Basic Juice, another of my favorite wine blogs, turns two years old today and blogger Beau Jarvis has asked for wine matching suggestions. Since the blog is from the 2004 vintage, that’s the vintage I’d choose to celebrate with. And since it’s a touch toasty in Beau’s home state of Utah at the moment, I’d stick to whites or roses. From my tasting log there are really a couple stand-outs:
A German Riesling from the Rheingau. Johannishof is one of my favorite producers and I’ve had some great ’04’s. If you can’t track that producer down, my second choice would be Leitz (Rüdesheimer Klosterlay). Both of these producers Kabinett wines can be found in the U.S. for $20 or less.
The second stand-out varietal from 2004 is Sauvignon Blanc. If you like the lightly grassy, floral style, look for Cliff Lede SB from the Napa Valley. If you like the “slap-your-face” gooseberry and acid whack attack, Kim Crawford’s SB from Marlborough, New Zealand is hard to beat for under $20 a bottle.
I’m looking forward to many more years of Beau’s wisdom, tasting notes and whimsey. Happy 2nd Birthday, Basic Juice!