Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/818616
may 2017 / the tasting panel / 81 Like the banded soil horizons that are its namesake, Layer Cake Sauvignon Blanc offers up its own strata, nuanced and delicate, with acidity and fruit in equal measure—it's a wine that consistently overdelivers considering its modest price. The same may be said of the other wines in Layer Cake's diverse portfolio. The project straddles four continents, showcasing classic regions and the grape varieties that thrive in them. For Lukas Weichert, Wine Buyer at Wined Up, an upscale New York wine bar and lounge that boasts a list of over 3,000 bottles, featuring the Layer Cake Sauvignon Blanc is an intuitive choice. "The California portfolio is very, very good. They have a delicious Primitivo from Italy, a Shiraz from Australia and a Malbec from Argentina. I have the Central Coast Pinot Noir in one of the restaurants, and the Cabernet in the other—they're all solid wines." Wined Up is just one of the venues he manages. According to Weichert, a good apéritif wine doesn't get in the way. "It's not like drinking Barolo," he noted, "where you want to take time to really appreciate it. Some wines are meant to be easy; the wine becomes an integral part of the experience." With its green-glinting reflections and refreshing herbal edge, Sauvignon Blanc is a grape with noblesse and pedigree. It forms the backbone of the one of world's most expensive white wines, Château d'Yquem. And yet it's an adaptable grape, readily expressing terroir and well-suited to a range of climes. As with most international varieties, Sauvignon Blanc can be dressed up or down. A Wine for Drinking Half of the Sauvignon Blanc sourced for Layer Cake is grown in deep alluvial soils that form the benchlands of California's Alexander Valley, with the balance of fruit coming from nearby Lake County. Sauvignon Blanc's signature sauvage quality—those classic unruly, grassy, gooseberry notes—is kept to a minimum in this approachable multi-region blend. Winemaking vision- ary Jayson Woodbridge likes to press whole-cluster, taking care to preserve delicate fruit aromas without extracting bitterness and tannins from the skins. A cool and carefully-controlled fermenta- tion in stainless steel follows. Susie Phan, Chef de Famille at Phans55, a sleek Vietnamese bistro in the heart of Irvine, California. Layer Cake's Sauvignon Blanc complements her traditional Vietnamese fare. PHOTO: MARGARET SOSS Layer Cake Sauvignon Blanc overdeliv- ers considering its modest price. PHOTO: EVAN SUNG