April 8, 2024 - This is a wine that I think the name may blind the drinker to reality. It was a good Sauv Blanc, there was precison and balance. I can name other Sauv Blancs for half this that I prefer more. no doubt the name gets people excited when I opened, a well made sauv blanc for sure, but for the money, I will go elsewhere. I do believe 3-4 more years will add some complexity to it. And I am talking Sauv Blanc, not the Cabernet, as the KE cabs are killer....
March 30, 2024 - Spring Break in Napa -- Who Needs Cancun?; 3/22/2024-4/27/2024 (Oakville, St. Helena, Calistoga): Tasted alongside Realm Fidelio and Phifer Pavitt date night. Of the three, Aisana clearly had the most depth and interest but at first was dominated by Fidelio’s fruit and energy.
As time went on, though, Aisana’s depth and vigor shone through as the wine revealed itself to be layered and masterfully constructed. It had restraint and strong chalk. Nothing is out of place nor out of balance.
Realm made the biggest first impression but Aisana came through as having been agreed to be the best for its superior complexity and architecture. 95
March 17, 2024 - Blind tasting (5 bottles in $10 - $500 range) (The Sumoba compound): Nose: Crisp peaches, light hay, a field of grass, clean dry stones and white flowers.
Palate: Dry fruits with just a touch of ripeness, clean minerals with a light bitterness. So clean, refreshing and crisp.
This is showing much better today than what I tasted 5-6 months ago, which was quite flat and flabby. This has an excitement to it, like a breath of fresh air.
March 17, 2024 - But, you can buy 5 for the price of 1...: Lemons, lemon curd, lemon peel and mandarin. Good acidity. Medium length. Awesome Semillon/SB blend.
March 15, 2024 - just excellent
blessed to have sipped this and look forward to more
March 14, 2024 - Tasting mighty fine on a perfect 70 degree day on the patio. Excellent mix of ripe fruit, minerals and flower flavors, nice smooth texture, all in balance with long finish.
March 5, 2024 - A delightfully restrained and balanced SB, equal parts tropical fruit, creamy texture, and mineral, all in a subdued package.
February 25, 2024 - Clean fresh creamy texture with light mint. Not your average SB very mineral driven. No sense of grassy grapefruit so often seen in SB. Very well crafted and really delicious..
February 22, 2024 - Open THAT Bottle Night (Joe's Restaurante): PnP - Let me begin by saying anyone who knows me knows that I am not a big fan of SB. Having said that, I thought this was more than palatable, which is a HUGE compliment from me! I tend to like SBs more the closer they get to Chardonnay, so I figure why not just buy Chardonnay!
OK...you're not reading this to hear me rant about SBs! I will say, if you are a big fan of New Zealand SBs with all that grapefruit, then this is not your SB (for me, that's a huge plus)! I guess my best description would be that it is a cross between New World and Old World. It has the tropical fruit and roundness of a New World SB and the complexity and minerality of a nice Sancerre or white Bordeaux. The nose and palate show plenty of tropical fruit (Mango, some pineapple), with the nose revealing some additional citrus notes, and some white flower florals. In addition to the tropical fruit, the palate reveals some citrus, lots of pear and Gala apple notes, with a streak of chalk and vanilla. This is very elegant style, and my biggest criticism is that it comes across a little light on the finish. My hope is some age will help this wine. I purchased 6 bottles, and they make up the vast majority of Sauvignon Blanc I own! If you have several bottles, no harm in trying one to see if it appeals to you now. If not, hold for a year or two and see if they flush out a little bit. I will likely wait a year before popping another (unless someone has a SB tasting, and I am forced to open one sooner! Solid 93 for me, and others who enjoy SB more than I (which is most people), this is a very conservative score.
February 22, 2024 - Open that bottle - Dan chooses 2014 Saxum Paderewski (My house): Drank about 1/3rd of the bottle over an hour. This has a somewhat rounded and elegant profile. It is not at all reminiscent of a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, and I suspect there is at least a little bit of oak in this wine. Quite well done for a domestic SB, although not as interesting as the heavy hitter producers in France.