First the wine….

Wow! That was the first impression upon opening this wine; the color and the fragrance demanded our attention. This is not your ordinary Sauvignon Blanc. Sharp and aggressive on the nose with pleasant melon scents, complex fruit fullness in the mouth with creamy, lush banana, coconut and grapefruit. The finish was very refreshing with some suggesting a slight pepper tingle.

We set this wine out with an array of cheeses, grapes and crackers. After a lack luster relationship with the brie and triple crème, we switched it up and brought out manchego and lightly salted almonds. The nutty flavors of the manchego rind and the almonds balanced the hearty fruit and provided for a lovely finish.

Now the winemakers….

Before even opening a wine to drink I read the labels, front and back. Labels provide a lot of information, not only about the wine, but the region, the vineyard, etc.  When I got my hands on this bottle, what struck me the most is what is missing… the names of the winemakers. This wine is made from a group of dedicated Napa Valley winemakers who believe in purpose, to give back to the community, and who are doing it without personal promotion.  100% of the net proceeds from the sale of Charity Case wines are donated to charities in and around Napa County California.

2009 Charity Case Sauvignon Blanc

$11.99 *

14.1% alcohol

Available in Napa Valley wine retailers and on line at http://www.VintagePointCellars.com

* This wine was provided as a sample.