Domaine Bellevue Touraine Sauvignon 2009, Loire Valley, France

As we type I am sprawled out on the couch in my cousin's living room, glass of wine in hand.  It's been a fantastic evening, with great food followed up by some great vino.  My cousins and their friends seem to have excellent taste.  I knew I liked these people for a reason....

Let us first start with this Domaine Bellevue.  I pulled it out of their wine collection and stuck it in the freezer a few minutes before dinner.  We were having a spicy African peanut-sauced chicken stew.  I figured an acidic white would cut through that sweet spice, and so I pulled out the only Loire Valley Sauvignon in their collection.  Good call.  Not quite sure about my mad pairing skillz but it worked out for us!

I got this guy into the glass a little warm, but that didn't stop the nose from being downright pretty.  It was lemongrass-y, green apple-y, sweet, zesty, and as tangy as a smell can be.  Really fun to smell.  The first sip gave way to a well-balanced, smooth Sauvignon that I really enjoyed.  There were fruit flavors present, but like most French Sauvignons, they weren't overpowering.  This wine had a nice mouthfeel and a pleasant acidity that really complimented our spicy fare.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc 

Alcohol: 12.5% 

Origin: Loire Valley, France

Price: ~$12 at wineshops from what I hear

Rachel's Grade: A-   This beautiful Loire Valley Sauvignon is worth every dang cent of the money you spend on it.  This is a whole lot of craft for what you're paying for.  This wine is going to be agreeable to just about anybody who tries it- it's not overly fruity or acidic, and it's got enough complexity to interest most red drinkers.  I say, go ahead and buy... a few bottles.  I know I will.