My wine class is discussing Loire wines, among others, this week so I'm...ahem...doing homework. I've had some lovely Loire wines in the past, including a 1989 Vouvray that I've probably mentioned before because it blew my socks off, or would have if I had been wearing any. I haven't had any real stinkers, but from what I understand, they are certainly out there. The viticulture & vinification restrictions in some parts of the Loire aren't as strict as other regions of France (for example, Bordeaux, where you can only pick grapes with your left hand every second Thursday of the month; I'm exaggerating, but not by much). This had led to some sloppy winemaking and overcropping practices that have left some people with a sour (literally) taste in their mouthes when it comes to Loire wines.
This one likely isn't of superior class - for one thing it says "Sauvignon Blanc" on the bottle, which is rarely a good sign on a French wine. Those strict French wine laws generally discourage - and sometimes prohibit - use of the varietal name anywhere on the bottle. Which is why you'll often have absolutely no idea what kind of grape is in the bottle you're holding in your hand. They like it that way. This wine is also just a generic "Loire," not from any specific appellation within the region, which means the grapes could come from anywhere and the laws limiting crop yield and winemaking procedures are less strict.
It's a surprisingly deep green-yellow in the glass, and what may be effervescence, or may just be that I poured a little too vigorously. The nose isn't leaping out of the glass at me, but it's pleasant enough. It's a little musty (not in a "corked" way, but just smells a little dusty, and there is some distinct brine on the nose as well, which I understand isn't uncommon for Loire wines. Which is one of the reasons they pair so well with seafood, I imagine. There is also some fruit - dried apricot and and maybe some graprefruit rind as well.
On the palate, it's actually surprisingly lacking in acidity. I mean, it's not missing altogether but this is by no means a classic cool-climate sauvignon blanc. So it's tending towards flabby and the texture is a bit oily in the mouth. A touch bitter, though that gives way to a bit more acidity on the finish. There isn't much fruit in the mouth or, really, much of anything. It's not disgusting, and it'll work fine for dinner tonight (shrimp in lemon and oregano vinaigrette), but it's not a wine I would hold up as a paragon of Loire winemaking.
Vintage: 2009
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Loire Valley, France
Price: $13
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