Silverado Vineyards was established in 1981 by Ron and Diane Miller, and they haves been producing estate grown wines that are excellent in quality. Over time, the Miller family has put together a diverse variety of six family-owned sustainably farmed vineyards, each selected for its ability to contribute nuance and character to the wines.
The 2010 Silverado Sauvignon Blanc is produced using 95% Sauvignon Blanc with 5% Semillon grape varieties. The Semillon helps to smooth out the characteristics of the Sauvignon Blanc. On the nose this wine displayed aromas of citrus, melon, and herbaceousness. The flavor profile brought out soft hints of grapefruit, with honeydew melon, figs, and a noteworthy herbaceousness. This was a nice Sauvignon Blanc with good acidity, a medium finish, and I paired this wine with grilled shrimp.

Jon

This year for Thanksgiving we had a very nice and intimate time with our kids. The dinner consisted of the traditional turkey, stuffing, and all of the rest of the fixing’s. For the wine that I chose to pair with the dinner, I decided on the 2011 Trinchero Mary’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. Mary’s Vineyard is located north of Calistoga in beautiful Napa Valley. The color of this Sauvignon Blanc was a light straw color with a touch of green around the edges. The aromas were of soft citrus, floral, stone fruit, hints of tropical, with some herbs present. The flavors followed what was on the nose with a light lemon taste, pineapple, peaches, herbs, and a slight minerality. This was a very crisp, easy to drink Sauvignon Blanc, and it paired wonderfully with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Jon

When one thinks of excellent Sauvignon Blanc’s being produced in the world today, one does not need to stray far in thinking of New Zealand. The Marlborough wine region in New Zealand is ideal for growing Sauvignon Blanc, with long hours of sunshine and a cool climate, the grapes have a long hang time on the vines, which allows for intensified flavor.
In a recent wine class that I teach, I brought in a bottle of the 2011 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc for the students to sample. In the glass this wine displayed a straw yellow color, and the aromas were of white grapefruit, stone fruit, and a hint of cut hay. The flavor profile followed the aromas with the white grapefruit taking center stage, followed by nectarines, honey dew melon, cut  hay, and it finished with a slight dose of minerality. The Nobilo is a fruit-forward Sauvignon Blanc, with a medium finish, and is easy to drink. And yes, the students in my wine appreciation class enjoyed this wine.

Jon

New Zealand is world famous for its spectacular Sauvignon Blanc wines, and this 2011 Villa Maria “Private Bin” Sauvignon Blanc did not disappoint at all. With all of the characteristics that I expect from the Sauvignon Blanc variety, this wine brings them all to the table. The color of this wine in the glass is a pale yellow straw. The aroma profile is of grapefruit, stone fruit, and light lemon. The flavors mirror what was on the nose with pink grapefruit, nectarines, lemon, a slight grassiness, and minerality. This is a crisp, fruit-forward, light-bodied Sauvignon Blanc, with a nice finish, and moderately priced at $12.

Jon