DISCLAIMER: Wine-Blog is a journal of my PR wine activities and learnings. 1) I occasionally write stories about wine clients, but don’t charge them hours for that time. 2) Wine reviews (and trips) originate from free samples sent by PR people representing the brands. 3) Images are either mostly mine, some are purchased; a few rare ones are part of fair trade usage.
Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc 2016, from Chile, which went down so darn easily, it’s way too easy to enjoy, in a good way. It was this side of dangerous, because I had to remind myself that I was tasting, not sailing on a yacht in the Cowes Week Race. I did enjoy enough to get it onto Instagram immediately, then life happened in the fast lane… Summer and visitors…
I was just reminded of this wine, once more, as I drank a Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley. It was hard to enjoy, because it wasn’t varietally correct.
Terrunyo deserves three claws: “Three Claws = Perfectly balanced Sauvignon Blanc. “Ah, I’m back working with a master winery, and having a Sauvignon Blanc from the Tokalon ‘old vines’ block. Yes!”
OFF TOPIC: All I seem to do, I know, is rave about the wines that I review, I know. I don’t name names of wines that I don’t enjoy, and there are plenty. I won’t help anyone build an un-shopping list. Do you know anyone who keeps one of those? I surely don’t, and I’m not going to rag on fill-in-the-winery-name. Life’s too short, so I tell you about the great one I enjoy. The ones with extreme value, too. The tasty ones, like Terrunyo’s Sauvignon Blanc. It’s really a perfect fit, on my palate.
Sauvignon Blanc is a wine that has a fascinating range and it deserves its own rating system, in my humble opinion. On one end of the spectrum, there are the commodity Sauvignon Blancs. You know, the ones that have no character, no finesse, and something important is missing (like aromas and flavors). On the other end of the spectrum, you feel like you just finished cleaning the litter box, and the aromatics of that are still lingering in the air, and now it’s on your palate. (Oh, God!) Then, there’s that fine line, right down the middle. It’s got character, flavors, and lots of finesse. And, the aromatics are inviting, green pear, apple, gooseberries, tart lemons, grapefruit… maybe some cat claws, and all’s well with the world. (Yum…)
A long time ago, I created a scoring system for Sauvignon Blancs. It was just so easy to do. Here’s how it works, if you haven’t yet read it:
Sauvignon Blanc Claw Factor
One Claw = Commodity SB
“Did I order water, Ms. Sommelier? What is this?”
Two Claws = Commodity kitty, headed toward being a well balanced cat, but not quite there, yet.
“This has hints of being a Sauvignon Blanc. I can live with it, but it’s not all that la-te-da…”
Three Claws = Perfect SB
“Ah, I’m back working at Robert Mondavi Winery, and having a SB from the Tokalon ‘old vines’ block. Yes!”
Four Claws = Just off-perfect, and headed toward the litter box
“This is like a day old litter box. I can take it, but I wish I didn’t have to. Make a note to self, ’empty that thing every day.'”
Five Claws = It’s over the top with capsicum like 2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine
“Call in the paramedics, I can’t breathe.”
Yes, this is a magnificent wine to enjoy.
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