Selby Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2014: Very light gold color; melon, lemon-lime, stone fruits, minerality, grapefruit,
green apple on nose and palate; 95% sauv blanc, 3% semillion, 2% muscat, all Russian River Valley fruit, delivers rich fruitiness fully expressed on the nose and palate through no-oak, all-stainless steel fermentation. Well-balanced with snappy acidity and rich mouthfeel; extremely versatile effort—will work as an aperitif and pair with wide range of dishes even up to red meats. Winemaker Susie Selby has charming backstory. Her father, a combat surgeon in Vietnam, loved wine as intensely as his medical career. She writes on the winery’s website: “He enjoyed wine before it was fashionable, and loved it even more when he had his own vintages to share with his family, friends and the rest of the world. Dad shared his passion for wine with me. He encouraged me to taste all sorts of wine when I was growing up, and enthralled me with the history and romance of winemaking.” Susie earned a BA in economics and an MBA, then joined in the wine business. Her father died in 1997, and she plunged into the wine business with all her passion. As she states: “Through it all, there’s always been one truth. I love wine. I only make wines I love to drink. That’s why I’m in the business of winemaking today.” As an added fillip, Susie grew up in South Bend, Indiana, then the family moved to Texas after her father’s Vietnam experience. Result: she has relatively low production wine enterprise in classic region of California, but her wines are generally available in Texas instead of confined to regional availability. Susie makes an excellent, affordable sauv blanc and several other varietals. Seek Selby out, definitely worth a taste. $16 