Anthony Gismondi offers up five Sauvignon Blancs perfect for late summer
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The smoke, heat and humidity have me reaching for fresher, lighter, brighter wines as summer moves along, and one of the best in that class is Sauvignon Blanc.
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Against all odds, Sauvignon has pushed its way back onto the main stage after years of running well behind Chardonnay and, at times, Riesling. But help from producers worldwide has made a difference in the availability of quality Sauvignon, and B.C. is one of those wine regions making a difference.
In the same manner that the Riesling renaissance had to be jump-started outside of its German home base, interest in Sauvignon Blanc has been ignited far from its traditional French home sites of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé by the likes of Marlborough, New Zealand, Casablanca, Chile, coastal South Africa, northern Italy, Austria, and of late and unknown to most of the world, British Columbia.
It’s not to say French kingpins Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé or Touraine have gone unnoticed. Experienced (read old) wine drinkers repeatedly describe the ‘best’ Sauvignons from outside France as Sancerre or Pouilly Fume-like. The problem is many young consumers are unaware of the taste of Sancerre, Pouilly Fume or Touraine wines. Even if they have heard of the regions, there is little to suggest they associate the Sauvignon Blanc grape with any of them.
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It’s a common problem for famous wines that now command prices so far removed from the everyday dinner table that fewer and fewer wine drinkers even know they exist, let alone drink them with any regularity. Yet, ironically, the rush to drink locally has also killed a large sector of the best part of the import market, leaving the domestic market to fight off some of the largest, cheapest and most marketed brands from around the world — it is a price versus home team battle that many would suggest is a losing proposition.
But back to global Sauvignon Blanc and its rise in favour. It has undergone many changes, none more important than reducing the amount of oak in production and dumping cork closures for highly technical screwcaps. The changes are all about delivering more freshness and getting more terroir to your glass wherever possible.
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Today, most modern Sauvignon falls into three main categories; the pure varietal or un-wooded style fermented in stainless steel or concrete; a lightly oaked version combining some portion of barrel-fermented juice (in mostly neutral French oak) with tank-fermented or concrete-fermented juice, and the more complex, but fading fast, full-blown, barrel fermented, style.
After that, soil and temperature play a big part in the final product. But climate change continues to challenge traditional sites that may not be as cool as they once were.
My favourite styles are Chilean examples from cooler regions like Casablanca, San Antonio Valley, Itata and Bio-Bio. Australia’s Adelaide Hills and Margaret River continue to surprise us with excellent offerings. All are produced under a screwcap.
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Chenin Blanc overshadows South African Sauvignon Blanc, but we have enjoyed many coastal examples, and their prices are often the lowest in the world.
The story continues to improve at home from Vancouver Island to the Similkameen Valley and into the Okanagan Valley. A quick look at this year’s notes would suggest the following wines all deserve your attention:
• Blue Mountain Estate Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $25
• Boutinot Project B Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $25.99
• Canyon View Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2019, $27.99
• Clos du Soleil Capella 2019, 24.90
• Clos du Soleil Fumé Blanc 2020, $20.90
• Emandare Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019, $30
• Free Form Sauvignon Blanc 2018, $30
• French Door Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $30
• Gold Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $29.90
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• Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc 2019, $29.99
• Lock and Worth Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon 2020, $20
• Mayhem Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $15.65
• Mission Hill Reserve Meritage White 2019, $21.99
• Modest Wines La Graves Robber Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2020, $26.99
• Red Rooster Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $17
• Tightrope Winery Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon 2020, $22
Mayhem Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
$15.65 I 88/100
UPC: 626990352532
Much like last year, this youthful, showy, pungent Sauvignon demonstrates the versatility of the Naramata Bench. Expect an intense grapefruit and passion fruit that is reminiscent of Marlborough but $5 cheaper. I’m impressed with what you get here for the money and suggest it would be perfect with west coast mussels or clams. It’s made with a mix of de-stemmed and whole bunch pressed fruit, partly native fermented in a combination of stainless steel (76 per cent) and French barrels (10 per cent new and 14 per cent neutral), all aged on its lees until bottling. Super value and fun — it’s the Mayhem style.
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Blue Mountain Estate Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
$25 I 90/100
UPC: 626452801202
Again, it’s the freshness that draws you to this wine. Before a clean, leesy, saline finish, look for a lemon peel nose with mineral, green melon, lime pith, and wet stone. Again, B.C. seafood is the match and just about any will do. Well done and another demonstration that Sauvignon Blanc can become something more interesting in British Columbia. The technical data includes SB clones 242 and 530, planted densely to 8,000 vines per hectare. These are whole-cluster pressed, settled overnight, and transferred to eight per cent stainless steel tanks, seven per cent 500L French oak, and 85 per cent 4500L foudres for a wild ferment. The wine spends five months on lees before blending and bottling in the same vessels at the same ratio. There is no malolactic fermentation to retain freshness, and the alcohol is a very pleasant 13 per cent.
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Red Rooster Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
$17 | 88/100
UPC: 81246800236
The revamped Red Rooster SB comes off two Oliver sites picked at different times. The soils are a complex mix of glaciofluvial rock that helps support minerality and freshness. A small portion of the fruit was fermented wild on its skins to help increase weight and complexity before it is all aged in stainless tanks. The style is finished dry at 1.5 g/L. Look for a bright, fresh opening with subtle orchard fruit and citrus undertones. On the palate, more green apple, gooseberry light up the wine from front to back. It is a refreshing style made for early consumption. Think Margherita pizza, asparagus pasta, or barbecue chicken.
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Canyon View Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Summerland, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
$27.99 I 90/100
UPC: 626990390701
The new Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is fermented and aged in 20 per cent new French oak and 80 per cent stainless steel tank. The nose is enticing, mixing desert sagebrush, passion fruit, and a strong mineral undercurrent. On the palate, guava and orange highlight the citrusy flavours in a very delicious, somewhat Loire-like Sauvignon Blanc, selling for less than $30. Bone dry and vibrant, this would be a lot of fun to pair with west coast shellfish.
Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
$31.99 I 91/100
UPC: 9421018110016
The Dog Point style is slightly more reductive or Burgundian — less overt fruit, more complexity — giving it a different look than many Marlborough peers. The nose is a moody, smoky mix of intense juicy lime and lemon grass that spills across the palate, injecting its creamy textures with a hit of electricity. The finish is equally complex, featuring yeasty nettle mineral notes. It is very food-friendly if you can wait for the food to get to the table. Drink or hold; there is no rush to drink an excellent white wine finished under a screwcap.
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Developed by Canadian recipe creator Christine Tizzard for Bonne Maman, this tasteful tart mixes sweet strawberries with fresh asparagus and gooey Gruyere cheese. Yum!
Asparagus, gruyere and strawberry tart
1 x 14 oz (396 g) package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp (30 mL) Bonne Maman strawberry jam, plus more for drizzling
1 cup (250 mL) grated Gruyere cheese
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
Salt and pepper, to taste
Handful of micro greens such a radish or basil, for garnish
Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with silicon baking mat or compostable parchment paper.
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On floured surface roll out puff pastry (if not pre-rolled) into a square or rectangle about 12×12 inches. Using a pizza cutter or knife trim about 1/2 inch of pastry around edges and fold over outer edge to create a frame. Place back in fridge while you prepare remaining ingredients or waiting for oven to come to temperature.
With pastry brush, brush surface and edges of puff pastry lightly with egg wash then with a light coating of Bonne Maman strawberry jam.
Sprinkle with Gruyere and cut asparagus. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and asparagus is tender. Let cool for 5 minutes before adding a handful of fresh micro greens and a drizzle of more jam if desired. Enjoy!
Serves four.
Asparagus, gruyere and strawberries are a challenge, but local Riesling should push through the clutter.
Spearhead Riesling 2019, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada $17
A delicious 12 per cent green apple and lime flavoured Riesling white should take all the flavours of this dish.
Fort Berens Dry Riesling 2020, Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada $21.99
Honey and savoury desert brush aromas mix with a green apple and lime peel palate and bridge all the ingredients in this recipe.
Source: vancouversun.com
