Michael Steinberger, Burgundy and Sauvignon Blanc

This past week Michael Steinberger, the noted author and wine critic, appeared on Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane to discuss his new book, The Wine Savant-A Guide to the New Wine Culture, and all things wine-related.  I had read his columns on wine on slate.com for many years and always appreciated his insight and knowledge of wines and the wine business, so I looked forward to hearing about his latest assessment of wine culture, especially in the United States.  You'll find a link to the program below; and keep your ears attuned to a caller about midway through the discussion. Yes, that's yours truly, bringing up the subject of Oregon pinot noirs and their ascendance to the world stage, very much on par with the renowned red Burgundies of France. (Pinot noir is the varietal grape used almost exclusively in red Burgundy.)  I'll have much more to say about Oregonian pinots at a later date.

http://whyy.org/cms/radiotimes/2013/12/30/all-about-wine-with-michael-steinberger/

Although I didn't mention it on air, I do take issue with Steinberger's disdain for Sauvignon Blanc (SB). Indeed, given a choice between run-of-the-mill chardonnay and virtually any SB, I'll take the latter.  And so for all you SB lovers out there, I offer you three recommendations at different price points:

1.  Cloudy Bay, New Zealand. At the top price point, retailing for about $27 in PA, this is one of the finest SBs I've tasted from down under. Oftentimes, SBs from NZ can be too "grapefruity", overpowering more complex aromas and taste sensations that underlie the finer SBs. This particular one has beautifully balanced and complex notes of tropical fruit and citrus with a fuller body than most SBs, and a nice touch of minerality to complement the herb and fruit.  Craig Laban of the Philadelphia Inquirer featured this wine last August. See the following link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/food/20130811_Drink.html?c=r



2. Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc, from California is a delightful, crisp and refreshing wine with lovely aromas of guava, papaya, white peach, mandarin, Meyer lemon and lime at an attractive price point and available at PA state stores for about $12.
http://www.gottwines.com/jgw/2012/05/02/california-sauvignon-blanc/


3. Meridian Sauvignon Blanc, also from California, gets my vote for the best SB under $10. It's available at Total Wine in Delaware and New Jersey.  Each summer, I stock up on this rich, fruity yet crisp wine to accompany warm weather foods like salads, grilled fish, shellfish, etc. Despite its higher alcohol content - about 14 % - it is nicely balanced with a medium body, and a complexity you will not find anywhere else at this price point.



One final note on SBs for this post, in French the "c" is not pronounced, so if you want to impress French-speaking friends, drop the c.