May 22, 2020

SADDLEBACK CELLARS Pinot Blanc 2018

(Oakville, Napa Valley, CA) $30

If you’re a chardonnay lover, you must try Saddleback’s fantastic pinot blanc. Reminds us of a delicious caramelized apple tart with a buttery crust.

Available at Saddleback Cellars

The component that contributes greatly to a red wine’s ageability is:

A. Alcohol

B. Tannin

C. Oak aging

D. The pH of the juice before it becomes wine

The longevity of a red wine is based on many factors, but the most important component is the wine’s tannin. Tannin is a natural preservative. All other things being held equal, wines with significant amounts of tannin live longer than wines without. Plants build tannins for protection, preservation, and defense. (Since Neolithic times, plant tannins have been used to prevent the spoilage of animal skins— when “tanning” hides into leather, for example). Consider a collector’s cellar. It’s usually filled with wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux— wines that have a lot of tannin and therefore have a good chance of living well into the future.

“To ride the chaos of harvest is to feel the adrenaline, risk and rush of Nature in ways that few people ever get to experience. There are days you get home, and you know for a fact that you couldn’t have done any more because you can barely move. You’ve used every part of your body, your ability to smell, taste, feel and hear, because there isn’t time to make enough decisions any other way.”

—Ashley Trout
Owner/winemaker of March Cellars and Vital Wines

SADDLEBACK CELLARS Pinot Blanc 2018

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