We're up on the Sonoma Coast for Thanksgiving week--which is reason enough to give lots of thanks this year! After safely transporting two dogs and four humans into a cabin in the redwoods near the sea, it was time to flip open the windowseats and see what we'd stashed in them over the summer and forgotten we had. Our windowseat storage area has nearly perfect cellar conditions--dark, about 57 degrees and 68-70 percent humidity--and it's where we put wine that isn't quite ready to drink.It's grey and rainy up here, and as soon as I saw the sunny Pomelo label, I knew this was the wine to go with our citrus chicken tagine with couscous. With a fire roaring in the woodstove, the dogs passed out, and the chicken bubbling away in its lemon and orange liquid, we unscrewed the cap and started celebrating the holiday week.
This sauvignon blanc is a bottling of Mason Cellars from their Kelseyville Vineyards in Lake County, CA. Mason Cellars are a family owned and operated company, and they produce merlot, sauvignon blanc, and cabernet sauvignon. Their Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc is named after a large citrus fruit that is ancestor of the more common grapefruit, and that citrusy flavor profile is expressed in this wine.
The 2005 Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc ($8.39, Surf Supermarket in downtown Gualala; available all over for around $10) is a light and refreshing sauvignon blanc with loads of grapefruit aromas and flavors. With an impression of sweetness, and a touch of bright lime to give it some zing, it is not at all harsh or acidic. This is my third bottle, and two of them had a little bit of spritz to them. This third bottle did not.
This sauvignon blanc is a tasty wine with very good QPR. A bit one dimensional, with its dominant citrus varietal characteristics it will be a great favorite among those who prefer their sauvignon blancs citrusy rather than herbal or grassy. This wine is not subjected to any oak, so is free of any smoke or vanilla processing flavors. It pairs well with a wide variety of chicken and seafood dishes, especially piccata and scampi or grilled fare.
7 comments:
After a couple of years of drinking a wide variety of the excellent New Zealand SBs, this wine is a nice change of pace and a new favorite. VERY nice!
Welcome! I'm so glad you left a comment, as it's always nice to know that my palate is on track! It's one of my new favorites, too--so easy to pair with food, when some of those NZ SBs can be a bit tangy and grassy.
I fell in love with Pomelo SB as I drank my first glass. I immediately bought a case and proceeded to share (give away) to my friends. Big mistake! Now, I'm out - my restaurant no longer carries it - and, I can't find it anywhere. HELP! maresmed@bellsouth.net
No good deed goes unpunished! There are lots of retailers with this wine, check http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Pomelo/2/USA-/USD/A/-/0 to see if you can find one near you. Also, Mason Cellars has it for $120 a case, minus a 10% discount. Good luck!
Tried this wine a couple of months ago and what a beautiful wine it is....I believe it to be my first Sauvignon Blanc... I generally have a taste for the Chardonnays...I LOVE IT and just inquired about purchasing a case...It certainly has become my favorite !!!
I'm delighted with the smooth, light flavor of this wine. I have tended to shy away from SBs due to that bite-tang. This was a recommendation of the buyer for a gourmet cheese shop in Columbus, OH and he said he could barely keep it in stock. That people tried it and kept returning to stock up this summer. Thanks for the post.
I usually don't buy SBs but the label grabbed my attention...bright, fresh, and citrusy. (A genuine reflection of the wine. ) The clean grapefruit taste is great and I have found a new favorite especially when light, fresh and a touch of tangy suits the occasion. The price point makes this wine a great deal!
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