“Drinking good wine in
good company is one of life’s most civilized pleasures.”… Michael Broadbent
Every time I enjoy Sauvignon
Blanc, I’m still surprised that this grape, along with Cabernet Franc, is
responsible for creating Cabernet Sauvignon: a red wine grape more structured
than either of its parents, tannic and with concentrated phenolics. But DNA profiling took this from suspicion to
fact back in 1997. Now the only
suspicion remaining is when (not how) this occurred. The “how” is that the
crossing was spontaneous, an act of Mother Nature in the field. The “when” is guessed to be in the 18th
century, and the “where” is in the Loire Valley of France.
That brings me to surprise
number two. The Loire Valley is home to
Sancerre. It is home to Pouilly-Fume and
their eastern satellites: Quincy, Reuilly, and Menetou-Salon. The climate here and the porous limestone
soil argue intelligently for matching the variety to terroir. And when it comes
to enjoying Sauvignon Blanc, this is the juice I have always drank. It is the spiritual home of this
varietal. Despite New Zealand
catapulting into the U.S. market “big time” with its Marlborough style in the
mid-1980s, Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire is still my “reflex” option. All palates are personal and mine prefers
the more subtle, mineral notes from France.
Problem is, this Sauvignon
Blanc is from California. Vines are estate grown in the Russian River Valley in
Sonoma County. I had tasted Rochioli’s
“Estate” (blend) Sauvignon Blanc before. (see http://www.winemizer.net/2018/03/rochioli-vineyards-sauvignon-blanc-2017.html ). The blend is not of varietals, but separate plots
(all estate) and 55% of that blend is harvested from the original 1959 plot
from which this single vineyard (“Old Vines”) Sauv Blanc is exclusively made. As a life long Francophile, I shouldn’t like
it as much as I do. But three generations
and over seventy-five years of wine making and grape growing experience by the
Rochioli family in the Russian River Valley AVA have won me over.
I served this
wine with the first course of a dinner I prepared for some very dear
friends. Best wines should always be
shared with friends. And with the first
course being asparagus soup, Sauvignon Blanc was a given. It’s the wine that can pair with this challenging
vegetable. My original concern was
“How much better could this single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc be?” As I said, 55% of the estate blend is
comprised of juice from this same plot.
I ordered just two bottles. That’s
two too bad! While the estate blend is
seductively delicious, this “Old Vines” (list) wine takes it up a notch.
Somehow, Tom
Rochioli has managed in the “new world” to repress yet express fruit. His wine serves
as a definition of “balance”, a see-saw of “old world” terroir and “new world”
fruit melded with nuance. In the glass, it’s suggestion rather than
dominance. Stronger on the nose than a
comparable Sancerre it weaves together that region’s minerality with a hint of
New Zealand’s grapefruit and South Africa’s savory qualities. It’s all there, but each note is reserved;
working in harmony as an essential contribution to the balanced whole.
I understand you’re looking
for traditional tasting notes. But that’s the beauty of Rochioli’s single vineyard
Sauvignon Blanc. Using them - the crib
notes of wine reviewers - would be a disservice. If you appreciate seduction,
hint, nuance – you will appreciate this wine for its complex mystery. The
challenge in tasting and talking about this magnificent Sauvignon Blanc is
dissecting its flavors. The wine is a woven texture of
intermingled tastes. Vegetative/herbal
(grass, green herbs, tomato leaf, sage) against tree fruit & melon (green
melon) and citrus (lime, grapefruit). Gooseberry vs. rounder, softer notes.
Lime leaves against lavender. It’s the seamless melding of characters in
Rochioli’s Sauvignon Blanc that amazed me. Nothing to excess. Everything in
balance, playing against its opposite. It plays in the glass and on the palate as
a symphony, not a concerto. No one note is dominant, each coming in at
seemingly the right moment and with just the correct volume to work for the
taster's enjoyment. The five of us at dinner (all wine
aficionados, and two of us committed Francophiles) were impressed. That’s a consensus and a recommendation for a
wine you may want to enjoy at your own table.
Cheers!
……………… Jim
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(1)
Asparagus soup just needs some
onion, celery, carrot and garlic, all diced, softened stove top and made smooth
in the food processor then simmered in chicken broth with just a touch of half
& half added later. Recipe upon request (if I can remember).
(2) The
estate blend is available retail and at the winery (or through its website). “List” wines are available, because of their
limited production, only to those individuals who have registered to be
included on the “list”. Visit the
website, if interested, and sign in to be included. Many people, like me, on the list are old and
won’t be on the list forever – thereby making room.
(3) Coming
up: Part III: The Main Course!
6192 Westside Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448
ARP N/A
($48.00 “list” price)
ALC: 14.5%
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