Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the fourth Friday of each month.
• Marchesi di Grésy Sauvignon Blanc 2015 ($18, purchased, 14.5%): Impeccably made white wine with top quality fruit and citrus and white pepper flavors. But this doesn’t answer the question why anyone would want to buy a heavy Italian sauvignon blanc made to taste like California chardonnay. Imported by Marchesi de Gresy USA.
• Tangent Sauvignon Blanc 2016 ($8/375-ml can, sample, 13.5%): The question is not whether this is a well-made California white wine, because it is, with lemongrass and some citrus in a fresh and crisp style. The question? Why would I want to pay the equivalent of $16 a bottle for canned wine?
• Tommasi Poggio al Tufo Sangiovese Cabernet 2013 ($15, purchased, 13%): A professionally made, if boring, Italian red blend that aims at the so called American palate: More ripe and with less acidity, plus softer tannins than typical Italian sangiovese. A fine example of the International style if you like that sort of thing. Imported by Vintus LLC.
• Satellite Sauvignon Blanc 2016 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): Surprisingly ordinary New Zealand white, given that it’s a second label from Spy Valley, one of the best sauvignon blanc producers in the world. It’s not bad or off, just very grocery store in approach – mostly fruit forward grapefruit and a little minerality and not much else. Imported by Broadbent Selections.