Varietal: Â 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Â Touraine, Loire, France
Cost: Â $11.99
Winemaker’s Notes: Â This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and refreshing, with rich, ripe lime and grapefruit aromas and flavors. Hints of melon and quince help balance the flavors and quench the palate with a crisp finish, inviting another sip.
My Review: Â In case you’ve missed it, my only real resolution to myself this new year was to immerse myself in far more French wines. To that end, in January I went to the wine shop near my house and bought several bottles of French wine covering differing regions and varietals. One that I was looking forward to was the 2011 Dom Guenal Touraine Sauvignon Blanc. I’m a fan of the grape, especially when grown and bottled in Chile, and was looking forward to comparing this bottle to what I typically buy. I wasn’t disappointed.
In the glass the wine was between a straw and golden color, and on the nose I picked up aromas of lime and grapefruit, which was to be expected. In the mouth I got those same flavors with a hint of green, fresh cut grassy note that faded quickly, but that I found to my liking. The wine was crisp, medium light, and nothing if not refreshing. Paired with a dinner of spaghetti squash with chicken and alfredo sauce, the wine did a masterful job of cutting through the creaminess of the dish and offering a crisp compliment to the slight crunch of the squash. In short, it was a great pairing.
I had opened this bottle assuming I would enjoy it, and I certainly did. The crisp notes of lime and grapefruit were refreshing and a great pairing with dinner, as well as being perfect for a hot summer day on the deck, my typical time to enjoy a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. For the price it’s a great value, and a great way for somebody to dive into both French wine and the Sauvignon Blanc grape. Definitely worth buying.
