2014 Domaine de la Loge POUILLY-FUME (Loire Valley, France)

This is a really good value.  No great depth or complexity (very few Sauvignon Blancs do), but textbook aromas and flavors, great acids, and totally pure-tasting.

Light steely gold color.  Nose has crisp green apples, lemon-lime, freshly-chopped tarragon, and an underlying note of earthy chalkiness.  Round mouthfeel counterplays with the bone dry profile.  Loads of mouthwatering crisp green apples, laced with earthy/chalky minerals.  Decent length finish.  very lively in the mouth.  Well-chilled, this will be a great aperitif and cookout wine on the hot summer days ahead.  B+.  Was $15.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Votto Vines, Hamden CT.

2012 Domaine de le Potine TOURAINE Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc) (Loire Valley, France)

A zesty, refreshing wine.  Not a lot of depth, but, boy, is it easy to gulp down.

Nose has scents of lemon-lime, green apple, tarragon, and chalk.  Crisp, zingy, and minerally in the mouth.  Light-bodied, with loads of crisp acids, it has a solid beam of lemony, green apply fruit, and a very clean, refreshing finish.  Drink over the next 18 months (particularly on hot summer days and nights).  B/B+.  Was $13.99 from wineaccess.com.  Imported by Fleet Street Wine Merchants.

2012 Simonnet-Febvre SAINT-BRIS (Northern Burgundy, France)

I think the Saint-Bris area produces some of the best value Sauvignon Blancs in the world.  They're crisp, minerally, refreshing, and can serve as an aperitif or an accompaniment to a wide variety of lighter dinner fare.  This one's an excellent value and is a very typical, very well made exemplar.

Extremely pale, crystal clear gold color, with a slight greenish glint.  Lively nose of clean gooseberry/green apple fruit, with a squeeze of lemon, along with a gun flinty, stony mineraliness.  Bone dry, with loads of chalky minerals framing very clean, tart green apple fruit  Great acidity and a clean, fairly long finish punctuated by a tiny bitter herb note. B+.  Was $11.99 on sale at Whole Foods in Arlington.  Imported by Louis Latour, Inc. of San Rafael, CA.

2012 Masson-Blondelet POUILLY-FUMÉ (Loire Valley, France)

Strangely, Pouilly-Fumé seems harder to find these days than its kissing cousin, Sancerre.  Back in the very early 80s, when I was first learning about wine, Sancerre was dead.  Pouilly-Fumé was everywhere.  It had to do with the popularity of Robert Mondavi's "Fumé Blanc," as Cali Sauvignon Blanc was popularly called back then.  I find Sancerre to have more depth, but I'm overgeneralizing.

This is a good, reasonably-priced, entry level Pouilly Fumé.  A little on the lighter, herbal side, but very fresh and clean.

Extremely pale silvery-gold.  Very herbal, citrus pith nose, with the herbs tending toward the "cat pee" level of pungency initially, then calming down a bit on day two.  A very clean, precise gooseberry fruit element shoots through it.  Very crisp in the mouth, with mouthwatering acids.  Very nice green apply, gooseberry fruit, and a very clean finish.  Very little of the pierre-à-fusil (gun flint) smokiness that is characteristic of this appellation, but it's still quite enjoyable, particularly at $14.99, from WTSO.com.  B.  Imported by Votto Vines, Hamden, CT.

2010 Raimbault SANCERRE "Vieilles Vignes" (Loire Valley, France)

This is a terrific, crisp, fragrant, flavorful white.  One of the nicest Sancerres I've had in years.

Light gold color.  Amazing nose of crushed limestone, wet clay, gooseberries, green apples, and a citrusy component.  Bone dry, with intense but mouth-wateringly crisp flavors, showing chalky minerals, a saline note, green apply fruit, and a blazingly pure, long, 'nuther-sip-inducing finish.  Love it.  A.  Was $22.99 from WTSO.com, and well-worth it.  Imported by Sege Dore Selections.

(Sorry, 2009 shown)

2010 Regis Minet POUILLY-FUME "Vieilles Vignes" (Loire Valley, France)

A slightly grassy, balanced, and refreshing Sauvignon-Blanc.  Not as flinty/minerally as I usually want out of this appellation, but very nice.

Light silvery/gold color.  Grassy herbs and fresh gooseberry fruit dominate the lively nose, with only a hint of minerality.  Bone dry, herbal, straw-inflected lime/gooseberry fruit, with crisp acids for freshness, and a clean but somewhat bitter finish.  Good, but not great.  Would be a really nice counterpoint with sweet grilled shrimp or seared sweet scallops.  B.  Was $18.99 from Winex.com. Imported by Kermit Lynch.

2009 Domaine des Roy TOURAINE Blanc "Les Silex" Loire Valley, France)

Although it doesn't say, this is certainly a Sauvignon Blanc.  And a really good one.  Better than most Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume out there, and cheaper too.

The first night it was funkily earthy, but on the second night it really blossomed.  Light gold with silver and  brassy glints.  Piercing and intense nose of green apple and lemon/lime fruit, with distinct notes of chicken broth shot-through with crushed limestone.  Big, mouthwatering, crisp flavors aggressively coat the palate, with loads of lemon-drenched green apple and a brothy minerality.  Long, clean, interesting finish with great persistence and vibrant acids.  Would be fantastic with shellfish.  Drink over the next 2 years and enjoy.  A-.  Imported by Thomas Calder Selections, this was $14.99 at Arrowine in Arlington.

2010 Roger et Didier Raimbault SANCERRE "Les Belles Cotes" (Loire, France)

A good, balanced, fresh and typical Sauvignon Blanc from this region.  Good value.

 Very pale silvery-gold color.  Lively nose of green apple and lemon/lime fruit, with a little grassy herbaceousness, and significant notes of chicken broth and rain-soaked limestone.  Fresh, zingy, brothy and green apply in the mouth, with modest concentration.  Good acids keep it very fresh, and a clean, mouthwatering, if a little short, finish.  It's not super distinguished, but it would be pretty darn hard to find a better white at this price point ($16.99).  Got it from Wines Til Sold Out.  Imported by Serge Dore Selections, NY.  B.

2007 Domaine de le Rossignole SANCERRE "Cuvée Vieilles Vignes" (Loire Valley, France)

Liquid extract of the chalky, prehistoric seashell-laden soil of this region.  Old school.  I love the Sauvignon Blancs from this "tri-town" area (encompassing Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, and Menetou-Salon).

Light, bright pure gold color. Very chalky, earthy (not in a barnyardy way, however) nose, with notes of tart citrus and chicken broth.  Intensely limestone-y minerally flavors, with some lightly herbal, bone dry, crisp gooseberry fruit.  Minerally finish goes on and on.  Good acids and balance.  Those who like fruitier or more overtly herbal styled Sancerres may not go for this one, but I did.  A-.  I got this for around $18 at Spec's on Richmond near the West Loop a few months ago, so they may be on to a more recent vintage by now.

2009 Chateau Magence GRAVES Blanc (White Bordeaux)

This blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon (the typical white varietals that are blended together for most whites in this region) has LOTS of character--maybe too much for some--but is kind of a clumsy bruiser of a white.

Light gold color.  Big, open, chameleon-like nose that changes on every sniff.  First intensely grassy and burnt herbal (from the Sauvignon Blanc), then showing lots of waxy, lanolin scents (from the Semillon), then golden delicious apple and gooseberry scents.  Big and mouthfilling, with loads of grassy/herbal fruit, but an intense bitterness hits the palate quickly and stays throughout the finish.  It's dry and low in acidity, giving it a fleshier texture than many other whites from this region.  If Alex Karras's Mongo character in Blazing Saddles was a white wine, this would be him.  This wine will definitely polarize people.  B-.  Got it at Whole Foods on Bellaire for $13.99. 

2009 Regis Minet POUILLY_FUME "Vieilles Vignes"

This Loire Valley Sauvignon was a little too much on the herbal side for my taste. It was good, however, and those that like this style may rate it more highly than I did.

Very pale pewter-tinged gold. Chalky, minerally, intensely herbal nose, with some gooseberry fruit. Mouthfilling, direct flavors of pungent, intensely herbal/minerally notes, with some tart green apple fruit. Good acidity together with surprisingly full-body (I usually associate this herbal style with less-ripe, less full-bodied Sauvignons) and a very clingy, herbal finish. Not everyone's favorite style, and kind of galumphy rather than elegant, but it doesn't skimp on flavor. B. Imported by Kermit Lynch, I can't remember where I got this wine, but will update that info if I find the receipt.

2009 Domaine du Tariquet SAUVIGNON (BLANC) (VDP Cotes de Gascogne, France)

A fleshy, fruity, grassy Sauvignon. Not elegant, but doesn't skimp on flavor.

Pale silvery gold. Fresh nose of cold grapes and gooseberries, with grassy, green pepper notes. Soft and fleshy in the mouth, with lots of pear and pear skin flavors. Full for a Sauvignon Blanc, with fairly low acidity and a broad mouthfeel. Not a shy, crisp minerally Loire style. Much more New World than French-seeming. 86. Imported by Robert Kacher. I think I got this at Whole Foods on Bellaire for $12.

Great tasting of Silver Oak and Twomey wines

I was invited to a special private tasting last week with Daniel Baron, the winemaker at Silver Oak -- one of the most prestigious names in all of California winedom. For me, it was a real treat, because I have not attended many formal tastings since leaving the wine biz in the mid-1980s, and I actually have never had the pleasure of drinking a Silver Oak wine.

It occurred during my regular work hours, so I unfortunately had to religiously spit, but I enjoyed it immensely anyway. Not only were the wines very special (notes to follow), but Daniel Baron has been making wine in the highest eschelons for decades. As we were tasting, he regaled us not only with a wealth of winemaking information, but also some great anecdotes from his interesting career.

The wines comprised not only the two Silver Oak Cabernets (the Alexander Valley and the Napa Valley), but also from Twomey Vineyards, with is associated with Silver Oak, though it focuses on varietals other than Cabernet (a Sauvignon Blanc, several Pinot Noirs, and a Merlot). All the wines were either currently on the market or about to be released.

2008 Twomey Napa Valley SAUVIGNON BLANC -- from old vines formerly owned by the now defunct Stonegate Winery, this was a very tight, crisp, French-styled Sauvignon Blanc. Restrained nose with light earthy, toasty notes and citrusy fruit. Crisp as all heck in the mouth, with a pervasive minerality and a refreshing style. Long, lean finish. Would be a dynamite accompaniment to sweet shellfish such as shrimp or scallops.

The following Pinot Noirs are denominated by regional appellation only, as they are blended from multiple vineyards within the designated region.

2008 Twomey Santa Barbara PINOT NOIR -- Tart and very tight. Gorgeous light pomegranate ruby color. Bright, nervous nose of sappy yet crisp cherries. High acidity, razor-like focus, but good ripeness. Long cherry-skin finish. (Daniel said this P.N. was from the coolest climate of the four, and will open up with time.)

2008 Twomey Anderson Valley PINOT NOIR -- Slightly darker color. Deeper, sappier nose, with spice and earth notes. Lower-toned flavors, with more earthy, humus (not hummus) notes. Longer finish too. Drinking well already.

2008 Twomey Sonoma Coast PINOT NOIR -- Darker still, with purply-ruby hues. Sweeter, riper nose, with lots of fruit and cinnamon. Broader, expansive mouthfeel, with lots of secondary flavors already showing up in addition to great, sappy Pinot fruit. Tightens up in the long finish. Needs a little time to get itself fully together, but already very tasty.

2008 Twomey Russian River PINOT NOIR -- Wow! Of all these appellations, Russian River is usually my least favorite, but this was fantastic. Great fruit on the nose. Gobs of focused, ripe cherry and a few other berries in the background. Round, silky, and concentrated in the mouth, but with a light feel. Lovely, pure fruity, soft and extra-long finish. Great balance.

2006 Twomey Napa Valley MERLOT -- I'm not usually a huge Merlot guy, but this ROCKED! From a single vineyard in SE Napa near Stag's Leap (Daniel said the soil is very poor, volcanic pumice), made only with French clones of Merlot, and aged in French oak. An elegant, blackish ruby color. Intense, focused blackberry fruit on the nose. Tight in the mouth, with ripe fruit but avoiding any jamminess or perceptible residual sugar. Lots of gravelly, stony notes, and gobs of very fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied, with fantastic length. I thought this was very much like a top growth St. Emilion or Pomerol. I probably would not have picked this out as a California wine if I didn't know what it was.

All the Twomey reds will retail at $50. (I can't remember what he said the Sauvignon Blanc sells for.)

2005 Silver Oak Alexander Valley CABERNET SAUVIGNON -- As all Silver Oak Cabs, this was 100% Cabernet and aged in 100% American Oak (50% was new for this wine). Dark black ruby color. Rich, earthy, cigar box, and humus notes along with ripe, dark fruit. Ripe and rich in the mouth, but with a nice, tight, concentrated core of fruit. Nice structure and balance. A very complete wine.

2004 Silver Oak Napa Valley CABERNET SAUVIGNON -- Very sedate color. Fantastic and unique nose, with sweet, perfumey cassis and cigar leaf, and a deep-toned inky component. Lots of minerally gravel notes in the mouth, with great focus and concentration. Impeccable balance. Still a fair amount of tannin, but a soft texture nonetheless. Very long finish.

Finally, Daniel explained a unique cork quality program that Silver Oak has instituted. I was amazed at how much thought and empirical data went into it, and the result, he said, was that, for their 750 ml bottles, the incidence of corked wine has been reduced from 2% (which seemed already pretty low to me), to an unheard of 0.67%. He also mentioned that for each and every bottle of 3L or larger, the corks are individually inspected! Amazing attention to quality.

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All in all, a great experience!

2007 Simmonet-Fevre SAVIGNON SAINT-BRIS (Northern Burgundy, France)

This is a relatively hard-to-find Sauvignon Blanc from what is most certainly Chardonnay country -- the area around Chablis. But ZOUNDS, what a fun wine!

Very luminescent, bright gold. I mean, get the shades out. Fantastically lively nose of ripe, fresh squeezed lemons and limes, with flinty powdered stones, and freshly-mowed straw. Absolutely vibrant in the mouth, with (literally) mouth-watering flavors of ripe, juicy lemon juice-drenched grapes, bight stones, and, in the finish, an interesting marzipan note. Just delicious! Not a blockbuster in terms of concentration or body (it's relatively light-bodied), but really fun to drink. 90. Was a ridiculously cheap $11.99 at Houston Wine Merchant.

2006 Domaine Seguin POUILLY-FUMÉ (Loire Valley, France)

This Sauvignon Blanc started out unimpressive and over time opened up into a very, very good wine.

Very light gold color. Nose weak at first, but then developed into a very "biological" nose of ripe gooseberries, earthy, crushed, wet limestone, and fresh oregano leaves (a lemony/herbal streak). Soft and mouthfilling, yet with sparklingly bright flavors -- great minerality and zesty lemon-lime fruit. Lots of length. You might even think about decanting this one to get it to open up quicker! 89.

Was $22.99 at Richard's on Voss and San Felipe. Imported by Robert Kacher.

Easter wines

Sorry -- I know I'm behind, but here are the wines we popped open for our Easter dinner (with truncated, from-memory notes).

NV Pierre Sparr CREMANT D'ALSACE Reserve Brut -- To my mind, in general, sparkling wines from Alsace are the best values in the market for bubbly. They're generally $15-$20, and have as much character as non-vintage Champagne costing twice as much or more (although because of the different varietals used in Alsace the flavor profile is a bit different). They tend to be more flavorful than the Spanish cavas as well. This one was decent, but not a great example -- crisp, citrusy fruit, bone dry, but I detected just a note of beginning oxidation. Lucien Albrecht and Rene Mure are other producers to look for in Houston.

2006 Jean-Max Roger SANCERRE "Cuvee Les Caillottes" (Loire Valley, France) -- Lean, very herbal and crisp. A tad underripe for my palate. Bone dry and refreshing, however.

2001 Delectus MERLOT "Stanton Vineyard" (Napa Valley, Cal.) -- Yes, I have often repeated the famous Merlot line from Sideways, but this wine (which our guests the Murphys brought over) floored me. Superb, rich, chocolately dark fruit on the nose. Full, and still sporting some nice tannic structure. Lots of concentration and length, but with good balance. Can even stand a few more years in a cool cellar.

2006 Linne Calodo "NEMESIS" 82% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre, 4% Grenache (Paso Robles, Cal.) -- Big disappointment for such a cult winery. Overripe and massive, but plainly out of balance, with hot, hot alcohol burning from entry to finish, obliterating the flavors.

2007 Domaine de l'Estang COTEAUX DU GIENNOIS Sauvignon Blanc (Loire Valley, France)

From a little known backwater appellation in the vicinity of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, this inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc was quite nice.

Nose jumps from the glass with fresh, grassy-herbal gooseberry scents. Ripe and long, but with a crisp, mouthwatering mouthfeel. Not as complex and smoky/minerally as its more exalted sibling appellations can be, but fun to drink and a good value. 87. Was around $13 at Richard's on Weslayan, if I am remembering correctly (I lost the receipt).

2005 Hubert Brochard SANCERRE (Loire Valley, France)

This is a good value. It would be a very nice, very typical introduction to Sancerre for those unfamiliar with the Sauvignon Blanc made in the upper Loire area (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume, and Menetou-Salon).

Eye: Light, bright gold. No glints of anything else, just light, bright gold.

Nose: Classic Sancerre nose of light, fresh-picked herbs, crisp Sauvignon Blanc grapes, and stoney minerals.

Mouth: Round and refreshing, with excellent balance, this wine lacked only a bit of extra concentration and complexity to make it outstanding. As it is, it has decent concentration and a lively batch of herby, gooseberry and mineral flavors. Vibrant mouthfeel. Very nice.

Score: 88.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next 6 months.

Price/store: $18.94 at Spec's on Richmond.

Vacation wines -- Day 6

2006 Widmer Brickstone Cellars Semi-Dry Riesling (Finger Lakes, NY) -- This wine was a dead-ringer for a Kabinett from the Rheingau. Beautiful nose of bright green apples and slate-y minerals. Crisp, refreshing, and full of flavor, all in a wonderful, light-bodied frame.

2007 Cairnbrae "The Stones" Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand) -- This wine had a striking and unusual color -- pure pewtery silver. Crisp scents of herbs and grass, with a nice artichoke component to the flavors.

2006 "Montenovo" Godello (Valdeorras, Spain) -- This wine was similar to a simple Maconnais white. Not bad, but not distinguished.


2006 Alvarinho Primaz Vinho Verde (Portugal) -- I'm usually not a Vinho Verde fan, but this had great minerally flavors and a crisp, beautiful texture . . . in other words, it had FLAVOR! Very nice.

Dinner: grilled red snapper, flounder, and shrimp (Marche style)

2005 Domaine de Corbillieres TOURAINE "Sauvignon" (Loire Valley, France)

This is the second excellent wine I've had from this estate. The first was their Pinot Noir rosé, which was the best rosé I've ever drunk. This white would be a terrific summer seafood wine.

Eye: Very light gold color.

Nose: Wonderfully fragrant nose of ripe pear, crushed seashells, and sweet grass.

Mouth: Intensely fruity, yet bone dry and refreshing. Long, crisp, and pure, with salty-stony, slightly herbal fruit.

Score: 89.

Cellar or drink? Drink this summer.

Price/store: I think this was around $12, at Richard's on South Shepherd.