The Wine Broad's Board

In Defense of Blends

Among the many great wines I sampled during my trip to Western Australia last month was an array of Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blends.  These wines are everywhere in Western OZ, and it' s no wonder: They're fresh, lively and perfect for summertime drinking. Depending on the ratio of the grape varieties, the combo of SB and Semillon can yield a grassy, herbaceous wine, or one that's a bit rounder with passionfruit notes. Just thinking about it makes me thirsty!

But before you start drooling, I should tell you that these Western Australian beauties aren't easy to find in the US of A. Why? Because someone went and told the Aussies that Americans think single-varietal wines are better than blends. Do people in the U.S. really still believe that? Most wines these days have a little something blended in to help balance their flavors, give them better color or add more enticing aromas. Many people unknowingly drink Cabernet enhanced with Merlot or Malbec, or Syrah kissed with a touch of Viognier (another fairly common Aussie combination, following the Rhone model), because the blending grapes aren't always listed on the labels. There's no shame in mixing different grape varieties--most of the time such inter-grape blending results in tastier wine.

But I don't have to tell you that, right? If you're reading this blog, you're probably well aware of the benefits of blending. So back to my original subject: Sauv Blanc/Semillon blends from Western Australia. Though I've painted a pretty bleak picture of their availability here, some have managed to make it over to our hemisphere. Here are reviews of some of my favorites, taken from my latest column for Wine Review Online:

Chalice Bridge, Margaret River Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($20, Vinum Global):  Made from 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, this is Chalice Bridge's top-selling wine.  It's fresh and clean, with passion fruit/guava aromas, grassy notes and good concentration. 

Clairalt, Margaret River Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($20, Clairault, Inc.):  A 50-50 blend, the wine has a lovely floral aroma and nice roundness, while retaining its fresh grapefruit aroma and flavor.  It's crisp, but more complex and balanced than the winery's straight Sauvignon Blanc wine. 

Moss Wood, Margaret River Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($22, USA Wine Imports):  Made in stainless steel tanks, this SSB is heavy on the Semillon (70%), which gives it soft, round flavors of melon, along with flinty, mineral notes and balanced crispness. 

Watershed, Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 'Shades' 2007 ($18, America Uncorked):  With tropical aromas of passion fruit and guava, Watershed's SBS (70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon) has refreshing grapefruit/citrus flavors and a fresh, clean finish.  This is one of my favorite Western Australian SBS wines. 

Barwick Estates, Pemberton, Margaret River  Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($13, Great Sunsan Imports):  The Barwick SSB's tropical fruit aroma is accented with a pleasantly grassy edge.  On the palate, it's crisp and balanced, with zesty citrus/lime flavors and mineral notes.  It's a great value at just over $10. 

Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 'Siblings' 2007 ($18, Old Bridge Cellars):  Leeuwin's winemaker prefers to make his SBS in the grassy-herbal style, rather than in the tropical-fruit style some others prefer.  The wine's aroma has notes of freshly cut grass and green beans, with crisp lemon-citrus flavor and balanced, bright acidity. 

To find the wines in your area, check search-engine sites like Wine Searcher. Or, if you live near San Francisco, head for The Jug Shop, which has a terrific selection of Australian wines.

It's worth the effort, I promise! 

Eating in OZ: mountains of marron

Before my trip to OZ in February, I had only a vague idea of what people in Australia eat. Vegemite sandwiches? Shrimp on the barbie?   Endless "WD40" cans of Foster's lager? 

To my gluttonous glee, I was met in Western Australia with a gorgeous array of fresh seafood--particularly a large and delicious freshwater crustacean called a "marron." (At left: shrimp on the barbie.)  

While in OZ I made it my mission to eat as many of the lobster-like beauties as I could jab a fork in. When I wasn't busy shooting photos of wine bottles and vineyards, I pointed my camera at my dinner plate. I ended up with so many marron shots that I joked about devoting a photography exhibition to them: "Marron I Have Known (and Subsequently Eaten)."

Wineries are home to some of the best restaurants in Western Australia (Voyager, Leeuwin and Capel Vale come to mind). The food is top-notch, beautifully presented and wonderfully creative. Unlike many U.S. tasting rooms, which send you on your way with an empty stomach as soon as you're finished sampling the wines, the wineries in WA invite you to relax on a beautiful patio overlooking the vineyards while enjoying a fantastic meal--served with their wines, of course. This is the way it should be done, people! (Above photo: marron at Leeuwin; below: marron at Salitage.)

At this pace, you can't hit five wineries in a day, but so what? I'd rather take the time to stop and smell the marron.

Stay tuned for Part II: Dukkah and Pies.

(Below: shrimp, scallops and marron at Voyager Estate.)