Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Color & Clarity
The Priest Ranch 2007 Sauvignon Blanc is a clear, pale yellow with green tinges around the edges.

Nose
The aromas of the Priest Ranch 2007 Sauvignon Blanc are very strong with tropical fruits but there are some herbaceous notes as well. The primary fruits are pear and citrus, though some also detect grapefruit.

Palate
This is a dry, medium-bodied wine with marked acidity. The Priest Ranch 2007 Sauvignon Blanc doesn't taste nearly as strong as it smells. The flavors are only low to moderate, with some barely detectable apple and maybe tropical fruit as well. At times it has a slightly bitter aftertaste and it really needs to be cold to be enjoyed properly — as it warms, an unpleasant alcohol burn develops. Unfortunately, the colder it is the more the flavors are suppressed. In the end, this unresolvable tension causes the wine to be too unbalanced.

Pairing Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc with Cheeses

• Cheddar Cheese: When paired with cheddar cheese, the Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc develops a more complex flavor and becomes more herbaceous.
• Swiss Cheese: This is a neutral pairing, with neither the swiss cheese nor the Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc changing in character
• Aged Gouda: When paired together the aged Gouda becomes nuttier while the Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc becomes more flavorful.
• Aged Parmesan: This is a fair pairing, with both the aged Parmesan and the Sauvignon Blanc tasting good together but not especially different.
• Chevre: When paired with fresh chevre, both the cheese and the Sauvignon Blanc taste fairly good, but not much different.

Pairing Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc with Main Dishes

• Cheese Tortellini & Pesto: This is a neutral pairing, which was a bit of a disappointment because I expected the herbaceous characteristics of the Priest Ranch Sauvignon Blanc to mesh better with the fresh pesto, but in the end nothing much happened.
• Strong, Fresh Dill Pickles: Pickles aren't a common food to pair with wine, but in this case I thought the dill might be interesting with the Sauvignon Blanc. It was more interesting of a pairing than the pesto, with the Priest Ranch becoming smoother but at the same time it became a little bitter as well — that bitter aftertaste being emphasized, I suppose.