If you’d served this to me blind, I’d have guessed a riper year of Menetou-Salon or something like that. Not that the profile was a perfect match, but that was the closest match among the SB profiles that I’m familiar with – Sancerre, Styria, Fruili/Alto Adige, New Zealand, white Bordeaux, South Africa. There was plenty of acid to give the flavors a lively definition, and a hint of minerality. Was very surprised to see the 14.2% listed on the bottle. A fine match for spaghetti with lemon-garlic shrimp and cherry tomatoes.
Curiously, Saul’s note for this wine in the Quarantine Relief offer mention tropical fruits, which I really didn’t get other than maybe a bit of kiwi. Not sure if the wine has just changed, or we’ve just got two different perspectives.
Agree with your take. For those unfamiliar with this producer, Saul/CB makes wine in the Willamette Valley. I’ve never enjoyed any other Oregon SBs, but found this plenty lively and delicious. In fact, I’ve enjoyed all of his wines - a bit of a zig from the zag of the traditional WV producer lineup.
Thank you both for the kind words. I’m definitely making a different sort of lineup than many people locally and I’m glad you both have enjoyed the bottles.
Lee–as far as the tropical fruit thing goes…that wine showed an absolute boatload of passionfruit from when it went dry in barrel until well past bottling, though it’s definitely calmed down a lot on that front over the last few months. (In general, the 18’s that got bottled in the spring are hitting a nice point now across the board.). When I wrote that note it definitely showed riper and broader, and on some nights it still seems to be there, but I don’t think you’re wrong with where the wine is headed. It definitely wears its ABV well, in large part because it came in with some serious acidity despite the higher brix.