Attributes:

Angove's

Adelaide Hills, Australia/New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2004: WineEnthusiast Rating: 87

rich

minerally

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 84

light

candied, grapefruit, lemon, lime, pineapple, waxy

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 87

strong

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 87

crisp

focused

lemon cream

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 84

juicy

Food Matches:

One of Australia’s most famous “cool climate” regions, known for its Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

Attributes:

Louis Jadot

Volnay, France

Pinot Noir

750 ML

2005: Tanzer Rating: 86-89

floral

light

leather, mineral, redcurrant, spices, spicy

sweet

2005: WineAdvocate Rating: (87-89)

bright

floral

cherry, ginger, spice

dense, fleshy

2004: Tanzer Rating: 85-87

coffee, red fruits

ripe

2004: Tanzer Rating: 86-89

2003: Tanzer Rating: 89-91

deep

blackberry, chocolate, exotic spices, licorice, mint, plum

sweet

2003: WineAdvocate Rating: (89-91)

medium-bodied

blackberries, cherries, chocolate, dark berries, licorice, mocha, oak, smoky

dense

2003: Tanzer Rating: 85-87

chunky

2002: Tanzer Rating: 87-90

supple

cherry, maraschino, minerals, oak, raspberry, slightly medicinal, spices

Food Matches:

(pee noh nwahr)—A tricky grape to grow, Pinot Noir makes some of the best wines in the world. The prototype wine is red Burgundy from France but Oregon, California, New Zealand, and parts of Australia also produce good Pinot Noir. The wine is lighter in color than Cabernet or Merlot with relatively high alcohol, medium-to-high acidity, and medium-to-low tannin. Its flavors and aromas can be very fruity or earthy and woodsy, depending on how it is grown. It is rarely blended with other grapes.

Attributes:

Ringside Vineyards

Napa Valley, United States

Cabernet Sauvignon

750 ML

Food Matches:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.

This tiny strip of land just north of San Francisco is home to America’s most prestigious wineries. Its climate is ideal for viticulture. Ironically, it was deemed too ideal for some vintners, who have moved their vineyards from the valley’s flat plain to the hills in the east and west, adhering to the idea that grapes that struggle to grow yield better wine. The climate, soil, and individual wineries are enormously varied, so it’s impossible to identify a singular trait of Napa wines. In addition, nearly every noble grape is grown here, although Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the primary grapes. In the past, Napa’s wines have alternated between extremely fruity and fat to lean and subtle. Today the best Napa wines have achieved a balance between these extremes. Many are made to be drunk young and have abundant ripe fruit; others can be initially hard and tannic, but soften over four or five years to perfumed, cedary fruit. White Napa wines are excellent with fresh-grilled fish and chicken, but can also cope with more spicy and creamy flavors. Many Napa reds will overwhelm delicate cuisine, but rich red meat and cheeses do make good companions.