Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon Go Together Like Peas and Carrots

Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon Go Together Like Peas and Carrots – Episode #545

September 24, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk tastes 3 whites that feature this classic grape combination.

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Comments on this episode(150) Leave a comment ›

“QOTD: Im not too sure. Im sure I have at a tasting, but cant recall….” by Dessert Wine Nerd
“Really appreciated the explanation at the beginning as to why they pai…” by yowens
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Wines tasted in this episode:

Steenberg Sauvignon BlancSouth African Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Cadaretta Sauvignon Blanc/ SemillonColumbia Valley White Meritage
2006 Volker Eisele GeminiNapa White Meritage

150 Responses

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January 22, 2009

Dessert Wine Nerd
QOTD: Im not too sure. Im sure I have at a tasting, but cant recall. Have had some straight up semillions that ive enjoyed. Def. a style of wine ill have to check out!
October 30, 2008

yowens
Really appreciated the explanation at the beginning as to why they pair well together- cheers! QOTD: Of course. A killer one is the St. Supery Virtu
October 19, 2008

Sharon
Wow, great QPR on 1st wine! Holy good deal, Batman. I don’t like Semillon by itself too much as too waxy/viscous and don’t love the flavor. I think they use Semillon in Sauternes though which of course is great.
QOTD: I’m sure I have. In fact the Le Frappe S.A.S. Philippe Raoux Brut I purchased at the Wine Lib on my 1 visit there. I liked it.
October 18, 2008

Kristen
QOTD: Hell yeah! I’m livng in the heart of Pessac Leognan!!!!
October 5, 2008

YoungDave
QOTD: Yes- many, but only from Bordeaux- mostly Graves. I have had Semillon from other wine growing regions, but not blended.
October 4, 2008

Achilleas in Cyprus
Nice show.

QOTD; Nope, never.
October 2, 2008

Flavio
QOTD: I’ve had plenty of white Bordeaux – don’t think I’ve ever had any sauvignon blanc / semillon made elsewhere.

What really sparked my interest (in buying/ordering white Bordeaux) was the Callac in the Christmas pack. After that, I had a life altering experience in February at a Haut Brion dinner in London where I had both Haut Brion Blanc and Laville Haut Brion for the first time. Here are the notes:

http://tv.winelibrary.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14366&highlight=
September 30, 2008

Jimmy T
QOTD: Nope.
September 29, 2008

ChiroGuyDC
Another great episode, though can’t say I’ve ever tried a SB/S blend…yet!!!
September 29, 2008

Lois and Greg
QOTD: Yes. Have had the Steenberg and agree with the taste notes. Great bang for the buck. Time to stock up.
September 29, 2008

Jason S.
QOTD: not sure?
September 29, 2008

JayZee
QOTD: Yeah, I have had a couple of White Bordeaux but I’ve never had a Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend form anywhere else that I can recall. Then again, I may have had one from the Hunter Valley in Australia when I was there back in 2000.
September 29, 2008

Matthew
QOTD: No. but I think Ill go find some of that first wine. Yeehaw!!
September 28, 2008

Nathan Wiggins
Maybe the Gemini was just a bad bottle. I wouldn’t think that would be a typical tasting component.
September 28, 2008

Dan Manu
I have this blend very often and is one of my faves… generally i like the Semillon dominated ones better! mmm
September 28, 2008

BettyLou
NZ. Pegasus Bay (canterbury). Sauv, Sem (70/30). Got to do a tasting at the winery once, got to see the end of ferments for the current vintage, then try the three previous years in bottle. Not normally a Sem fan, but it worked really well in this wine, especially with some age. Awesome (awesome winery in general).
September 28, 2008

M Lee
QOTD: Yes, I’ve had a few white bordeaux, most recently the Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2005. What a wonderful, complex, layered, and full white. It got better as it warmed up (not surprising) with notes of honey, a little caramel, creme brulee, lemon zest — even the empty glass smelled ethereal after I drank it. I bought a case, despite the ridiculous price point, as well as a case of Blanc de Lynch Bages 2005. I am looking forward to aging these and trying them throughout the years to come. (It’s hard not to drink them all now, though)
September 27, 2008

Patt
delete that, wrong episode. I just watched the cheese one, sorry
September 27, 2008

Patt
Very interesting.
QOTD: Stilton, maybe Roquefort, but I have only had that once. Port, Sherry (Dry Sack Medium, right now) , Riesling, or Gewurtz to pair.
September 27, 2008

JudeMurphy
I’m not big on the new wrist band, Gary!
The statue of liberty thing suggests that the “vayner nation” is something which can only exist in the USA.
: (

Never had anything like that but at the moment I’m drinking a Pouilly-Fumé and I was thinking you should definitely do a show on them! Whip out some Baron De L, it’s amazing!!

I also was just thinking you should do a show discussing additives in wine. Something I’ve been concerned about lately. They’re not listed on the labels so no one ever knows when they’re there!
They put a lot of chemicals in wine and people aren’t aware.
September 27, 2008

Dan-o
GV – I was a little surprised that you did not explain more thoroughly that Bordeaux is the ancestral home of this blend – or at least the “Capitol” of Sauv Blanc/Sem.
QOTD – I only recently became a fan of this blend and it was a wine from the Bordeaux region, but not a name brand. I like the style.
September 27, 2008

hasbeen
One of the best whites I have had this year was a 2006 Chateau Guiraud “G”. It is apparently impossible to find in the Midwest though.
September 27, 2008

Sassodoro
QOTD. Yeah, I’ve had a few, including some white Bordeaux. I was thinking at the beginning of the episode, when you said that for many years Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blends were mainly from Australia, but what about white Bordeaux? I love the aromatics and the oiliness that Semillon contributes.
September 26, 2008

Derek
QOTD: Never tried one, but will move that to the top my list! Thanks Gary!
September 26, 2008

Jerry Bob
Great show love them both seperate or together. no particular producer stands out.