignon blanc, wine

Sauvignon Republic Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

We've seen California wineries that specialize in just Red Zinfandel, now let's take a look at a group of guys who focus only on Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauvignon Republic chose this particular grape because they say it expresses the "terroir" of its growing place. Their goal is to produce a wine in each of the areas that it grows best ( California, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and France). This month they are releasing their first South African Sauvignon. There are 800 cases of this wine, the third Sauvignon Blanc they have created. The 2005 Sauvignon Republic Cellars Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc sells for $18 and has citrus and tropical fruit notes with a hint of nettles. This month they are also releasing the 2005 Sauvignon Republic Cellars Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the 2005 Sauvignon Republic Cellars Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc which both also sell for $18.

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Tags: grapes, liquor, sauvignon blanc, south african wine, SouthAfricanWine, terroir, wine