Madorom 2020 Sauvignon Blanc – A Refreshing and Appealing Wine
The Winery
MadoroM Vineyards and Winery is a family affair creating handcrafted and artisan wines from Napa Valley grapes. They produce, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, a Proprietary Red Blend (see a previous article at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/07/2018-madorom-camouflage-proprietary-red-wine/ ) and Sauvignon Blanc. Their new tasting room is located on the Silverado Trail. MadoroM wines is a collaboration of Andy and Marissa Amador and the talented winemaker Mike Blom. At age 27, Andy purchased a 188 acre ranch in the eastern Napa Valley and he planted 50 acres on the property. He later planted a vineyard at the base of Mt. Veeder. The name MadoroM is an incorporation of all their names!
They have two distinct labels: Camouflage and Black Label. The Camouflage label comprises their Proprietary Red Blend (see previous story at https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/07/2018-madorom-camouflage-proprietary-red-wine/), their Rosé and their Sauvignon Blanc. The Black Label features their 2016 & 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (see previous story at https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/23/madorom-vineyards-and-winery-2016-cabernet-sauvignon-and-prime-rib/) and their 2016 & 2017 Napa Valley Merlot (see previous story at https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2021/10/31/madorom-vineyards-and-winery-2016-merlot-the-paul-bunyan-of-merlots/). As an aside they also do custom labeling with a three case minimum order.
The 2020 Madorom Camouflage Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is one of my go to wines for an enjoyable sipping experience. That said, many of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’s have enough pucker power (strong citrus highlights) to construct a kissing booth (showing my age)! They do have their time and place with the right foods. Having never tasted this wine before this evening, I was expecting a citrus profile, but was I surprised! On the eyes a light golden color with medium viscosity. On the nose an array of floral highlights including Honeysuckle and Jasmine. Once on the palate, at first an almost full body dry Chardonnay with rounder and softer edges burst into the mouth with textual edges. Absent was the sharp citrus notes and replaced with honeydew melon and guava, hints of vanilla and a tad citrus note of grapefruit high in the balcony seats! Truly a refreshing and remarkable Sauvignon Blanc that was not “heavy handed” or “in your face” just a beautifully constructed wine. At $28/bottle, this now is a versatile wine to be kept in the cellar!
The Food and Wine Pairing
Paired this evening with a lemon chicken piccata meal. While we had lemon slices and wedges usually to squeeze on the chicken to match with a typical Sauvignon Blanc wine, this evening we did not. The wine with this meal which was lightly breaded, with capers and seasoned with a miniscule of lemon zest and needed no additional citrus flavoring to match perfectly with the wine. Accompanied the meal was a fresh garden salad and Yukon Gold potato.
If you have been turned off by Sauvignon Blanc wines due to “mouth puckering citrus”, this is a great Sauvignon Blanc with a symphony of flavors.
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 