Sonoma countyWines of all shades and textures are made in the multiplicity of hills and valleys that make up Sonoma's wine country. Most critics agree that the top wines from Sonoma easily rival those of its more glamorous next-door neighbour, Napa. It's the home of freethinking, freewheeling, experimental and innovative winemaking. Just one of the varieties that does well here is Sauvignon Blanc, a white grape variety that has a distinctive aroma. Some Sauvignon Blancs smell slightly smoky, others have herbal, citrous and green-pepper notes, while still others are said to smell of a tom cat's urine (fortunately, it doesn't taste as bad as it sounds). All, however, are marked by a certain fresh zing that makes them stand out in a crowd. Oz says, "in the Sonoma Valley you can make anything: light, delicate Chardonnay or some of the most powerful, fruity Pinot Noir in California. Sonoma is still a polyculture with cattle grazing, horses around and a sense of a local community - unlike Napa, where the whole place is dedicated to wine and you wonder if there's any land left that isn't vineyard. I like Sonoma wines; in general they're softer than Napa wines and not as dense." Wine factSauvignon Blanc's characteristic aroma is caused by a class of odour-producing chemical compounds called methoxypyrazines. Methoxypyrazines also occur in relatively high proportions in the red Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Thanks to DNA profiling, we now know that Sauvignon Blanc is actually a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon - not something to be sniffed at. Sauvignon Blanc and food Sauvignon Blanc is no wallflower. It has a distinctive aroma and a herbal flavour profile and is often quite high in acidity. Yet it's quite an easy grape variety to match with food, stepping into the breach where other grapes don't dare to tread. It has an affinity with some 'hard-to-match' foods such as asparagus and goats' cheese and is a natural with salads and shellfish. Try it with these recipes: Recipes
|
|
|
