When our neighbors at Sextant Winery asked us last Fall if we would crush a few tons of Sauvignon
Gris grapes for them, we said, “of course!” And then we said: Sauvignon WHAT?
You see, we had never heard of this grape. Sauvignon Blanc, sure. Pinot Gris, sure. But until we
consulted our wine encyclopedia we did not know that Sauvignon Gris is a relatively obscure mutation
of Sauvignon Blanc (they think), used in Bordeaux primarily in blends, where it contributes nice
aromatics and (because it can achieve high sugar levels) a distinctive mouth-feel.
When we crushed our friends’ Sauvignon Gris, we discovered just how wonderfully distinctive it is.
It became apparent that the wine would make a perfect sweet dessert wine, because of the ripeness of
the grapes, the incredible aromas, and the good acidity. Long story short: we arranged to keep and
bottle a portion of the wine under our “Nektar” label, and that is the vinous delight you have here.
In the glass there is a burst of zesty citrus and nectarine aromas, ever so slightly reminiscent of
Sauvignon Blanc, but with absolutely none of the grassy notes. On the palate the parade of fruits
continues, perhaps white peach? The wine is quite sweet, finished with about 8% residual sugar.
At the dinner table this would make a dessert all by itself, but it would also pair nicely with light
pastry dishes like tarte tatin or hazelnut shortbread cookies.
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