Spring and Winter

When Bud brought over a bottle last week and declared it "the best sauvignon blanc" he's ever tasted, well, I knew I had to throw back a glass. It was the 2009 Cade Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley), and it was a lovely discovery. This wine had notes of fig and citrus -- none of that slightly skunky aroma often found in sauvignon blanc. I kept thinking it tasted like spring (corny, I know), which I am craving as we wait for the remainder of those hideous gray blobs of snow to melt. Also, it included some of my favorite features in wine: the convenient screw-top bottle and a healthy alcohol content (13.8 percent). Not cheap -- about $25 -- but worth it if you're a particular fan of this white.

And another treat from Bud last night: the 2002 Ridge Mataro (Pato Vineyard). This blend -- 75 percent mataro, also known as mourvedre, and 25 percent zinfandel -- tasted richly of prune/raisin and had an almost oily quality to it; this is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs wine (14.9 percent alcohol), a perfect winter red that has aged well. (The wine also stirred fond memories of my visit to their vineyard last year.) Ridge made only 38 barrels of it, and it's not even available on their website. If you can find it, drink it. (Price unavailable.)