Merrily, Merrily

I've been holding on to a bottle of Merry Edwards' 2005 Sauvignon Blanc for about six months, waiting for the right opportunity to drink it. Edwards' bottles aren't exactly readily available at your corner liquor store—I picked this one up at the Edwards office itself in Sonoma County—so it was hard for me to uncork it.

Still, it didn't seem to make too much sense to wait any longer. The wine was made for summer and though it probably could age, was more than ready to drink when it was made. It's not mandatory you age it, unlike the wines Edwards is best known for, the pinot noirs. I decided Father's Day was a good enough excuse and had it the other night.

It's very much a California SV, in that it's high in alcohol (14.1%!), fairly full-bodied and fruit trumped the mineral notes on the palate. There's also significant vanilla in evidence and not for no reason: all of the wine is barrel-fermented, including eighteen percent new French oak. This would all be too much, too ripe and overdone, if it weren't for the fact that the grapes come from 30-year-old vines, adding considerable depth and character to the mix. There's plenty of honeydew melon, honey, lemon and white flower notes to slosh around your mouth. It's a big SV, an gregarious SV, but still a very good SV, friendly and fulfilling and giving.

Wish I had another, but glad to have the one.