Pomelo Lake County Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Fresh and snappy, the 2007 Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc provides an excellent introduction to Randy Mason’s exciting world of Sauvignon Blanc. More importantly, this juicy, complex Sauvignon Blanc offers a good dollop of drinking pleasure. Scents of ripe grapefruit, fig, pineapple, and herb tantalize the nose and then all joyfully re-present themselves in the mid palate of this racy, medium bodied Sauvignon Blanc. Creamy in texture and mighty easy to drink, the 2007 Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc is testimony to Randy Mason’s deft hand with the mercurial Sauvignon Blanc varietal. This is also a white wine that makes a person want to come back for a second or third glass, a sign we have always found to be the true test of a wine as well as our drinking pleasure. For optimal enjoyment of the Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc, we suggest moderate chilling (40º- 45º F).

Die hard Sauvignon Blanc aficionados will want to drink the 2007 Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc with nary a morsel, and many on the panel would happily follow suit. However, Randy Mason’s 2007 Pomelo is a veritable crowd pleaser with just about anything that comes out of the sea. Moreover, it has a natural affinity for shellfish, especially clams and oysters. For those brave enough to eat clams and oysters on the half shell, Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc is the wine to serve. The wine’s overt fruit, pinpoint flavors, and subtle minerality blend perfectly with the briny, clean flavors of mollusks that come fresh from the sea. Potato Crusted Tilapia, served with a crispy zucchini pie, portabella mushrooms, and a spot of crab and artichoke mousse provides another memorable pairing with this wine. Asian stir fries, Vietnamese noodles with shrimp or scallops, and almost any dish with just a touch of curry or lemongrass will pair beautifully with Randy Mason’s Pomelo, too. No wonder Robert Parker Jr. has so emphatically stated: “I have long admired Randy Mason’s Sauvignon Blanc . . .” And so have we. Enjoy!

Randy Mason is one of California’s consummate producers of Sauvignon Blanc. After working two decades for some of the most prestigious Napa Valley wineries, including, Chappellet, Lakespring, and the Napa Valley Wine Company, Randy and his wife launched their own family owned and operated winery in 1993. Mason Cellars’ first Sauvignon Blanc appeared in 1996, and not surprisingly Sauvignon Blanc quickly became Mason Cellars’ flagship varietal as well as Randy Mason’s personal claim to fame. In addition to crafting delicious Sauvignon Blanc under the Mason Cellars label, Randy is the artist and winemaker behind Pomelo, a crispy, dry New Zealand style of Sauvignon Blanc he crafts from Lake County fruit. Pomelo is named for a South East Asian fruit. The Pomelo is the largest of all citrus fruits. It is, also, sometimes referred to as Chinese grapefruit. This past year Randy added a third Sauvignon Blanc to the portfolio in Mason Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. Although known almost exclusively as a Sauvignon Blanc house, Mason Cellars and its chief architect also fashion very fine Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.