2010 Jackson Triggs Silver Series Sauvignon Blanc

While WestToast's bread and butter is covering the best of California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, we often forget that our neighbors to the north also produce fine wine, beer, and spirits of their own. As a departure from our norm, I've decided to throw an additional review into the White Wine Month Hat and cover a little something Josh and I picked up in a recent trip to Vancouver, BC.

Oh yeah, Josh and I spent a day in Vancouver recently and a comprehensive review is on its way. It was awesome aside from a confusion about what "debit" means. More to come.

British Columbia's Okanagan Valley is perhaps the most up-and-coming wine growing region in the world. Sharing many latitudes with other wine-growing countries, a similar terroir as many Eastern Washington AVAs, and a pocket climate perfect for growing healthy vines has brought wine makers to British Columbia in droves. To date, approximately 95 wineries are operating throughout British Columbia and they're going everything from Chardonnay to Syrah. Our friends at Avalon Wine have much more information on the region if you're interested.

Admittedly, I knew almost nothing about Canadian wine prior to perusing one of BC's finest bottle shops. Based on personal preference and bottle description alone, I came across a bottle of Jackson Triggs Silver Series Sauvignon Blanc. I'm always eager to find a good Sauvignon Blanc and a ballsy description like this had me hooked:

Jackson-Triggs is a name you know. It’s a name your friends know. It’s a name that stands for our commitment to crafting the perfect wine for any occasion. And our attention to detail shows. We are Canada’s most awarded winery and have been named “Best Canadian Winery” an unprecedented number of times in both international and domestic competitions. You can feel proud when you serve Jackson-Triggs knowing that no matter the varietal, vintage, or region, you’ll be pouring a premium wine that pairs well with any moment, large or small.

I didn't know the name, but I also didn't know what a flashing green traffic light meant. This was a time when my American ignorance was going to result in sinking or swimming, so I picked it up and brought it home with me for future consumption.

Said future consumption happened three days later as Alyssa and I decided to make a fennel-inspired macaroni and cheese dish served with grilled sweet Italian chicken sausage. I couldn't think of a better dish to pop a bottle of good white wine with, so we screwed the cap off of this bad boy and took some notes.

This Sauvignon Blanc holds up literally to its name as it pours a very light hue. A lightly sweet aroma is immediately noticeable with what I picked up as hues of melon and green apple. Jackson Triggs' tasting notes are a bit different than what I picked up, but you can decide for yourself. Upon first sip, I was very surprised as the mouthfeel is incredibly smooth and covers your whole palate. You're not at all met with an initial tanginess as you are with some whites and the feeling allows you to taste the entire wine without having put put forth any effort.  The taste itself is similar to what you get off the nose, but a bit more floral and toned down in the green apple department.  Alyssa was even on board with this one after commenting, "I normally don't like whites, but I really like this one. Very refreshing" That's quite an endorsement!

All in all, this is a solid Sauvignon Blanc that should appease almost any wine fan. I don't foresee it redefining what the world sees as a quintessential Sauvignon Blanc, but I definitely see itself carving out a large segment of the mid-range white wine market. If you're looking for a solid Sauvignon Blanc at a moderate price, you can't go wrong with this one. Kudos, Okanagan Valley.