McNab Ridge Wine Fridays

McNab Ridge on ice

2010 Sauvignon Blanc

McNab Ridge

Mendocino

13.5%

Mendocino–well north of Sonoma and Napa where this bottle is sourced–has been an area unsung in the media. Few people find themselves saying, “Oh, I really must get a Mendocino Sauv Blanc for dinner tonight, it’ll go perfectly with the duck.” Ah, but it will! Since it’s not a region most folks know, the surprise is in the bottle. It’s a nose bomb! Just lifting the glass to your nose, you are blasted with a face-full of floral notes—honeysuckle, sweet roses, Sweet William perhaps?Cupcake wines (FYI: Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc is a nice, cheap, and easily-purchased bottle from Trader Joe’s and other affordable shopping establishments) makes a New Zealand grown Sauv Blanc grape that is reminiscent, dare I say redolent, with lemon curd and citrus notes. However, this California alternative is much, much smoother.

Some of you will appreciate this: I had inadvertently frozen the bottle in the hopes that I’d be able to enjoy it with dinner. But with all the drama of the cooking, I completely forgot it. Next morning, I noticed the bottle’s cork had popped, but that there had been no loss or smashed glass.

The surprise in how sturdy the flower profile still was.

At $8.99 per bottle, I’m not sure there is a better deal on our shelves right now. Bell’s Liquors features it this month as a holiday wine, but it’ll surprise everyone around the living room coffee table holiday or not.

The low alcohol content makes it a great one for mom and the ladies who lunch as well as cocktail hour weekdays.

The Shocker? It’s from PARDUCCI FAMILY winery–not a bad brand, really. What a pleasant surprise.

The bottle reads, “tropical fruit, fig, and clove with underlying grassy notes.” The label continues, “On the palate, the delicate flavors are centered on melon and citrus…crisp acidity with lingering finish.”

I can live with that and drink it right up!

- See more at: http://www.alunchboxblog.com/lake-county-mcnab-ridge/?preview=true&preview_id=1901&preview_nonce=e4e0982131#sthash.YJ0VmCf8.dpuf