Attributes:

Clos des Menuts

Saint Emilion Grand Cru, France

Bordeaux - Red

750 ML

1994: Tastings Rating: 80

simple

red fruits, violet

1992: Tastings Rating: 80

mature

herbs, red fruits

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.

Attributes:

Jean Claude Chatelain

Pouilly Fume, France

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2004: Tanzer Rating: 87

racy

citrus, mineral, pear, plum, smoky, spicy

2002: Tanzer Rating: 88

chalk, grass, lime, orange blossom

intense flavors, juicy

1994: WineAdvocate Rating: 87

soft

1992: WineAdvocate Rating: 86

medium body

rich

1990: WineAdvocate Rating: 88

medium-bodied

herbaceous, melon

Food Matches:

The finest examples of this crisp, dry white wine from the Loire Valley are made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes, which impart an elusive, smoky, flinty flavor that is further brought out by the chalky soil found on the appellation’s best vineyards.

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:

Hop Kiln

California, United States

Chardonnay

750 ML

Food Matches:

(shar dohn nay)—This noble grape’s reputation was established in France, particularly in the Burgundy region, and the highly prized Chardonnay wines from Chablis, Mâcon, Mersault, and Pouilly-Fuissé are imitated by winemakers around the world. Generally an oaked wine (whether from expensive oak barrels or a quick soak in oak chips), its fruity aromas and flavors range from apple in the cooler regions to tropical fruits such a pineapple in the warmer regions. It can also display subtle earthy aromas, such as mushroom or minerals. It has a medium to high acidity and is generally full-bodied. Classical Chardonnay wines are dry. Chardonnay is also an important grape in the Champagne district where it's picked before fully ripe and while it still has high acid and understated fruit flavors—the perfect combination for champagne. California has adopted this grape with a fervor and there are some 200 wineries producing Chardonnay wines in other parts of the United States. Chardonnay has also seen a tremendous planting surge in Australia, and new vineyards are being planted in Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa.

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.