Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/724494
2 0 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | S e p t - O c t 2 016 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m adventurous with food in general, that trend has mirrored the rise of interest in Sauvignon Blanc." Americans across the country are eating fresher, more produce- driven food — more salads, more citrus, more seafood — than they did, which has paved the way for fresh, unoaked wines and Sauvi- gnon Blanc's classic green notes and pungency. Twenty years ago, a kale salad was a pretty tough sell. Not anymore. "We're eating lighter. Sauvignon Blanc goes better with the food of today. I think the future is bright. We're very heavily invested in Sau- vignon Blanc. It's our number one wine and always has been," says Stare Wallace. Dry Creek Vineyard partner Don Wallace, who's heavily involved in the farming part of the operation, also notes that sustainable farming practices and advances in canopy management have helped rein in some of the most aggressive signa- ture aromas of Sauvignon Blanc, so it more consistently delivers subtle- ty and complexity. Dry Creek Vineyard's direct, vari- etal style of winemaking has long had devoted fans, but back in the day, there also were detractors. Many consumers and critics took offense to any sort of "green" note in a wine. Green was a dirty word. It was viewed as a fault in almost any wine context. I think both the winemaking business and Ameri- can consumers are learning to appreciate wines that have a little more than just sweet, sunny fruit. PERSONAL TASTE I like my Spring Mountain Cab- e r n e t w i t h a h i n t o f m a d r o n e scrub on the nose. I appreciate a Languedoc red with a hint of gar- rigue. And I like a Sauvignon Blanc w i t h c l a s s i c , s t r a i g h t - s h o o t i n g grapefruit and grass flavors like they have in Sancerre or Leyda, Chile. There have always been great Sauvignon Blanc produc - ers from the United States. I'd count Dry Creek Vineyard, Geyser Peak, Honig, St. Supery, Ferrari Carano and Barnard Griffin among them. But all too often, there's been a tendency to muck it up in the winery with unnecessary oak and manipulation. The category is steadily on the rise, and it's driv- en by a fresh, clean style. More American wineries would do well to take note. Tim Teichgraeber cut his teeth in retail wine sales before becom- ing the wine columnist for the Min- neapolis Star Tribune. Today he is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle, Tasting Panel, Opus Vino and other publications, when he's not working as an entertainment lawyer in San Francisco. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. 707 938-1300 WWW.ACROLON.COM ® • Wire-less Tank Temperature Control • Fermentation Status From Anywhere • Brix/Temp/Pump-over Tracking • E-mail Alarm Notifications • Production Software Integration • Temp, Humidity, CO2, Night Air • Energy Saving Functions • Wire-less Tank Temperature Control • Fermentation Status From Anywhere • Fermentation Status From Anywhere Carlsen & Associates 707-431-2000 "After buying a complete Carlsen Crush Pad Package, we went from going home at 8:00 pm to going home at 3:00 in the afternoon with great results." Jacob Holman - Winemaker Les Bourgeos Vineyards Rocheport, MO MARKET WATCH TIM TEICHGRAEBER