Pale straw appearance. Medium-bodied. Full acidity. Moderately extracted. Tart peach, lemon, vanilla. Faint vanilla notes with lemony aromas that follow through on the palate. A red tart with subtle oak.

Fragrant scents of yellow hers and chamomile. flower blossoms and pollen give this clean wine a light touch. Match its honeyed spice to a spring salad of beets and arugula.

Medium straw color. Medium-bodied. Moderately extracted. Oak spice, mild citrus fruits. Spicy oak with floral accents on the nose. Aromas are fully expressed on the palate with rather simple fruity flavors.

Because of its softness and light lanolin-tinged flavors, classic for semillon, you'll appreciate this wine but maybe wonder how to use it, especially in the context of a meal. It would work best as an aperitif, well-chilled.

High in bracing acidity, with flavors of green grapes and stone.

Better is the honeyed grapefruit/passion fruit-filled, aromatic, pure, vibrant 1999 Sauvignon Blanc Vintner's Reserve.

Soft, juicy, ripe, a little on the plain side as to varietal character but quite presentable, this wine tastes slightly sweet...

The gospel of ripe fruit according to Jess Jackson finds its manifestation here. This is a rich, soft, full-bodied wine saved from being cloying by crisp green apple flavors at the back of the palate and long, tangy finish. It was also one of the few wines in this tasting that steadily improved in the glass. Pair it with rich-tasting foods like lobster and scallops.

It leads with grassy and lemony scents and follows in the mouth with a sugar sweetened version of the same play.

A Chardonnay look-alike, with pronounced vanilla and butter notes and subtle peach flavors.

…round and fruity, and it goes down easy.

A medium-bodied wine that offers light citrus and herb notes, with hints of green apple and minerals on the finish. Clean and fresh.

…grassy, herbaceous, citrus qualities generally associated with Sauvignon Blancs, though its acid was balanced by a touch of sweetness in the finish. It's a full bodied wine with a pronounced creamy texture, making it a good match with shellfish in assertive sauces, toasted nuts or grilled vegetables.

"Tropical fruit, floral nose' soft, fleshy flavors, ripe melons, hint of grass; medium acidity; medium fruit finish. Good with fried fish and chips, corn chowder.

A bit more forward with its lettuce leaf and sorrel varietal aromas then it is with fruit, the wine rests on a bit of sweetness in the mouth to full out its flavors. With enough acid to balance and a clean, if slightly sugary finish, this tasty wine will make a fine partner to chicken dishes with a bit of sweetness in their makeup, and also to may Chinese preparations of chicken and pork.

This dry white wine offers rich flavors of figs, melons, peach, pear, wood smoke and herbs. With its rounded, oak-mellowed texture, this is a sauvignon blanc that is well-suited for serving with salmon or swordfish.

"Very direct peach and spicy apple flavors are appealing, though atypical of Sauvignon Blanc." (Also appeared 8/1/96).

Medium straw color. Medium-bodied. Moderately extracted. Oak spice, mild citrus fruits. Spicy oak with floral accents on the nose. Aromas are fully expressed on the palate with rather simple fruity flavors.

An attractive, lushly fruity, oak framed sauvignon blanc, its lemon verbena, ripe melon and key lime flavors interact with creamy oak to create a lush style of sauvignon blanc.

"Pleasant enough, with mild acidity and a grassy edge, finishing with hints lemon and grapefruit. A bit hot on the palate, though." (Also appeared in May 1998 issue)

.the Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition, recently named the 1996 Sauvignon Blanc as one of the 10 finalists of wines best with raw oysters.

Clean, lightly herbal aroma, ripe melon accents; forward fruity flavors, hint of sweetness; short finish. Try with seared halibut with fruit salsa, taco salad.

Impressive. Has layers of complexity, with aromas of melon, grass, grapefruit, plus a hint of oak. Flavors are rich but end on a crisp note.

Mango and lemon intensity on the nose-delicate and very appealing. Crisp and sweet on palate with apple and peach flavors quickly stepping pat the acidic structure and a quite firm mid-palate tang.

The nose hints of spice yet is otherwise clean and simple with subtle melony fruit tones. Rounded with palate-coating, slightly, slick sweet fruit impressions, the wine is distinctive on entry, if not wholly attractive. The flavors fade across the palate, and this offering is neither distinctive at mid-palate nor lengthy at the finish.