Kunde Estate Winery

The winery calls this “a vacation in your glass.” I would have to guess the vacation is to France, because the wine includes 9 percent of Semillon and Viognier. Either that or it’s a vacation to Glen Ellen in Sonoma Valley, where the wine is grown (a lane of magnolia trees runs alongside the vineyard). Whatever they meant, they nailed the refreshing quality of Sauvignon Blanc, and that’s, well, refreshing.

One of Kunde’s SB techniques is to harvest a portion of the fruit early, at low sugars, and give it a cold soak to pull out citrus flavors and acidity. One the other end of the spectrum, they barrel-ferment some of the later-picked fruit to amplify SB’s honey flavors. So what you get in your mouth is nice, melony viscosity and softness framed in snappy, apple-grapefruit aromas and a clean, firm finish. All in all, a versatile wine that can stand alone or complement all types of seafood and anything Asian.

Reviewed July 26, 2007 by Thom Elkjer.