I wasn’t familiar with Silver Ridge Vineyards before trying their Napa sauvignon blanc offering, but with so many “Silver” and “Ridge” named wines earning such great accolades, I was sure that they chose the name smartly. From a branding standpoint, my subconscious seemed excited that I was about to consume a really good wine. Although, I’ve become such a fan of New Zealand sauvignon blanc that consciously, I was preparing for a let down.
Right off the bat, the Silver Ridge sauvignon blanc hits you with a rather buttery nose, with laces of honey turning to very mild sweet bell pepper. With a little more time to open up, aromas of banana and sweet bread begin to appear. While this is not my style of sauvignon blanc, (I much prefer the richer, peppery and grassy style of the kiwi’s) I certainly appreciate the complexity here.
On the palate, the wine offers up a nice core of tropical fruit and bell pepper. However, here is where, in my view, the wine’s buttery smoothness undermines it. While the fruit is there, the wine doesn’t balance it enough with a nice core of acidity. The finish seems especially muted. It doesn’t possess the raw zingy flavor that I believe people are becoming accustomed to now, particularly from New World sauvignon blanc. For sure this is a more elegant style, and one that I believe will appeal to California wine lovers. So while I gave it a good rating and recommend that you try it, I’ll pass, thank you.
A Salute!
Wine: Silver Ridge
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 12.5%
Rating: 85
Price: $11.99
Find Silver Ridge Sauvignon Blanc with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.