Wine of the Month

Carmenet Winery

Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc

Carmenet Winery

Comment:

This month I went looking for a value wine, the easy-sipping, food-friendly kind you want to store for unexpected company or casual summertime meals on the deck.  The Carmenet Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc fit the bill. Citrus flavors and a food-friendly feel exactly fit the bill.

This wine also epitomizes the twists and turns of following the wine industry.  Carmenet was a solid producer for more than two decades before a 1996 brushfire devastated their Sonoma Valley vineyard.  The winery was part of Chalone Wine Group and had to scramble to survive by buying contracted grapes while keeping up quality.  In 2001, Chalone split Carmenet into three brands: Carmenet, Moon Mountain Vineyards, and Dynamite.  The signature Cabernet Sauvignon of Carmenet went to Moon Mountain, while the "new" Carmenet concentrated on high-end Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, usually above $25/bottle.

The Carmenet winery was then sold to Berringer Blass Wine Estates, part of the Foster's Group.  The existing wines were sold as "North Coast Selections" and the new "Cellar Selection" series was introduced.  These were made in a lighter "international style", which generally means less aging in oak barrels and an emphasis on the fruit tastes.  As a result, these wines are priced at about $8/bottle and provide good value.