NV Sokol Blosser Evolution, United States LCBO General List #206870 $16.95
I recently had the pleasure of presenting a few of my favourite summer wines on CTV’s Canada AM. It seemed rather strange to be opening and tasting wine at 8.30am in the morning in front of a cavalcade of schoolchildren who were part of a kids fashion show that was to follow my wine segment. Nevertheless I spoke as eloquently as I could for about three minutes about a number of my preferred (and generally available across Canada) summer selections… and this was one of them.
Made at Sokol Blosser’s Oregon winery this bottling sources grapes from all over the West Coast (Oregon, Washington State, and California) hence the United States designation. Not only do Sokol Blosser blend regions, but they also choose to blend vintages, hence the NV designation. And then there’s the matter of their blending of varietals… Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Semillon, Müller Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Sylvaner, and Pinot Gris. Unlikely bedfellows that one may be suspicious of creating something akin to swampwater when combined?
Well, that’s what is so interesting… for some reason it works. Now this is by no means a wine to be philosophised over, but it certainly is a wine to be enjoyed in enormous quantities during these hot summer days and nights.
There’s a lot going on in the glass as one would expect, exotic spice and lychee from the Gewurz, grapey aromatics from the Muscat… there really is a maelstrom of flavours and smells that are at once alluring and make the mouth literally water. With a touch of residual sugar and a crisp (not clumsy) finish this is the perfect patio/barbecue wine. And I should note something here… when I used to private order it for Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar it came in at almost twice the price, as was the case when it came through Vintages some years ago, so it’s a bit of a steal. Shhhhh… don’t tell too many people though.
Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And he has consumed a fair bit of Evolution over the years.
