I’m just doing a quick post for this review. Kendall-Jackson is a fairly big wine brand that you’ll find in just about any wine shop or grocery store that sells wine. Although it’s a fairly prevalent brand, it’s still a family run business. It seems to be one of the brands that people first “trade up” for when they are ready to spend more than $7 for a bottle. Their entry-level “Vintner’s Reserve” line of wines isn’t terribly expensive and is fairly reliable for decent quality.
I’ve been trying a few different Sauvignon Blanc wines lately, so I thought I’d give the Kendall-Jackson a try. The nose lacks the intensity I’ve found on some other Sauvignon Blancs. It also lacks the complexity. It’s mostly grass, nettle and mineral. There is a touch of grapefruit, but not much fruit at all on the nose. The palate continues the theme of minimal fruit, but does bring some melon and some pear flavor. Otherwise, I would call it cut grass and mineral. There’s some citrus on the finish, which is relatively short.
It’s a good, enjoyable wine. But it’s not going to knock your socks off.
Wine: Kendall-Jackson Vitner’s Reserve
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 86
Price: $10.99
Beautiful photos! I really like your site.
I am just learning about wines and have been sticking with this one on the weekends. It is a really decent wine for a novice – I do not like the overpowering wines. Why do I prefer this to Chardonnay – is it because I am a novice and don’t know what I am looking for in a wine?
Thanks for the comment, Kristian. A lot of wine drinkers, not just novices, prefer Sauvignon Blanc over Chardonnay. They tend to have a lot more tropical flavors and crisp acidity, while Chardonnay is often more oaky and can be flabby at times.
In addition to this SB, I’d recommend you check out some from Veramonte, Rodney Strong and Nobilo.