There's something about a crisp Sauvignon Blanc that pulls the flavor out of great seafood. Perhaps it's the grapefruit-like acidity that counterbalances the sweetness of broiled lobster tail in lemon butter, which we enjoyed tonight with a 2007 Parkers Estate, a fine example of Sonoma County winemaking.The pale straw color of this aromatic varietal belies the surprisingly rich flavors of pear and melon that evolve into tangy citrus on the lingering finish. Steve detects the scent of fresh-cut grass, saying the aroma is like being on a golf course after a light spring rain.
Claudia says this Sauvignon Blanc is fruitier than other examples of the varietal she has tried, but is not as toasty as she prefers, nor does it offer the aroma or flavor of oak aging. "It is nicely balanced," she says.
At $19 the bottle, this is a good wine for its price. Parkers Estate Sauvignon Blanc adds something special with the fruity complexity playing off the tang of grapefruit, but in the not-quite $20 range, we would expect no less. The '07 is good but not a great value compared to many of the white wines we often sample in this price bracket.
This blanc was delicious with seafood and the melted French brie on baguette that we devoured as an appetizer before the lobster. Afterward, we're thinking many good California and Washington State white wines are available in the $10 range with Wine Spectator ratings equal or superior to bottles such as the Parkers Estate, which cost nearly twice as much. Still, this may be like comparing the ride in a BMW to that of a Porsche Cabriolet. Both will get you where you're going, but one does it with a bit more panache. We're not sure that paying twice as much doubles the value or is worth the difference in taste, but the Parkers Estate was still a fine complement to our broiled crustaceans dipped in melted butter.
A Wine for All Seasons Copyright © 2010 by Claudia and Steve Evans. All rights reserved.
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