It hit me recently, like a ton of bricks, I graduated college 5 years ago.  FIVE years.  That’s not an insignificant amount of time, where does it go??  So much has happened, new jobs, moving across the country, “maturing” and all that.  But the reason I started thinking about this, is that my alcohol habits have changed so much since college (as most have I’m sure).  Gone are the days of Bacardi Limon and diet Sprite (how did I drink that??)  Now it’s wine, pretty much exclusively.  And now it’s an experience, something I truly enjoy for both the social experience as well as the learnings of new varietals, brands, and that so-called “terroir”.  So Wine Wednesdays will be my experiment in documenting new wines, what I’m currently liking, and anything else that might relate (or not, depends on how much wine I consume as I’m writing!)

This week I enjoyed a cold glass of a new and different white blend by Steve Matthiasson.  The 2010 Napa Valley white wine is a blend of predominantly sauvignon blanc, combined with Ribolla gialla (brought over to CA from Italy), Semillon, and Tocai friulano.  It was immediately refreshing on this particularly sweltering day.  The nose and first sip give off a rather strong oak presence, not typical of a sauvignon blanc, but not unwelcome.  I would liken it more to a light chardonnay balanced by the bright citrus and tropical notes characteristic of the sauvignon blanc.  The website sums it up nicely “There is interplay in the wine between lightness and richness, and focus and complexity.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Definitely something to enjoy this summer!