
Most wines throw a few tantrums when first confined to barrels. They seethe and pout and stir until eventually settling in and gaining maturity. When Boatique winemaker Luke Bass consigned the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc-Musque to a concrete fermentation tank, however, the wine really kicked up a fuss.
“This one had a little prolonged adolescence,” Bass explained. “In barrels wines go through an awkward phase until January. This one took until spring.”
The winemaker’s patience was rewarded with an elegant wine. On the nose it promenades rich aromas of stonefruits, the drying peel of Granny Smith apple and unpicked pineapples swaying in a tropical breeze. Trailing this appealing introduction, an unexpected stoicism appears — staid granite, commanding slate, a minerality more reminiscent of dry Riesling than Sauvignon Blanc.
There is a sense of structure to the wine evident even in the bouquet.
Although scant acreage is devoted to the Sauvignon Blanc-Musque clone in California, the grape is noted for the mannered tone it lends to brisk fruits. Where you anticipate the sharp edge of citrus, apple or pineapple on the palate from a traditional Sauvignon Blanc, the Boatique Musque hones these with rich notes of dried apricot, cured citrus zest and honeyed peach.
The fruits gleam with a bright, fresh radiance, certainly. But denser impressions wrap them in a warm embrace, slowing their spirits bursts, allowing that hint of minerality to emerge on the lingering finish.
It’s a sophisticated touch, one that frames the lively nature of Sauvignon Blanc while cropping out the swaying pastoral note.
“We’re going to confuse the world a bit,” Bass observed of the 2015 Musque. “It doesn’t offer the grassy greenness of Sauvignon Blanc.”
Bass decided to mature the wine in one of Boatique’s concrete “eggs.” He believes the material contributed to the Musque’s stoney aspect. He also expected concrete to soften the bright fruits. Instead, he discovered, the airy casks provided refinement and structure — after the initial angst, of course.
The Musque clone was introduced to California from Bordeaux in the early 1960s. It is estimated, however, that Musque accounts for no more than 2 percent of the state’s Sauvignon Blanc acreage.
Boatique’s winemaker had worked with Sauvignon Blanc-Musque in the past, always in blends. The 2015 marks Boatique’s first standalone bottling of the varietal.
And definitely not the last.
“It’s quite interesting,” Bass said of the rare and wonderful varietal. “I suspect it will become more popular.”
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016