After having meat often on Passover, it was time to shift into a lighter mode for this Shabbos.  We went with sushi which was a ball to make and consume (of course).  There is a ton of discussions out in the rags about what wine best compliments or pairs with sushi.  Many punt and say Sake ( a rice wine) which pairs nicely – if you like it.  Others say beer goes quite nicely, and I agree.  But being Shabbos and all I usually go with wine.  In the past we have tried clean lined whites and Pinot.  Pinot of course is a nice choice because of its clean line (unless over oaked) and because it has enough herbal qualities to match up with the rice vinegar and the sushi’s meaty flavors.  Other good options are a nicely chilled Gewürztraminer whose fruit and slight sweetness matches the sushi rice vinegar acidity.  Finally, there is the crazy clean lines of a Sauvignon Blanc that match well against the sushi’s clean lines.  The acidities do clash, but that tends to be acceptable.  Not having a Gewürztraminer on hand – we went with the Sauvignon Blanc.  I tell this to better appreciate why I did not love the Yarden Sauvignon Blanc.  I thought it was too fat and overoaked.  The crisp lines had been crushed under the weight of the French oak.  From what was left – it was clear that the crisp lines were there, but the choice was to go for the fat flavors, over the clean fruit in steel.  Again, my opinion, and your palate may feel differently.

Yarden Sauvignon Blanc 2006: B+
The nose on this straw colored wine goes from heady to almost non existent pretty quickly – which is a shame. The nose out of the bottle has notes of pear, apples, citrus, and lychee. The mouth on this medium bodied wine is too plump for my taste buds. I like my Sauvignon Blanc to be clean lined and such. That said. The fruit still shows, and is tempered by toasty wood and green flavors – which tend to muddle the wine. The finish is medium long and there is still enough acidity in the wine to help it cut through fish and soft cheese.