Wine To Go Buy This Week - Spottswoode Estate 2014 Sauvignon Blanc – 90 Points

Purchased off the list at The Arbor in Pasadena. This is Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France. Light golden in color with slight green hues. The nose is nice with a slight grassy note but also a slight tropical fruit note. Light bodied. Slightly sweet, but just a hint. Good finish. This is a lovely way to start a meal and was popular with everyone at the table. Drink over the next year or so.
This is a nice Sauvignon Blanc that seems a bit old school in style. Silvery gold in color with green hues, clear and bright. The nose is grassy with some green apples and very slight cat pee. Medium bodied. Good acidity. On the palate, grassy with some Meyer lemon notes. Long finish. This drinks very easily on its own and will work well with seafood or lighter foods. I would work well with Tuna Salad. Drink over the next couple of years. Excellent value.
Not a whole lot more to say about Yquem that hasn't been said, but it is arguably the greatest winery on the planet. The 2013 is a very good if not top vintage, but still a thrill to drink. Golden in color, light with just a tinge of orange. The nose is great with apricots, slight honey and slight tangerines. Viscous. Full bodied. Great balance. On the palate, this is delicious. Flavors of apricots and tangerines. Sweet with enough acidity to not be cloying. The finish goes on forever. This is drinking well now and should drink well for another twenty to thirty years. Great on i
Always a pleasure to try something like this. While 1961 was a top year for reds, less so for whites. This one was past prime. It still had a bit of roasted fruits to offer and not dead, it peaked thirty years ago. Still fun though.
This was a delightful Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France. Stylistically, it had a bit of new world characteristics which was interesting. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is nice with some grassiness and some tropical fruits. Medium bodied. On the palate, this is tasty with some depth. Tropical fruits with some minerality. Nice finish. Drink over the next few years. This would work well with fish tacos.
There’s a certain comfort in knowing that when you open a Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc, regardless of vintage, it will always be excellent. I have had many vintages of this wine and the consistency of its excellence is borderline improbable – and yet they nail it year after year. The ’21 offers that beautiful crisp nose of lemon meringue, lime kefir, honeysuckle, guava and red delicious apple. That follows through on the palate along with light plum, crème brulee, toasted brioche and Asian pear.
Always a pleasure to drink Rieussec. It is one of the great wines from Sauternes. This year it also comes in a spiffy new bottles that is very different. A blend of 89% Sémillon, 9% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle according to the winemaker's notes. Golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is great with apricot, orange zest, slight honey and a bit of lemon. Full bodied. Viscous. Sweet, not cloying. Good acidity. On the palate, this is delicious. Orange zest, lemon and honey. Long, long finish. This should drink well for thirty years. Great on its own, it will work with a le
This is a blend of 50% Semillon and 50% Sauvignon Blanc according to the label (although the winery web site lists it at 80/20). The Semillon stood out, so I tend to believe the winery over the back label. Golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is nice with alfalfa, slight lemons and a bit of melon. Medium bodied. Oily texture.