There’s a time and place for everything.
Yes, the aphorisms can seem trite — a form of shorthand to shrug off a sweeping subject. Yet if you heed Dustin Fults, you will quickly grasp the nugget of truth lodged in the old saying.
“You can sit down on the porch, all you need is sunshine and you’re good to go,” he said.
Clearly in this case the time is a clear summer day and the place somewhere quaint and comfortable outside. The thing — what transforms the setting into something memorable — is the 2015 Guenoc Sauvignon Blanc.
Sure, almost any Lake County Sauvignon Blanc will suit. But the Guenoc, a Langtry Estate label, is an astonishing wine.
The varietal is recognized for its light body, shimmering acidity and tropical flair. You anticipate peach, lemon, kiwi or guava — perhaps all of the above — on the nose and in the glass. But the 2015 Guenoc models a more distinct citrus.
Swirl the glass and the aroma of grapefruit whisks around the rim. Crates of whole rubies, the rind pinched and sweating bittersweet notes, rest beside freshly squeezed juice. Deep in the background, wisps of sawgrass and stone swept by sea breezes drift in.
A sip unfurls more fresh grapefruit, florid an brisk. Slices of guava and a curl of lemon zest snap at the edges, honing a keen point that cleaves a fine, almost delicate finish. Traces of minerality and dry grass balance the wine, but it is truly an expression of sharp, refreshing citrus.
“We want to showcase the fruit,” said Fults, who manages the Langtry tasting room as well as assisting with the wine (and producing his own label). “It’s a great example of Lake County Sauvignon Blanc. It really pops.”
Treatment before it glimmers from the bottle is simple. The crew at Langtry harvest and fermented it in stainless steel to emphasize the fruit and keep the mouthfeel lean and fresh. The result is a light, flavorful, smile-inducing wine.
“It’s really bright,” Fults said, repeating the beauty of the Guenoc Sauvignon Blanc while lounging on a patio some afternoon with nothing worth fretting about to dash the moment.
The time, the place, the everything — it’s perfect.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
