When
I opened a bottle from France’s Loire Valley this past weekend, Hervé Villemade’s 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, I was reminded of the importance of temperature in
enjoying the full spectrum of a wine’s flavors – and that wines without
prestigious appellations on their labels can often be delicious values.
What
turned out to be a lovely, subtly complex wine appeared at first
one-dimensional and enclosed. But within a few minutes, the wine seemed to come
alive, releasing wonderful and complex aromas and tastes and reinforcing my
confidence that a wine with the broader “Val de Loire” classification could
indeed be memorable.
What
had happened, simply, was that the wine had warmed up a few degrees or so,
literally taking the chill out of the bottle and allowing the wine to
express itself. If you have left a white wine in the fridge for more than an
hour so or ordered one at a restaurant, chances are it’s going to be too cold.
Tell your waiter to hold the ice bucket and let your wine sit on the table.
(Conversely, I often ask that red wines be chilled down a few degrees to bring
them to the more expressive and refreshing “cellar temperature.”)
As
for the sauvignon, Villemade produces his wine in Cheverny, an appellation that
calls for sauvignon to be blended with some chardonnay or a couple of other
white varieties. Hence, an all-sauvignon wine must be declassified to the “Val
de Loire” designation.
The
sauvignon is made from organically farmed grapes (as are all of Villemade’s
wines), and shows notes of orange, pear and apricot, a subtle herb touch and a
nice mineral edge. The overall impression is generous and round, even with
alcohol listed at just 12.5 percent. This is a beautiful wine with a winning
price of about $14. It's available at Chambers Street Wines in New York and
other stores.
Just
promise me you won’t drink it too cold.
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