Attributes:

Lyeth

Sonoma County, United States

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2002: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

clean, tart

2002: CGCW Rating: 87

honeydew, lime, melon, spicy, vanilla

Food Matches:

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

Like its neighbor Napa, Sonoma is a small area filled with independent wineries and characterized by microclimates that vary according to the topography. The coolest parts of Sonoma are the fog-filled south, where the grape varieties are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Northwards up the valley the climate warms and provides a good base for Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. In general Sonoma wines are less dramatically flavorful than those of Napa. Cabernet Sauvignon is relatively soft, with blackcurrant fruit, minty and eucalyptus perfume, and some soft buttery oak. Zinfandel ranges from soft and gulpable to massive bramble and pepper styles. Chardonnay is rich and juicy, especially from the Russian River, and Sauvignon Blanc can be zingy and grassy. Most Sonoma wines have a freshness and a soft edge which makes them very suitable for drinking on their own, however they partner well with strongly flavored fish and meat dishes. The old-style Zinfandels are delicious with spicy cuisine.

Attributes:

Firestone

Central Coast, United States

Chardonnay

750 ML

Food Matches:

(shar dohn nay)—This noble grape’s reputation was established in France, particularly in the Burgundy region, and the highly prized Chardonnay wines from Chablis, Mâcon, Mersault, and Pouilly-Fuissé are imitated by winemakers around the world. Generally an oaked wine (whether from expensive oak barrels or a quick soak in oak chips), its fruity aromas and flavors range from apple in the cooler regions to tropical fruits such a pineapple in the warmer regions. It can also display subtle earthy aromas, such as mushroom or minerals. It has a medium to high acidity and is generally full-bodied. Classical Chardonnay wines are dry. Chardonnay is also an important grape in the Champagne district where it's picked before fully ripe and while it still has high acid and understated fruit flavors—the perfect combination for champagne. California has adopted this grape with a fervor and there are some 200 wineries producing Chardonnay wines in other parts of the United States. Chardonnay has also seen a tremendous planting surge in Australia, and new vineyards are being planted in Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa.

The Central Coast AVA is a large American Viticultural Area that spans from Santa Barbara County to the San Francisco Bay Area. With around 100,000 acres planted, Chardonnay accounts for more then half of the total plantings. Within this larger AVA are several smaller appellations that share the same cooling influence from the Pacific Ocean. These include Arroyo Grande Valley AVA Arroyo Seco AVA Carmel Valley AVA Chalone AVA Cienega Valley AVA Contra Costa County AVA Edna Valley AVA Hames Valley AVA Lime Kiln AVA Livermore Valley AVA Monterey AVA Monterey County AVA Pacheco Pass AVA Paicines AVA Paso Robles AVA San Antonio Valley AVA San Benito AVA San Bernabe AVA San Francisco Bay AVA San Lucas AVA San Luis Obispo County AVA San Ysidro District AVA Santa Barbara County AVA Santa Clara County AVA Santa Clara Valley AVA Santa Cruz County AVA Santa Lucia Highlands AVA Santa Maria Valley AVA Santa Ynez Valley AVA Sta. Rita Hills AVA York Mountain AVA

Attributes:

Arthur Barolet

Chassagne-Montrachet, France

Pinot Noir

750 ML

Food Matches:

(pee noh nwahr)—A tricky grape to grow, Pinot Noir makes some of the best wines in the world. The prototype wine is red Burgundy from France but Oregon, California, New Zealand, and parts of Australia also produce good Pinot Noir. The wine is lighter in color than Cabernet or Merlot with relatively high alcohol, medium-to-high acidity, and medium-to-low tannin. Its flavors and aromas can be very fruity or earthy and woodsy, depending on how it is grown. It is rarely blended with other grapes.