Bonterra Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Tonight I got home late from work and needed to put something together fast for dinner. In the refrigerator there were some chicken thighs, carrots, a big sweet onion and a half cup of Pinot Grigio. I removed the skin from the thighs and browned them in a little olive oil. I peeled and cut up the carrots in bit sized pieces and quartered the large onion then tossed them them with the chicken. Then the Pinot Grigio was added and the pot was covered. For this dish, I left the onion in quarter slices to cook until tender.

Now what do I have that will go with this? Let's see, Sangiovese...no...Syrah...no...Chianti...no...Cab...Bonterra Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, that will do. This wine is made from certified organic grapes, should be light, fresh, crisp with a bit of citrus and some tropical fruit flavors. Let's get this bad boy out.

Now I know how I want to spice the chicken, let's keep it savory and not hot. Marjoram, basil, fresh black pepper and thyme were added to the simmering pot. By the time this was done, I had my tasting notes written, took a quick snapshot of the wine and cooked up some noodles to perfection. Time for dinner!

The Wine
Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc 2006
52% Lake County
48% Mendocino
Price: $10.00
Alcohol: 13.3%

Color: Straw
Intensity: Pale
Body: Light

The wine looked delightful in the glass, nice clear straw yellow color. The aromas consisted of grapefruit, litchi, kiwi, honeydew melon with some mushroom. The wine had citrus flavors of lemon and grapefruit and a hint of black pepper. The wine was crisp and fresh, semi-dry, just what you would expect. The long finish hung on with buttery pear flavors.

The broth was very sweet from the onion and carrot. The Pinot Grigio was really my friend here, providing some acid. A little sea salt and we are ready to eat. The wine paired well with my impromptu chicken. In my mind, this wine is a good table wine and a good value in its price range.