Rumor has it that the temperatures are warming up in other parts of the country (not here in rainy New England!), so we are tasting crisp, cool Sauvignon Blancs for our first Gather Virtual Wine Tasting (VWT). Based on your input, here is what we'll sample:
a)Â Groth 2005 Sauvignon Blanc
These are all California Sauvignon Blancs. The original idea was to sample this varietal from 3 different countries, but I opted to stick with California choices as they seem to be easier for most people to acquire. This VWT will be a lot more fun if everyone who would like to join in can actually get their hands on the selected wines without too much trouble. The links for each selection take you to a place where you can order it online if that suits you. You should be able to get each bottle for $14-$20.
Let me recap the salient points as to how this VWT will work:
- Get the selected bottles and taste them!
- Share your comments by June 30 on the bottles either as comments to this article; or write your own article if you'd like to offer more in-depth tasting notes. Be sure to publish your VWT articles to Wine Chat.
- Along with general comments about the various wines, please note which one you liked best. Each bottle is based on the suggestion of a different Gather member. The person suggesting the most popular bottle will be revealed and bask in much Gather glory.
- In addition to tasting notes on the above bottles, other articles on the Sauvignon Blanc theme are encouraged this month. Suggested article topics include background on the varietal, reviews of other Sauvignon Blancs, and recipes that would match well with this wine. Again the member posting the most popular article on the theme will receive praise and adulation...and as this evolves we hope to offer more tangible incentives!
In my research for bottles to suggest, I did get two recommendations from my local wine shop, The Spirited Gourmet (Winchester, MA), for anyone interested in a bonus tasting to add an international perspective. My sense is they might be a little harder to find. These bonus bottles are:  1) from New Zealand, Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005, and 2) from France, La Vigne Blanche from Henri Bourgeois.
This is a VWT, but where we have a critical mass of Gatherers, in person tasting could happen too. So, enough talk, time to raise a glass and offer a virtual toast that we may enjoy sipping and sharing about these Sauvignon Blancs!
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Comments: 18
Here's some food for thought...
WATER...... It has been scientifically proven that if we drink 1 litre of
water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1
kilo of Escherichia coli bacteria found in feces, in other words, we are
consuming 1 kilo of Doo Doo.
However, we do not run that risk when drinking wine (or rum, whiskey, beer
or other liquors) because alcohol has to go through a distillation process
of boiling, filtering and fermenting.
WATER = Doo Doo
WINE = HEALTH
Free yourself of Doo Doo, drink WINE!!!
It is better to drink wine and talk Doo Doo than to drink water and be full
of shit.
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information, I am doing it as
a public service.
A bit pricey for the variety at $18.00 a bottle but what the heck, let's give it a try.
After a quick chill at home my wife and I popped the top. I have to say, it has a very nice, clean nose. First taste I found floral, crisp and I have to say a bit sweeter than I expected. The sweetness did not take away from it, in fact as my glass got lower and lower I felt the need for a refill.
I make it a habit not to read a new wines label description until after I've had a glass. While not an expert wino by any means, it makes me feel good when I can see my initial impressions listed on the back of the bottle.
Overall, I enjoyed it very much. I think the Groth is still my favorite but I won't hesitate to pick up a few more bottles on my next dog food run.