Sauvignon blanc with citrus

<p>Our Wine of the Week, Honig 2008 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($16), is a lovely example of what this varietal does in warm climates and fertile soils, in this case the southeast quadrant of the sun-drenched Rutherford Viticultural Area, six square miles in central Napa Valley. </p><p>Cool nights during the growing season and cold fermentation in stainless tanks have resulted in the crisp, bright acidity you want in a sauvignon blanc.</p><p>At the same time, those warms days coaxed out the fruit and floral qualities that can blossom in the varietal, notes of orange blossom, lime zest, Ruby grapefruit, honeydew and Crenshaw melon, along with a suggestion of sweet tropical fruit, like ripe papaya, mango and kiwi.</p><p>If you are a careful taster, you will notice a mid-palate roundness and a few high aromatic notes, qualities contributed by the small amount — just 1 percent — of semillon combined with the sauvignon blanc. </p><p>The citrus theme weaves throughout the wine and its pleasantly refreshing finish and it is this quality that is key to the most successful pairings.</p><p>Think of foods that work well with fresh lemon juice, fresh grapefruit and lime, especially fish and shellfish, from raw oysters with grapefruit mignonette and ceviche to seafood tacos, chilled Dungeness crab with lemon vinaigrette and and almost any white fish sauteed in butter and lemon.</p><p>That generous mid-palate fullness suggests, too, that the wine will cozy up to lobster quite nicely, especially a lobster roll, if you can get your hands on one on the West Coast.</p><p>Pork braised in grapefruit juice and served with a citrus compote engages the wine in an entirely different manner, as the sweetness of the juicy pork highlights the wine's higher aromatic notes and tropical fruit.</p><p>Braised puntarella, an Italian chicory that a few local farms have around at this time, will be wonderful with this wine, too.</p><p>As spring approaches, keep this wine in mind to enjoy on your first picnic, something it is hard not to think about as the rains subside, mockingbirds serenade the morning and mustard flowers glow in the sun.</p><p>Frisee with Grapefruit, Avocado and Crab</p><p>Makes 2 to 3 servings</p><p>1small shallot, minced</p><p>— Kosher salt</p><p>— Black pepper in a mill</p><p>— Juice of ½ Meyer lemon, plus more as needed</p><p>3 tablespoons Meyer Lemon, O Ruby Grapefruit or other premium olive oil, plus more as needed</p><p>1 small head of frisee, trimmed</p><p>1 or 2handsful fresh arugula</p><p>1 Ruby grapefruit, peeled and sectioned (see Note below)</p><p>1 firm-ripe Haas avocado</p><p>— Meat from 1 Dungeness crab, chilled</p><p>2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves or Italian parsley leaves</p><p>Put the shallot in a small bowl, season with a generous pinch of salt and a generous turn of black pepper and add the lemon juice.</p><p>Let rest about 20 minutes. Stir in the olive oil, taste and correct for salt and acid, adding more olive oil or more lemon juice to reach a pleasing balance.</p><p>If the dressing tastes a bit flat, season with salt.</p><p>Put the greens into a medium bowl, sprinkle lightly with salt, toss and divide among individual bowls. Scatter grapefruit over each portion, followed by avocado; spoon a little dressing over each serving.</p><p>In a medium bowl, combine the remaining dressing with the crab and the parsley.</p><p>Mound crab in the center of each salad and serve immediately.</p><p>Note: To make grapefruit segments, cut off both ends of the fruit and set it upright on your work surface. Hold the grapefruit steady with one hand, and with the other hand use a sharp knife to slice off the peel, cutting downward, following the curve of the fruit, all the way through the membrane.</p><p>The fruit should be completely free of white pith.</p><p>Now, hold the grapefruit in the palm of your hand, with a bowl underneath to catch drippings.</p><p>Slice close to each membrane to loosen each segment, which will gently slip out. Squeeze the membrane to remove any remaining juice.</p><p>Michele Anna Jordan hosts “Mouthful” each Sunday at 7 p.m. on KRCB 90.9 & 91.1 FM. E-mail Jordan at michele</p><p>@micheleannajordan.com.</p>