Attributes:

Monsieur Touton

Bordeaux, France

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

Food Matches:

A region in western France that grows famous red wines from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes and white wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle grapes. Situated on the Atlantic coast, Bordeaux has a maritime climate with warm summers and fairly mild winters as well as an abundance of rain during harvest time. When young, the finest red Bordeaux wines have a deep cranberry hue and aromas of blackcurrants, plums, spice, cedar, and cassis. For the first ten years or so these wines can be very dry, with tannin masking the fruity flavors. Eventually the wines turn garnet, and develops an extraordinarily complex bouquet and flavor as well as softer tannins. The finest red Bordeaux wines still take 20 years or so before reaching their maturity. Two distinct red wine production zones exist within the Bordeaux region; the Left Bank and the Right Bank. The Left Bank vineyards are located west of the Garonne River and the Gironde Estuary, into which the Garonne empties. The Right Bank vineyards are east and north of the Dordogne River and east of the Grionde Estuary. Of the various wine districts on the Left and Right Banks, four are the most important for red wines: Haut-Médoc; Pessac-Leognan, St-Emilion, and Pomerol. For white wines, the most important are Graves and Pessac-Leognan.

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

Attributes:

Kendall-Jackson Vineyards & Winery

California, United States

Syrah / Shiraz

750 ML

2005: CGCW Rating: 86

fresh

solid

drinkable

2004: CGCW Rating: 85

berries, smoky

2003: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

rich

oak, peppery, spice

2002: CGCW Rating: 86

fat

rich

blackberries, pepper

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 84

beef, cola, mocha, oak

good concentration, juicy

2002: WineEnthusiast Rating: 87

soft

berry, candied, ripe fruit

round

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 78

tart

cranberry, grapey, toast, vanilla

2001: WineAdvocate Rating: 84

soft

medium-bodied

deep, supple

berry, black currant, licorice, smoke

fruity

Food Matches:

Originally grown in France’s Northern Rhône Valley (where it is a noble variety) this grape has spread to Australia, California, Washington, Italy and Spain. In the Rhone region this grape produces deeply colored wines with full body and firm tannin, however in Australia, where it is known as Shiraz, the wines are lighter and fruitier. Aromas and flavors for these wines vary as much as their geographical breadth suggests: berries, smoked meat, bell peppers, even tar.

Australian name for the grape known as Syrah in France.

California produces the majority of wine made in the United States. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir dominate the wine production in California, but many other varietials thrive in the California climate. Many fine wines are produced in California using Mediterranean grapes.

Attributes:

Chateau de Valandraud

Saint Emilion Grand Cru, France

Bordeaux - Red

750 ML

Food Matches:

Romans planted vineyards in Saint-Emilion as early as the second century. It is located right bank of the Gironde and named after the monk Emilion. The "Saint Emilion Grand Cru" label on a wine explains that the wine is from any one of the many vineyards on the list of vineyards that qualify as Saint Emilion Grand Cru.