Elizabeth Spencer 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

Having a large wine retailer in your area sometimes brings great advantages to you. Case in point: the small tasting I attended last night with Spencer Graham, winemaker at Elizabeth Spencer in Rutherford, Napa.

I left the tasting with two autographed bottles, one of which is this, the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino. It's 100% organic and all grapes come from one vineyard.

Those who know me know that I pursue sauvignon blanc always looking for new and interesting bottles. Most of my peers turn their noses up at my usual smelly, grassy greenish sauv-blanc, but sometimes, they agree with my assessment. This is one of those times!

Big grapefruit nose with hints of lemons and flowers. Tart and a just a bit grassy with... gooseberry? I've heard gooseberry is like grapefruit with roundness at the end, so it applies here. Big big big for a sauv-blanc. Super great for hot days on the deck. Pair it with your shrimp and fish dishes or your light cheeses. Brie would be a great complement as would a dry-jack (we had it at the tasting, reco!)

From Elizabeth Spencer's posted tasting notes:

"Intensely fragrant, aromas of grapefruit. Hints of lemon rind, pear blossom. Crisp acidity braces the palate and provides structure for flavors of stone fruit, white peach and citrus while the hallmark hint of slate and fresh-cut grass provide intriguing counterpoints. This focused wine builds to a creamy fullness on the mid-palate and the flavors remain vibrant and complex through to the finish."

T-Scale 90. Great round sauv-blanc with structure much better than most California bottles. Feels like a Loire with a bit more umph. This one gets distributed so you can find it which is a bonus. At $17.95, it's a few bucks more than some, the same as Mondavi Fume, but better.