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NOTES > SAUVIGNON
BLANC
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SAUVIGNON
BLANC
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May 8, 2000
• Old Doc's Discount Liquors
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Ampelographers at UC
Davis recently discovered through DNA matching that
Sauvignon Blanc is the mother of Cabernet Sauvignon
(Cabernet Franc is the father) This gives new stature and
significance to this varietal which is already one of
PfW's favorites. Roy baked a salmon fillet with fresh
shaved carrots, onions, fennel bulb, and dill and served
it with a selection of rustic and hearty breads and
cheeses that severely complicated our ranking task,
meanwhile making it joyful.
Brand
Vintage
& Varietal or
Type
Appellation
-$ price
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Consensus
Tasting Notes
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#Rank
Buying
Advice
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Kunde
1999
Sauvignon Blanc
Sonoma "Magnolia Lane"
-$10.
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Very pale green,
bright; sweet, ripe, grassy, lemony, gooseberry,
grapefruit-citric aromas with a faint hint of
mineral; big, sweet, ripe, grapefruit, grassy,
somewhat rich flavors; slightly tart, crisp
balance; long finish
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#1
Very
Highly
Recommended
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Babcock
1999
Sauvignon Blanc
Santa Barbara
-$12.
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Very pale straw,
bright; grassy, herbal with sweet geranium, peach,
and melon aromas; grassy, mineral, lime,
grapefruit, jalapeño, and vanilla flavors;
good balance; creamy, silky finish
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#2
Very
Highly
Recommended
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Kendall-Jackson
1998
Sauvignon Blanc
"Vintner's
Reserve"
California -$10.
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Pale yellow-green,
bright; melon, grass, fig, and butter aromas with a
faint hint of botrytis; slightly sweet, generous
flavors are melony, citric, complex; very nice
balance; pleasant, not too lingering
finish
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#3
Very
Highly
Recommended
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Brander
1998
Sauvignon Blanc
Santa Ynez Valley
-$12.
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Very pale green,
bright; sweet, citric, grassy aromas with hints of
bell pepper and sesame seed; very grassy flavors
with some flint and mineral elements, slightly
sharp; tart, crisp, long finish
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#4
Highly
Recommended
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Fritz
1998
Sauvignon Blanc
Dry Creek Valley
"Poplar"-$15.
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Very pale straw,
bright; citric, spicy aroma with some
barrel-fermentation, leesy elements and a hint of
petrol; good mouthfeel, lime-citric, grass flavors,
with a slight flinty edge; tart finish
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#5
Highly
Recommended
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Alderbrook
1998
Sauvignon Blanc
Russian River Valley
$11.
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Pale straw,
bright; floral, lime, citrus, fig, herb, mineral,
smoke, oak and honey aromas; complex, rich, fruity
flavors (one panelist thought over-oaked); crisp
acidity; faint spritz, tingley, clean
finish
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#6
Recommended
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Cakebread
1998
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley -$17.
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Very pale green,
bright; clean, grapefruit-citric, pear, and
licorice aromas; very light grass and mineral
flavors are delicate, thin, almost sharp; crisp,
tart balance; very lingering, very tart finish with
slight heat
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#7
Recommended
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The following bottle was
distinctly "corked" and therefore not rated. But
for this problem, this wine would have probably
scored quite high. As previously noted, this
problem has been increasing;five of our last twelve
tastings (about 8% of bottles) have included at
least one corked bottle. TCA (2,4,6
trichloroanisole) is a biproduct of the bleach used
to sterilize corks and other winery equipment. PfW
hopes the wineries are listening and acting to
eradicate this problem...
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Rochioli
1998
Sauvignon Blanc
Russian River Valley
-$22.
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Pale green,
bright; green, mineral, moderately musty (TCA,
corked) aroma, with some baked apple; big, ripe
fruit and melon flavors; very good
balance;
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(Flawed
Bottle)
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Concannon
1984
"Assemblage"
Livermore Valley -($14. at
release)
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Medium-yellow,
slightly dull; baked apple, oxidized, madeirized,
sherried, old nose; old, oily, flat, aldehydic
flavors lack spark; well past it's prime (63%
Semillon, 37% Sauvignon Blanc)
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#9
Not
Recommended
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Panel
included Mark, Deanna, Glenn, Roy,
Marlene,
Jon, Jim, Ron, Greg S., and James
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