Luke Bass takes winemaking seriously, though he is hardly one of those staid sorts bound to tradition.
Yes, he tuned the 2013 Boatique Sauvignon Blanc in French oak, following custom passed down through generations in the Loire Valley. For the 2015 vintage, however, he opted to settle the wine in egg shaped concrete tanks.
As for the vintage in between? Well, for that Bass took a less resolute approach.
Boatique’s 2014 Sauvignon Blanc benefits from both the nuzzle of French oak and the brash nature of stainless steel — with an unexpected twist.
Bass fermented half of the juice in wood, the other half in metal, looking to mellow some of the varietal’s grassier hues while maintaining the crisp fruity sheen. Yet he also included a second clone — Sauvignon Blanc Musque — in the mix.
The results is like an expedition to equatorial islands, without leaving the familiar fruits of more northern climes behind.
A basket of freshly sliced mango welcomes you, filling the air around the glass and leading you over soft white pepper sands. Under the genteel spice rests an aromatic foundation of sun bleached stone and earthy pomace. Drifting along are hints of lychee and white blossoms.
It’s an intriguing introduction — a shake of the hand from the mango man greeting you at the border, to borrow from a lyric celebrating exotic travels.
“That musque is awesome,” Bass noted. “It’s really tropical.”
Yet it remains a Lake County sauvignon blanc, rooted in the red hills despite its sense of adventure. It is a bracing wine — tart apple, bursting gooseberry and ruby red grapefruit cleaving across the palate, leaving a clean and refreshing trail. Underneath these soaring fruits lurk heartier impressions of melon, minerals, more of that sodden pomace and neat pricks of pepper, reminiscent of a particularly spicy mango.
Boatique’s 2014 vintage is, quite simply, a wonderful sauvignon blanc.
“It’s just a fun wine,” Bass acknowledged. “Maybe that will become our new signature wine.”
Of course, the winemaker has to pause and laugh at the notion. The 2015 is resting in a row of concrete eggs, designed to allow for some breath without the lingering trace of oak.
“We’re jumping around a bit,” Bass said, again laughing. “I’m inclined to like the barrels and concrete. The oxidation tones down the ‘green’ and adds complexity.”
So for the moment, Boatique’s 2014 Sauvignon Blanc signs in with a flourish. But next year the signature will be a little different.
And that’s just the way Bass — and wine aficionados equally unbound from tradition — likes it.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
