Yeah. Like, damn. I was surprised too.
~Michaud Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2017
(San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Bronze award winner)
The Review: 5/5 !
Uhhhhhh, wow. I'm not sure how to put this (I'm kind-of a big deal, people know me...wait... no). Though I've only consumed one sip, I may be staring into the glass of the most drinkable and palate-friendly Sauvignon Blanc I've ever had from NakedWines.com. It may also be the only white I've ever rated with 5 hearts (at a quick glance I can't find any I've rated over 4.5). I have yet to try the Grasset (a favorite) Sauv Blanc, but this bottle of Michaud magic has immediately made me want to buy more...like six more...no joke.
First off, the color is on the precipice of clear, but with a faint golden hue quite similar to a fine Champagne. You know there's color to it, but you struggle at some angles to see it.
The nose starts off with a light breeze over a dry grass field and then swells into the sweet aroma of a worn wooden bucket that had fresh peaches and apples in it yesterday.
The palate gets a much more advanced version of what the nose picked up... a soft and ripe Bartlett pear along with an over-ripe red apple. There’s also that nearby hay or dry grass essence that has just a tinge of a distant floral touch.
I have to be honest, this is easily described as "phenomenal!"More than half-way through and there's still no doubt this is a spectacular Sauv Blanc and will be on my 'favorites' list.
I didn't want the bottle to empty, ever. Unfortunately, I consumed it much faster than usual, leaving me with not enough to say and an empty bottle of happiness haha.
In lieu of a longer (and possibly boring) review, I'll reiterate how incredible this wine was from the first drop. I see it's received a bronze award, but in my heart it's all gold, baby. Maybe it's not the perfect Sauvignon Blanc by the standards of professional wine experts or anyone in France (I kid), but it was the epitome of perfection for my easy-drinking, fun-loving soul.
I can't wait for another vintage of this to come out. I. Want. More.
It feels odd to say this in 2019, but "Can't wait for 2018!" haha
Cheers!!
Winemaker Response:
"Don't worry Erik we made more. Of course for us each vintage is a new and unique adventure. I hope you like the next vintage as much as this one. The 2017 was a bit of a lucky bounce. Katy had connections that helped us find this blend. We knew we would love it right away. When we worked in New Zealand back in 2005 we found that a lot of wineries liked to blend SB and Semillon together. That's what we did with this vintage. It has great fruit and balance. I love how the Semillon adds some weight to the wine. I must admit that I have already looked at your review as I respond to this post and am blown away with your description and review. Amazing. Thanks for the great support. Get ready for version 2018 coming soon." - Justin & Katy Michaud
2nd Winemaker Response:
"Erik, I need to ask if the staff can send you a sample of the new vintage before it hits the virtual shelves, I would love to get your notes on it. Honestly I'm a little nervous it won't measure up to your expectation. After all we aren't making Budweiser here and each of our vintages are different and unique. Don't worry we aren't overly nervous, we don't bottle a wine if we can't stand behind it. This is the first SB we have made and are happy it has been so well received. Katy is the one we should really be thanking for this one. We both love SB and have made it in the past but it hasn't been a varietal we have been making consistently over the past few years. When one of her friends said they had some extra we just knew we wanted to make it for NW and share with the angels out there. It was serendipitous that we found some Semillon to blend into it, something we liked in the New Zealand SB's that blend the two often. We also ended up using a touch of oak, more to try and add some depth and structure to the wine instead of outright oaky flavors. The 2018 vintage should be ready to go soon, we have bottled it and are just letting it get over 'bottle shock' before we release it. It doesn't have any oak or Semillon this year but we did tweak the blend a little. I look forward to hearing what you think when it is released. In the meantime I hope you can get another bottle of the 2017 vintage, it looks like it is almost gone, if not sold out already. Thank you for this amazing review, we appreciate all that the archangels do around here. Its an honor to get your first 5 heart rating of a white wine." - Justin & Katy Michaud
When the winemaker loves your review so much they want to make sure you get a bottle of the next vintage before its public release... damn that feels good!
(a single tear of joy runs down my cheek)
Another Thought:
I read a few other reviews of this wine since writing my own, and I would say most people seem to taste this wine differently. One talked about acidity, another about looking for a go-to SB and this one failed the test. I guess it just goes to show how different all our tastes and preferences are.
Happy drinking, friends.
Discount/Promo Link For $100 off New NakedWines.com Customers
More Wine/Beer Articles
Comments