A wedding day wine for every day!

When my friend Julie asked me three weeks ago for some recommendations for wines to serve at her wedding, I was eager to help. She said she wanted something fun and affordable. I immediately went to the Reverse Wine Snob blog for ideas.

The wedding, which took place this past Saturday, was held at a small B&B in Cloverdale--and it was hot. Everyone was parched by the end of ceremony; as the bride and groom hurried off to have their pictures done, the guests quickly assembled at the beverage station. I was poured a tall glass of the Hannah Sauvignon Blanc, a wine that I have previously blogged about and that we found on sale at Costco for only $10.99. It was very refreshing!

When we sat down for dinner, the sun was setting and the temperature was also dropping. The family-style meal included pork and chicken in a tomato-based, spicy sauce with vegetables; the tasty food suited the rustic setting perfectly and was an ideal match for red wine. There were two options for red wine: the 2009 BV Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (which was good) and the Evodia Garnacha (which was even better!).

The 2010 Altovinum Evodia Old Vines Garnacha from Calatayud, Spain was only $8.99 at Costco, and I suggested it because it received high marks on the RWS blog. (After tasting it, I wish I had picked up some for myself.) It was round and plush, with just a little bit of spice that paired nicely with the dinner. Flavors of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry and licorice were supported by good structure and a long, juicy finish. I never would have guessed this wine was under $10 a bottle; it was really delicious and at that price, it qualifies as an amazing everyday value wine!

For the toast, they served the La Marca Prosecco, which was also purchased from Costco for a great price ($10.99/bottle compared to $15.99 at Whole Foods).

Julie and Chris did a great job planning their wedding. I merely suggested a few affordable wines to serve; ultimately, the bride and groom made the final decision and everyone seemed to enjoy the wine selection [and everything else]. For wedding day wines, everyday wines, and even the high-end stuff [think Dom Perignon and $100 Napa Cab], the selection at Costco is hard to beat.

Congrats to Julie and Chris! Hope you're having a terrific honeymoon...Cheers!

Sauvignon Blanc: Top 5 for Summertime Sipping

With this hot weather, I can't get enough Sauvignon Blanc!

My preferred style of Sauvignon Blanc is usually aged "sur lie", which provides a nice creaminess and slightly subdues the level of acid. I prefer to taste tropical fruit flavors and citrus notes. When a wine has descriptors such as fresh-cut grass or wet stone or racy acidity, I'm usually not a fan of it.

In case you missed my previous posts about various Sauvignon Blancs that I have particularly enjoyed, here's a recap of my favorites:

1. 2011 Captûre Tradition Sauvignon Blanc 

2. 2011 Crocker & Starr Sauvignon Blanc

3. 2011 Hanna Sauvignon Blanc

4. 2011 Hartwell Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

5. 2010 Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc

I was surprised to see that I have not previously blogged about Number #5. I have visited Whitehall Lane Winery in St. Helena several times; in fact, I enjoyed a bottle of their Sauvignon Blanc ($18/bottle) last month.

Blended with 8% Semillon, it has a floral bouquet and good acidity with honeydew and citrus flavors. It's terrific with sushi. Cheers!

Russian River Revelry

Last Friday, I had an appointment in Santa Rosa. It seemed like a waste of gas to drive all the way up there and not take advantage of the close proximity to so many wineries, so I convinced my friend Danielle to go with me. My appointment was 11 am; by 11:20, we were ready to go wine tasting. 

I used www.wineroad.com to decide which wineries would be most convenient for us to visit. Hanna Winery was a mere 3 miles from my appointment; that was our first stop.

Before our visit, I didn't know anything about Hanna, other than the fact that they produced Sauvignon Blanc. Now that it's practically summertime, I'm on the hunt for quaffable white wines...

Mission accomplished! The 2011 Russian River Sauv Blanc was very tasty ($19). Pale straw color in the glass, the wine had alluring aromas of lime and orange blossom. Bright acidity was balanced by lush tropical fruit flavors. This is a great wine to drink by itself or pair with salads, seafood, or goat cheese.

Visiting Hanna was a very pleasant experience made possible by our host, Patrick (a former Hanna wine club member turned part-time tasting room host). The red wines at Hanna were also impressive. I particularly enjoyed the 2007 Alexander Valley Merlot ($34), the 2007 Bismark Mountain Cab Franc ($56), and the 2007 Bismark Mountain Titan, a Malbec blend. (Bismark Mountain is the Sonoma side of Napa's famous Spring Mountain.)

With a few bottles of Hanna in the trunk, we decided to make one more stop.

Less than 15 minutes later, we sidled up to the tasting bar at--one of my favorites!--Dutton-Goldfield Winery.

We had a wonderful tasting, including a refreshing Pinot Blanc, the delicious Rued Vineyard Chardonnay, many beautiful Pinot Noirs, and a brief encounter with the owner/winemaker Dan Goldfield (bonus!). He talked to us about his Burgundian approach to winemaking and his love for cool-climate vineyards; he looked like he had just finished or was about to go on a bike ride.    

This was my second trip to the Dutton-Goldfield tasting room and I can't wait to go back for more!