Wine of the week: Easton sauvignon blanc for the holidays

Sauvignon blanc and seafood are great companions during the holidays, and a bit of a tradition in these parts.

“With fresh Dungeness crab, wonderful cold-water oysters that are in season now or even Petrale sole in brown butter and lemon, sauvignon blanc works wonderfully,” said Bill Easton of Plymouth’s Easton Wines.

Easton is the winemaker behind our wine-of-the-week winner – the Easton, 2013 Monarch Mine Vineyard, Sierra Foothills Sauvignon Blanc at $18.

This sauvignon blanc is exotic, yet genteel. It’s dry with crisp acidity and notes of melon, papaya, lime and mineral. It’s flavorful and refreshing, a great buy for the quality.

“Our house style is fresh and balanced with good acidity, and not too much alcohol or any new oak,” said Easton. “Some compare our sauvignon blanc to Pouilly Fume.”

Pouilly Fume is a dry white wine made from sauvignon blanc grapes, revered in the Loire Valley of France.

“Sauvignon blanc is a fun wine to drink as an aperitif, not so serious, but when you get it right as a winemaker, it sings in the glass,” Easton said.

The winemaker and winegrower oversees two brands. Terre Rouge, a brand that debuted in 1985, and Easton Wines, with its first vintage in 1991.

What’s fundamental in making great sauvignon blanc, Easton said, is impeccable timing.

“Harvesting the fruit at the right time when flavors are building, sugars are rising is the most challenging part of making sauvignon blanc,” Easton said.

Keeping an eye on crop level is also key, he said.

“We kept tonnages in the vineyard at about 3.5 tons per acre,” he said. “Many people over-crop sauvignon blanc, thinking that the drinker won’t notice, but you lose complexity, nuance, and minerality with too large a crop load.”

With a love of both the vineyard and the cellar, Easton simply followed his instincts to becoming a winemaker.

“I fell for wine at a young age,” he said. “I was lucky enough to come from a family that had wine on the table every evening. My father was in a wine-tasting and gourmet food club. My mother was an accomplished Sunset Magazine-style or inspired home cook … I was the kid in high school who brought a bottle of zinfandel to a party and not beer or pop wine.”

Wine writer Peg Melnik can be reached at 707-521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.

Wine of the Week: Scouting for the tastiest holiday sauvignon blancs.

Wine writer Peg Melnik had a blind tasting this week of sauvignon blancs, with an eye to the holidays. Our wine-of-the-week winner is the Easton, 2013 Monarch Mine Vineyard Sierra Foothills Sauvignon Blanc at $18. It’s the perfect seafood companion and this is the time of year when people in Wine Country celebrate with delicacies.

TOP PICK

Easton, 2013 Monarch Mine Vineyard, Sierra Foothills Sauvignon Blanc, 14 percent alcohol, $18. ????

This sauvignon blanc is exotic, yet genteel. It’s dry with crisp acidity and notes of melon, papaya, lime and mineral. It’s flavorful and refreshing. A great buy for the quality.

Other impressive wines

Foursight, 2013 Charles Vineyard, Anderson Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 13.3 percent, $20. ????

This is a smart sauvignon blanc with notes of melon, citrus, and mineral. It’s lush and yet manages to have great balance. Striking.

Sonoma-Loeb, 2013 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc, 14.1 percent, $18. ???

1/2 This sauvignon blanc is complex, with layered flavors. Notes of green apple, guava, lemongrass and honeysuckle. Lush texture. Lovely.

Phifer Pavitt, 2013 Date Night, Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 14.5 percent, $30. ???

1/2 A sassy sauvignon blanc with aromas and flavors of grass, grapefruit and lime. Bright acidity. Seamless texture. Fetching.

Wente Vineyards, 2013 Louis Mel, Livermore Valley and San Francisco Bay Sauvignon Blanc, 13.5 percent, $15. ???

1/2 This sauvignon blanc has a colorful range of flavors. Notes of melon, pineapple and lime. It’s grassy and rides on crisp acidity. Lively.