Sauvignon Blanc 2011—A brand new release from Soquel’s Hunter Hill
I first tasted Hunter Hill’s Sauvignon Blanc at the Capitola Art & Wine Festival in September. On a particularly hot day for our neck of the woods, this was perhaps one of the lightest and most refreshing wines around, and I went back for another tasting.
This is one lovely new release put out by Hunter Hill—and perfect to pair with just about anything as the last of the warm weather lingers on. But let not the temperature play a role in whether or not to drink this wine. Pairing well with salad, seafood, light appetizers, and a plate of fruit and cheese, it’s a wine that can be drunk just about any time.
Christine and Vann Slatter, owners of Hunter Hill Winery, have nicknamed this wine “SilverSmith” in honor of their good friends Linda and Larry Smith who encouraged them to make it. It is produced from the Sauvignon Musqué clone, thought to be a natural clone of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat. Musqué is a French term applied to certain varieties of clones or grapes used for making wine. The term means both perfumed (musky) and Muscat-like, and indicates that the variety or clone is highly aromatic.
Dining at Sanderlings in Seascape Resort with friends a couple of weeks ago, I came across Hunter Hill’s Sauvignon Blanc on the wine list and I encouraged my friends to try it. The three of us ordered the same dish—a “locals’ special” of Scampi, served with rice or linguini—and this wine paired beautifully with the plump fresh scampi. The dish was fairly rich, cooked in a wonderful garlic sauce, so it needed a crisp aromatic wine with zesty acidity to go with it—and the Sauvignon Blanc fit the bill. The wine’s noticeable overtones of peach, pear and nectarine also paired nicely with our tasty salads.
And last but not least, the eye-catching label of bright yellow sunflowers by Patty Hinz Imagery perfectly captures the mood of this delicious wine.
Hunter Hill Vineyard & Winery, 7099 Glen Haven Road, Soquel. 465-9294, hunterhillwines.com. Tasting room hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Events
Davenport Roadhouse Happy Hour
Every Tuesday through Friday, Davenport Roadhouse hosts a Happy Hour with great prices. From 4-6 p.m. appetizers are $4-$6 (excludes specially priced items), draught beer is $3.50 per glass, well drinks are $4, and house wine is $4. Davenport Roadhouse has new owners—Helmut and Queenie Fritz—so take a trip up the coast and check it out. You can even stay overnight if you overindulge on Happy Hour specials. Davenport Roadhouse, 1 Davenport Ave., Davenport. 426-8801, davenportroadhouse.com.
