Buying. Storing. Serving

As Spring rolls around and we’re starting to get at least a few warm days, I’m doing some wine restocking. My all time favorite variety of wine is Sauvignon Blanc, and I will brag a bit in that I was very into it before it became so popular. I would not see it on every wine list like you do today. And my meals just weren’t the same.

This variety of wine has a crisp, tangy bite, like a melon with sweet grapefruit. I think I learned about it early on because I really enjoy dry rieslings at the Finger Lakes wineries in New York State. The Finger Lakes are only @ 2.5 hours from me, so it makes the perfect day trip going up there. Plus my husband doesn’t drink, so I get the extra bonus of a designated driver!

Almost every brand I’ve tried is good, so you can’t go too wrong like you might with a Chardonnay (there is too much inconsistency for me to be confident ordering it). So because Sav Blancs are really steady across the board, I don’t think it’s worth it to spend much when buying a bottle. The bottles below start at less than $10. Yep!

As a note, the countries that make the absolute best Sav Blancs are New Zealand and Australia. South American countries like Chile and Brazil make some delicious wine too. So browse those areas of your local liquor store and get a few varieties to taste test!  If you’re buying American, really the states with cooler weather make the best varieties, like Washington and New York.

It is more expensive per bottle because of shipping, but on occasion I order from wine.com. I order here to try out some wineries I’m not familiar with and broaden my horizons. It’s so convenient to just pick up a box at your local Fed Ex, and buying several bottles keeps you stocked for a while! Great idea for parties as well.

The Top 5 for Taste and Value

Here they are, listed by lowest to highest (still less than $20) price.

Cupcake.

I was at the house of a very wealthy woman several years ago and she was serving this wine. I asked what kind it was and she said, “Cupcake! It’s $8 at the liquor store!” I always thought this was so funny, that someone with that much money, not only spent $8 on a bottle of wine, but was very proud and excited to share it with me. 🙂

She was right. The wine is delicious AND cheap.

Yellow Tail. I love this brand of wine in general, because they offer pretty much everything; almost every common white and red. I’ve tasted many of them, and frankly they’ve all been good. And again, like $9 for a regular-sized (750 ml ) bottle. If you’re into reds, their Shiraz is SO good. My daughters really enjoy their sangria, too!

Black Box. A little pitch for boxed wines! If you find one you like, they are an amazing value. The Sav Blanc they make is about $21 where I live, but holds 4 regular-sized bottles! You do the math on that. Black Box is one of the better ones I’ve tried and they’ve won lots of awards over the years. They even have minis that pack so nicely into a picnic basket!

Chateau Ste. Michelle. When my husband and I visited Seattle a few years ago, I knew that going to this winery was high on my list. I already was a fan of their wine, and had heard that the winery and estate were incredible. It was a wonderful experience with a very high-end tasting and food pairing. The bottles here are about $17, but like Kim Crawford below, are worth it.

Kim Crawford (2022 or 2023). Have you seen the commercials for this wine? They are so fun! A co-worker bought me a bottle years ago and I was HOOKED. I cannot put my finger on exactly what makes this wine better than most I’ve tasted, but it’s just smoother and cleaner. A bottle goes for about $18, so a bit pricier but worth it, in my opinion. People usually buy me a bottle or two for a holiday, or bring it over for a dinner party now that the word has spread that it’s a favorite. Be careful, because it’s really easy to drink!

Storing and Chilling

I put a bottle or two in to chill right away. The others can be out on a fun wine rack like this!

My fridge has a drawer specifically for cold drinks and wine. PERFECT. I take it out about half an hour before serving and place it in my gorgeous wine cooler here. I don’t open the bottle until right before serving. And keep it closed, corked; or use an adorable bottle stopper to keep it fresh in between pours.

Glasses

There are just so many fun and elegant wine glasses to choose from these days. If you visit the gift shop in a winery, you’ll find some funky ones for sure. Now that there’s also stemless, there is even more variety. I particularly love these sparkley ones below, that came in the coolest Italian gift basket I received.

Check out my Weight Watchers wine glass! Even if you’re (trying to) stick to a diet, you can still drink wine! Five ounces of white wine on WW is four points, FYI.

Food Pairings

Sad Blanc pairs beautifully with pretty much any mild cheese, fish, seafood, and even sushi, so is yet another reason it is my ‘go to’ so often! These are some of my favorite foods in summer especially. It goes perfectly with grilled meat and veggies, and all kinds of charcuteries for sure. Check out my post on putting together the perfect charcuterie board!

In winter I like to drink a light red like a Pinot Noir with heavier foods, but always have some Sauvignon Blanc chilled all year round.

Do you love it too, or another wine variety? Let me know!