Three Rivers Winery - Meritage White

A white Meritage you say? "How can this be?" You’re probably thinking, "We usually see red Meritage!"

Well, a "Meritage®" (pronounced like "heritage") can be any Bordeaux varietal including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert.

Three Rivers Winery have been producing Meritage White since the 2001 vintage and have received great press and medals for this exceptional Bordeaux-style blend ever since. And for the quality, you cannot beat the value at $19. This Meritage blend is 72% Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Semillon. I found it to be a refreshing wine with a nose of light floral and lemon - very clean. The flavors were zesty with citrus and a bit of mineral. I particularly enjoyed this blend as the majority of it is Sauvignon Blanc, which is a white grape that I am a bit partial to.

There had been some sur lie aging, which added balance to the acidity, but it didn’t take away from the crispness of this blend. And in true Bordeaux-style tradition, the wine was aged in 100% small French oak barrels.

Since I believe that great wines start in the vineyard, this bright wine is proof of my beliefs. The Sauvignon Blanc came from Evergreen Vineyard locate outside of Quincy WA, in the Columbia Valley AVA and Klipsun Vineyard. The Semillon was sourced exclusively from Klipsun. It's tough to compete with a grape from the Klipsun Vineyard at Red Mountain.

Three Rivers Meritage White - 2005 makes for a perfect summer sipping wine on the deck or pairs quite well with cheese, chicken salad, grilled shrimp and light fruit desserts. Cheers!