Wine Blogging Wednesday

When I read that the theme for November’s Wine Blogging Wednesday was small batch wines (i.e. less than 250 cases produced), I was overjoyed. For someone who lives near Woodinville, Wash., a small winery mecca, this was going to be a cakewalk.

I went down to the basement and decided that I’d submit a review of Stevens Winery’s 2004 Yakima Valley Sauvignon Blanc. We bought a bottle earlier this year after stumbling on their tasting room while driving home from a visit to Mark Ryan.

Not only have they produced less than 250 cases of this wine, but Stevens has produced less than 700 cases total in its entire history.

If I remember correctly, the winemaker – Tim Stevens – is an artist by trade and only got into winemaking by chance. (He worked for a while at Matthew’s Cellars where he ultimately became assistant winemaker.) The fact that he’s an artist is evident by the creative wine labels. Each wine’s label features a different photograph of one of Tim’s sculptures. The sculpture on the sauvignon blanc is called Legs – after the legs of a wine, perhaps? I don’t know…

My Opinion:

We originally bought this bottle because we wanted to support a small, emerging winery. (Not much support, I know, but hey, we’re wine drinkers not philanthropists.) I’m sure glad we did, too.

Eyes: The first thing you notice after pouring it in the glass is how strikingly lemon colored the wine is. I couldn’t help think how much it looked like the batch of limoncello I’d just finished making earlier that day.

Nose: The smell was something all together different though. Swirl the glass and an apple orchard practically jumps out of the wine. I don’t know if this is the right word for it or not, but I also smelled “minerals.”

Mouth: I have to admit, the first sip wasn’t the best. By itself the wine is a little sharp. Thankfully, we pressed on. Nick and I had made a dinner consisting of roast chicken, a thyme-scented puree of delicata squash, celery root and potatoes, and a simple tossed salad with pomegranites and a dijon vinaigrette. The mashed veggies were the best pairing; it made the wine taste deliciously smooth and buttery. The salad on the other hand brought out a light, fruity zing. (This taste transformation never ceases to amaze me.)

Perfect for: Despite what the winery says, I think this is exclusively a food wine. It tastes okay by itself, but it really comes alive when enjoyed with food. If you were looking for a wine to impress at Thanksgiving this year without breaking the bank, this would be an excellent choice.

Wine Enthusiast:

As you might suspect, the Wine Enthusiast has yet to review this wine.

From the Winery:

“Our 2004 Sauvignon Blanc mirrored many of the same qualities that were reflected in the 2003 vintage. Our philosophy remained the same: to create a wine that was ripe and seductive. The weather was on our side and we were luck enough to end up with fruit that was physiologically as ripe as the year before, but had a lower brix level and higher malic acid content. These two major factors helped develop greater zing up front and length in the finish. Once again, the wine has no residual sugar and is bone dry which allows it finish crisp and clean. We hope that you enjoy this wine which pairs well with lighter foods or can be consumed on its own on a hot summer day.”

Tasting Notes: none available

Composition: 85% sauvignon blanc, 15% semillion

Aging: no information available

Alcohol: 13.9%

Production: 103 cases

Price: Stevens Winery, $14

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Update: I got an email from Tim & Paige last night, saying there are only 20 cases of this wine remaining. If you’re interested in buying some, you should get on it quickly!

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