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Sauvignon Blanc: white magic
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Stand-alone or boosting a blend, this unforgettable character loves good food and makes good times
Freshly, lively, food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc is among the most instantly recognizable varietals. It flaunts piercing aromas of gooseberry, cut grass, asparagus, flowering currant, green pepper, nettles—and even cat’s pee. This cool climate grape reaches its apex of aromatic intensity and zesty crispness in France’s Loire Valley (showing a minerally, flinty, smoky, lemony character in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé) and in New Zealand (often bursting with ripe tropical fruit flavours in wines of the South Island’s Marlborough region).
In Bordeaux, it is traditionally blended with Sémillon to make less intense whites to go with local fruit de mers, and also sweet, botrytised dessert wine. Use of oak is the exception. Examples of oak aged Sauvignon Blanc include white Graves, a Sémillon blend, and Fumé Blanc, a name invented by Robert Mondavi for oak style Sauvignon Blanc.
Quick facts
- Coined in California in 1981, the term Meritage (pronounced like heritage) is the trademark for wines blended from traditional Bordeaux varieties
- White Meritage is made by blending two or more of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Vert
- Chile’s Casablanca region and South Africa’s Cape region are successful Sauvignon Blanc producers
Best way to enjoy
Food pairings: Loire style with goat’s cheese, asparagus quiche, salad, light fish, oysters; New Zealand style with flavourful seafood, vegetables, pork (slightly sweet and cooked with spices) and Meritage with richly sauced fish dishes, lobster
Temperature: 6-8 C
Type of glass: tulip-shaped wine glass
Read more of the original stories celebrated in our 30th-anniversary issue.
Comedy O Christmas Tea comes to Okanagan-December dates
James & Jamesy are dashing through the snow on their way to delight audiences of all ages with their holiday-themed comedy – O Christmas Tea. Fans of Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and Dr. Seuss will love this rollicking Christmas romp through a world steeped in tea as we join these friends on an adventure.
Mission Hill hosts Festival of Trees
Mission Hill Family Estate hosts the second annual Festival of Trees. It kicked off Friday with an opening that was fun for wine drinkers and their minis too.
Winter in Wine Country
Decorated trees will be on display at Black Hills Estate Winery, Nk’Mip Cellars, Oliver Twist Estate Winery and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards throughout the holiday season and voting for the best tree is encouraged with a small donation.
Royal Canadian Legion Kelowna donates $100,000 to JoeAnna’s House
The RCL donates $100,000 to go specifically towards JoeAnna’s House, a home away from home for the families of patients who must travel to KGH for advanced medical care.
Five reasons to move to the Okanagan
Feel the sand between your toes and the laptop at your fingertips. Your daily commute is short — say goodbye to traffic jams and the daily rat race.
Seventy local artists’ work presented at Kelowna Art Gallery
Over 70local artists answered the call to submit a work for inclusion in this year’s annual members’ exhibition at the Kelowna Art Gallery that is on display free for the public until January 13.