2009 Bell Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County, $14.99

OK. Confession time: I love red wine, cabernet especially, and I have a bottle of Bell cabernet in my wine cellar. Not the wine fridge, the wine cellar, which is basically a wine fridge in the basement where I keep all my wines that need aging or were just too expensive to be opened for anything other than a special occasion. The Bell cabernet falls into the latter, it was just too expensive to open up for any old reason. So when I saw this wine at a much more attractive price point, I jumped on it. Then I looked at the alcohol content & saw 12.5%. Well, gee, I guess that's what happens when the price falls 30 bucks.

Back to the wine, then. This wine smells no different than a New Zealand sauvignon blanc on the nose - Matua, Oyster Bay. The back of the bottle promises "citrus and mineral aromas and a subtle hint of fresh cut grass." I smell the mineral component & perhaps a very subtle hint of peach/apricot, but try as I might - and I try so hard I almost inhale some wine - I don't get that fresh-cut grass aroma. Bummer. The wine is very, very pale yellow with the thinnest, most delicate sheet down the side of the glass I have ever seen. In all actuality, I'm preparing for a delicate-tasting, subtle wine.

Boom! It's not a subtle wine, thank goodness, but I'm a little disappointed in it. On the palate, I taste some citrus along with the usual crisp, acidic taste of the sauvignon blanc grape. The flavor is strong on the palate but nearly nonexistent on the finish, leaving me wanting to drink more to reclaim some sort of taste. Sad. It's not a bad wine, exactly; in fact, it's a very pleasant, easy-drinking wine that would be perfect on a hot day.

My problem lies in the fact that when I want a drink, I want a drink. As much as I hate the word mouthfeel (AAARGH!), I want a wine that feels heavy in my mouth, a wine that leaves me with the impression that I'm drinking something other than water. I need a wine that's heavy-bodied & obvious, not subtle. I don't want to guess or tip-toe around a wine.

I will not be purchasing this wine again - for this price & taste, I'd rather buy a bottle of Matua - but it's not a bad wine. I've had much worse. If any of my readers are interested in a California sauvignon blanc with a great acidity, find out more at www.bellwine.com or call #707-944-1673.

Cheers!

Kate