Yes, it’s Wine Blogging Wednesday again! Since I knew it was coming up right after my fourth of July getaway, I sneakily packed a few wines in my Survival Kit that fit with this month’s theme: Wines Brought to you by the Letter ‘S’. I also packed two wines which have come to mean Amazing Summer Sipping as far as I’m concerned – and both have an ‘S’ component. I’ve decided to share my thoughts today on the one I realized I just barely favor over the other. (It is only fair I share in the greatest goodness with those who come to read my musings!)

Enter the 2007 Sileni Estates Sauvignon Blanc.

I wasn’t much of a white wine drinker even as little as two years ago. I had been burned one too many times by (oaky) Chardonnay or overly tart (to my taste some years ago) Sauvignon Blanc, arguably the two white varietals you come across most often here in the US. I was only experimenting with half the possibilities and a true wine adventurer needs to at least know what the heck white is all about. So I solicited a little help from my local wine shop. Whenever I wanted a case of wine in the warmer months, I asked the wine manager to throw in a few whites, too. Soon enough I was hooked! The summer months became a fun time to focus on finding new white varietals to beat the heat; the winter could be reserved for my red addiction. Fair is fair.

Why this side story now? Well, the Sileni Sauvignon Blanc is one of those amazing wines I find many palates (red and white drinkers alike) can appreciate, or as in my case, saddle right on up to with an empty glass. Sauvignon Blanc from warmer climates can take on more tropical flavors of banana and pineapple – of course backed by characteristically citrus (lemon/lime) goodness. Sauvignon Blanc from cooler climates (e.g. New Zealand) errs on the grassier, super zesty grapefruit side. Either way it is an intense, lively, herbal, often zippy little number with great acidity to quench thirst on the hottest of summer days. What can I say, cheesy as it may sound, an image of a tall reed of grass blowing in the sea breeze now comes to mind when I find myself sipping Sauvignon Blanc.

Semillon on its own can take on fuller, rich, almost honeyed flavors. It is widely produced in France, particularly in Bordeaux and used in Sauternes. Australia is also becoming a big producer of the grape. When it is blended with the lean, zesty-tart Sauvignon Blanc, this varietal works some serious magic. The best winemakers know just a little bit goes a long way. Without strong-arming, a drop or two of semillon produces lovely, fleshy and refreshing white wines.

What about the Sileni offering, you ask urgently now that I’ve wet your whistle??

I’m always amazed by the color of the Sileni. It is a fairly light, almost star-bright color – when I always anticipate it being more honeyed in color, because of it’s gorgeous richness on the palate. Indeed, while the label doesn’t indicate as much, the winemaker blends in just a touch of tasty Semillon. The result is a fuller bodied Sauvignon Blanc. I find nice tropical fruits, gooseberry freshness and some minerality leap from the glass and similar flavors emerge on the midpalate. Its more typically New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc grapefruit flavors show on the finish. It is so well integrated, the wine’s components dance together harmoniously. We paired it with fresh Swordfish steak, corn on the cob and an apple-cider vinegar coleslaw. The weight of the wine complemented the steakier fish perfectly, and the sweetness of the corn and slaw were brilliantly off-set by the fresh acidity of the wine. Yum, indeed!

What wine with the Letter ‘S’ tickled your tastebuds and fancy this holiday weekend?

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday! And so it is I have the occasion to divert from my typical blogging approach to bring news of a gorgeous, supple white wine from the Cote du Rhone, France: 2006 Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Blanc.

But first a brief introduction to this Wine Blogging Wednesday I speak of…. WBW was started about 4 years ago by Lenndevours to bring a virutal wine tasting to the global masses. A theme is selected by the monthly host and then wine bloggers select a wine they’ve tasted based on the theme and post their impressions on the applicable day. This month Dr. Debs is our guide. She had the brilliant idea of selecting the Cote du Rhone whites as the theme.

For me this month’s “assignment” was a pleasure. The Cote du Rhone could be my favorite region in the wine making world. There is enough variation from the North to South to keep things interesting and challenging, too. The reds are full of character, offering a great sense of place and tradition – one that my palette adores. The whites are often seductive and refreshing. (Note: of course these comments are sweeping generalizations for a large and distinct region, but for the sake of keeping my posts relatively reasonable in length, I can’t help but tempt you to explore for yourself. The Rhone is quite fun!)

There are nine grapes of the Rhone. The St. Cosme blends 4 of them: 50% is Roussanne and the rest is Picpoul, Clairette, and Marsanne. Roussanne and Clairette are perhaps two of the most aromatic and elegant grapes in this area – and the St. Cosme surely benefits. Marsanne and Picpoul are more often used as blending grapes (though I’ve had the latter on it’s own and it is quite fantastically refreshing and versatile). Ok, so those are the grapes… “What about the wine?!”, you ask?

I was shocked by the St. Cosme’s stunning gold color. I couldn’t wait to put my nose in the glass! I gave it a swirl and initially found the nose to have hints of petrol followed by intense, ripe pear aromas. As it opened and warmed slightly (it has been HOT in Boston), honey notes emerged. My first taste did not disappoint either. It had an incredible, fleshy-full, mouthfeel and flavors of pear and other tropical fruits danced around in my mouth. It paired well with my meal, too: cucumber dill & walnut salad, grilled tandoori chicken and red potatoes. This wine received my highest “rating”: YUM!

I believe every taster has their own experience with and impressions of a wine; that’s why I don’t blog to rate wines, but rather focus on giving you the ‘back story’ or other tidbits about wine to increase your curiosity to play (read: taste) as much as possible. After tasting a wine for myself, I often investigate to see what other’s think. Sometimes I completely agree, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I laugh at how someone can say a wine is “close to being outstanding” (first, what exactly does that mean??) and then rate it only 89 points.

My recommendation? Go out and splurge on the St. Cosme Cote du Rhone Blanc! Taste the wine and then check out Spectator‘s and Parker‘s notes or Google it for more info. After I selected the wine I realized Gary V tasted this wine out not that long ago, too. So there’s lots of entertaining reading out there as you sip. Cheers!