Calistoga Wineries
2020 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc with Mexican Blackened Ahi Tuna and Nigiri
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The Winery
(Photo from Hindsight Wines)
Previously I have written about the Hindsight Winery in Calistoga and their excellent red wines, especially their Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasting can be done at The Vault located at 1124 Lincoln Ave in Calistoga, California. In mid-2022 their long-time winemaker, Jac Cole retired. Now the good news, they hired Michael Weis, who was the head winemaker at Groth. He is well known for making spectacular wines and I believe he received 100 points from Wine Spectator for one of his Sauvignon Blanc vintages. Additional reading about the winery and talented ownership can be found at:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
Their Sauvignon Blanc release under Michael Weis was handcrafted with an artisan touch. First on the eyes it is a golden straw color and medium viscosity. On the nose, floral aromas waft into the senses, along with green apple which is most prominent. On the palate, reserved citrus accents of lime and lemon come into play and are kept in check with flavor but not overpowering. The finish provides a mouthful feeling of a much heavier wine rather than a “light Sauvignon Blanc”. This is most likely due to the addition of nine percent Viognier. This also helps lower the acidity. This wine originally sold for only $25.99/bottle. It is not an “in your face” overly citrusy Sauvignon Blanc and thus makes it perfect for standalone drinking pleasure or to be paired with a variety of foods.
Their current release is 2023 from Sonoma County and is listed at $29.95/bottle. Below are two links to the 2023 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc review:
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The Hindsight Wines Sauvignon Blanc was pulled from the cellar for last night’s meal. The reason to chose Sauvignon Blanc is for the acidity and tropical notes to complement the rich texture of the tuna. The various seasonings create a fresh and refined tasting experience especially with wasabi and ginger.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
I have often had Ahi tuna steak blackened but tonight read about a Mexican version of this prepared with pineapple, mango and Pico de Gallo. I was a bit skeptical with the Pico de Gallo having minced onions, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, etc. The blackened Ahi tuna was done to perfection with a seared outside and rare inside. The spices used on the rub to blacken the Ahi consisted of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, cayenne pepper (in moderation), sea salt and black pepper. Prepared in a hot skillet with virgin olive oil for 2 minutes a side. Served topped with sesame seeds. The food and wine pairing were fine but not great due to the Pico de Gallo. But as the anonymous saying states “Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you”.
(Photo ©Michael Kelly)
The next treat was three Nigiri pieces: salmon, shrimp and tuna with two of each. Here is where the food shined brightly with a delicious combination of this wine.
While this 2020 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc can easily be enjoyed by itself, it was a delightful and an especially refreshing wine to be shared with this food. Another reason it has made my Best Wines Tasted of the Year for the last two years and will again in 2025.
I am now down to one last bottle of the 2020 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc and will be getting the 2023 Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc soon!
Sláinte,
Michael