I did it.
As a signal to Mother Nature or Father Equinox, or whatever
Benevolent Being might be watching, I did it.
I hung my springtime forsythia-branch wreath on my front
door, cold weather be damned!
Was any Being watching or listening??
In fact, someone
must have noticed my wreath! Sunday
brought a warm, hazy day—the warmest we have experienced for many months!
My sunny patio was calling…
I grabbed a bottle of the Jardin en Fleurs Sauvignon Blanc
and hit the sunshine.
“Jardin en Fleurs” meaning Garden in Bloom could not have
been a better choice, both for the hope inspired by the name, and for the
perfect spring-like wine in the bottle.
The Jardin en Fleurs hails from the Touraine Appellation in France’s
Loire Valley.
The Loire Valley
is four wine regions all positioned along the three-hundred mile stretch of the
Loire River,
with Touraine being in the
central Loire.
Touraine is
certainly well-known for its Vouvray appellation, where wines are made from
100% Chenin Blanc. Just east of Vouvray,
though, (but not far enough east to be in Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume country)
wines are made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
Sipping a charmingly obscure French Sauvignon Blanc on my
warm, sunny patio on one of March’s final days was a nod from the gods, I’m
sure!
The Jardin is all full of herbs and grass with bits of pear
and white peach aromas. It just smells
like spring. On the palate, it continues
with herbs and grassy notes. More
flavors of pear and ripe gooseberry, even a little green pepper, finish with
just a hint of melon. There is not so
much as a mention of grapefruit, although there is a touch of lemon zestiness.
This Sauvignon Blanc is lean and pure—a true expression of
the Loire.
I should have hung my forsythia wreath earlier.
