Tasting: Mira Bueno Sauvignon Blanc

This summery wine from Castillo, Spain is bright and citrusy and fantastic!

I went looking for a Vinho Verde to pair with my pasta w/ parsley, lemon and garlic but came home with this instead. It was a bargain at $9 and seemed a promising match for the fresh summery flavors in the pasta.

With a pale greenish yellow color, the wine presented a strong citrusy-pineapple fragrance with just a hint of vanilla in the background. The melon dominates as soon as it hits your palate and the wine seems to have an almost effervescent quality. The silky finish is a welcome surprise.

Overall, the Sauvignon Blanc matched wonderfully with the pasta...pulling the parsley and lemon to the front and taming the bite of the garlic. The effect was exactly what I'd hoped for when I chose this bottle.

The Mira Bueno is one of those wines that I want to try with everything and I instantly wondered how it would do with one of my favorite treats...Garlic and Onion Jam.

I was skeptical about this jam before I first tried it but found it surprisingly sweet with a hint of apple. It tastes amazing smeared on a baguette with a bit of Brie and a thin slice of Granny Smith. Without the cheese and fruit, I thought the jam went perfectly with the Mira Bueno. The acidity becomes a bit more prominant but at the same time, the emergent fullness of the apple flavor takes a swim in all that melon-y bright Sauvignon Blanc and makes you want even more!

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Quick summer pasta

Finely chop a handful of fresh parsley and one garlic clove. Add the zest of one lemon and about two tbsp toasted pine nuts. Toss with cooked pasta, about a half tablespoon butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Try with a chilled glass of Vinho Verde or Sauvignon Blanc.

Enjoy!

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