2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Tasting Notes
As the name implies, this lovely Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley is quite simply very refreshing and well, crisp. It’s also a refreshing (pun intended) take on the classic Sauv Blanc from CA or New Zealand. We like to think of it as a more approachable Sancerre with a much friendlier price tag as well.
Bright aromas of citrus and stone fruit, with mild herbaceous notes. Zesty flavors of lemon, lime, grapefruit, and fresh nectarine with subtle layers of minerality.
Producer Details
Nicolas Idiart graduated at 19 from Bordeaux University as the youngest winemaker in France.
Trained at Chateau Talbot and Chateau Palmer before starting his own winery.
Now, 20 vintages later, he is a renowned artisanal, small-batch specialist.
Focused on Terroir-driven wines using native yeast fermentations
Vineyards
Predominantly upper-hillside vineyards in Touraine benefitting from warm summers, cool breezes, and calcareous, Tuffeau soils.
Site consistently creates zesty Sauvignon Blanc with racy acidity and bright fruit flavors.
Smaller proportion drawn from flint-driven parcels adding minerality and texture.
Eco-Friendly
Certified Agricole Raisonée
Organic fertilizers and disease control
Indigenous cover crops and nurture of biodiversity in the vineyard
Traditional soil-tilling to aerate the soil and prevent weeds.
Never any use of chemical insecticides or pesticides.
100% Vegan
Winemaking
Night harvest (50F) using small bins to protect grapes and retain freshness
Vinified in an old farmhouse-style winery building in the heart of Sancerre
Cool fermentation (60F) in stainless-steel vats
Clarified with Bentonite Clay (volcanic ash)
Food pairing: Check the back label Sushi, pasta and avocado
Specs
Varietal Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Val de Loire (Touraine Region), France
Certified Agricole Raisonée/Sustainable
Vegan
Alcohol: 12.5%
RS: <1g/l
What’s Included
6-bottles:
6x 2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Case:
12x 2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Obvious Wines is a collection of family estate wines crafted through sustainably farmed practices across vineyards in California, Chile, and France.
Created by a reformed “wine-snob” originally from Champagne, France, founder Brice Baillie noticed a gap between an overall growing interest and love for Boutique, Vegan & Eco-friendly wines, yet a high level of intimidation towards selecting and discussing them.
In 2018, he decided to create an accessible and playful brand that still checked all the necessary boxes of high-quality, eco-conscious wine. So, he got to work cold-calling wineries in California to identify those who were open to partnerships and met his criteria. Eventually, he got a bite, and Obvious Wines was born.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2022 Obvious Wines French Sauvignon Blanc - $20 = 14.27%
2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
![Obvious Wines N.02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc bottle and a glass of the wine.][1]
[1]:
I received the 2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc on Friday. Being a fan of French white wines, I was curious to try this wine that appears to be marketed straight to Millenial Americans. More on this is a bit. I put the wine in the fridge and planned to enjoy it the next day with a bowl of Thai butternut squash and coconut milk soup with shrimp. The soup wasn’t spicy, but it is rich with the coconut milk and poultry bone broth, so it seemed like a good fit for a Sauvignon Blanc. The second night I had it with grilled vegetables and shrimp. The wine was a good pair with both.
My initial impressions on the bottle made me wonder what I was getting into. Obvious Wines was clearly not leaning into their French heritage. The back label of the bottle was tagged with the line, “Because you shouldn’t need a PhD to drink wine.” Well, only having a BA, I agree. The bottle also proudly proclaims, both on the front and back, that the wine is vegan. Uh, yeah. Like the Casemates description, it recommends the wine to be eaten with avocado, pasta, or sushi. I think these are good recommendations, because in my experience with this bottle over two meals, it was palate cleansing, but not bold enough to stand up to complex or strong flavors. The back label also provides the following “wine geek” ratings:
Citrus - 3 out of 4 glasses
Fruity - 2 out of 4 glasses
Dry - 3 out of 4 glasses
Mineral - 2 out of 4 glasses
Body - 1 out of 4 glasses
Alcohol - 2 out of 4 glasses (it’s 12% ABV)
I would agree with these ratings entirely.
On appearance, the wine is a pale golden color, like fresh straw. There are almost no legs sliding down the glass when I swirl it.
The nose was hard to pin down. The first day I really struggled to get anything other than minerality and lemon rind. The second day I let it sit out for an hour and it opened up more. Minerality and citrus were still the most easily identifiable scents in the nose. But there was also a hint of light tropical fruit, maybe pineapple on the nose. It was faint. Toward the end of the bottle, I was practically huffing it, and I may have picked up a slight floral note, like honeysuckle, and a tiny hint of yeast or clay. But I was really trying to wring out anything beyond lemon rind.
The flavor is well balanced with mineral, acid, and a touch of sweetness. Under the prevalent notes of citrus rind, were light, botanical notes of tropical fruits like carambola (star fruit) or kiwi. The wine is briefly sweet on the front, and sour and sharp on the end. It finishes clean with a lemon tartness. The wine is called “Bright & Crisp” and that is exactly what it is. It’s not complex. It’s not in an old world style of French white wines. There’s no funk or barnyard in it. It is a pleasant, light bodied, crisp and bright sauvignon blanc. In a blind tasting, I would have assumed this was from California or Oregon.
My husband, who is not a wine drinker, but does like a few white wines, described it as a picnic wine. Something cold and crisp to drink in the sun with a sandwich. His description reminded me of Tim Minchin’s song, White Wine in the Sun. I think this would be a great bottle to share with friends and family during a lazy, sundrenched afternoon by the pool. I thought that if it was around $12/bottle, it would be a good price point. And Casemates has placed it under $12, so I’d say it’s a great option for a white, everyday drinker, or to share with folks who don’t expect a revelatory experience from a glass of wine.
2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
It’s always a good day to receive a box from Casemates. Thank you, Alice! I’m unfamiliar with Obvious Wines, but a Sauvignon Blanc from the Lore Valley that’s also vegan and sustainably farmed has piqued my interest. I haven’t seen many screw tops from France; it doesn’t affect my perception of wine at all!
It’s a pale straw color, a little lighter than expected. I let it sit in the glass for about 10 minutes or so as the bottle felt too cold. On the nose, I get some faint honeysuckle and citrus. On the pallet, the mouthfeel is smooth and subtle. It’s very dry, refreshing, and well-balanced. The finish leaves you with a hit of minerality. It reminds me of a light new world Sancerre with a finish of a New Zeeland Sauvignon Blanc. I envision enjoying this with rich white fish, Thai with a little heat, and a dinner salad with blackened tuna.
I enjoyed this wine despite it being in the 20s here in New York! This would make for a lovely warm-weather sipper. I’d have no qualms about serving this at a casual gathering. I’m guessing it probably retails in the mid to low $20’s. I’m sure Casemates will price this attractively! If your cellar can use some Sav Blanc, I suggest you pick it up!
2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Tasting Notes
Producer Details
Vineyards
Eco-Friendly
Winemaking
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$228.00/Case for 12x 2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France at Obvious Wines
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Feb 17 - Thursday, Feb 20
2022 Obvious Wines French Sauvignon Blanc
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.67/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $119.99 $10/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2022 Obvious Wines French Sauvignon Blanc - $20 = 14.27%
2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
![Obvious Wines N.02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc bottle and a glass of the wine.][1]
[1]:
I received the 2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc on Friday. Being a fan of French white wines, I was curious to try this wine that appears to be marketed straight to Millenial Americans. More on this is a bit. I put the wine in the fridge and planned to enjoy it the next day with a bowl of Thai butternut squash and coconut milk soup with shrimp. The soup wasn’t spicy, but it is rich with the coconut milk and poultry bone broth, so it seemed like a good fit for a Sauvignon Blanc. The second night I had it with grilled vegetables and shrimp. The wine was a good pair with both.
My initial impressions on the bottle made me wonder what I was getting into. Obvious Wines was clearly not leaning into their French heritage. The back label of the bottle was tagged with the line, “Because you shouldn’t need a PhD to drink wine.” Well, only having a BA, I agree. The bottle also proudly proclaims, both on the front and back, that the wine is vegan. Uh, yeah. Like the Casemates description, it recommends the wine to be eaten with avocado, pasta, or sushi. I think these are good recommendations, because in my experience with this bottle over two meals, it was palate cleansing, but not bold enough to stand up to complex or strong flavors. The back label also provides the following “wine geek” ratings:
I would agree with these ratings entirely.
On appearance, the wine is a pale golden color, like fresh straw. There are almost no legs sliding down the glass when I swirl it.
The nose was hard to pin down. The first day I really struggled to get anything other than minerality and lemon rind. The second day I let it sit out for an hour and it opened up more. Minerality and citrus were still the most easily identifiable scents in the nose. But there was also a hint of light tropical fruit, maybe pineapple on the nose. It was faint. Toward the end of the bottle, I was practically huffing it, and I may have picked up a slight floral note, like honeysuckle, and a tiny hint of yeast or clay. But I was really trying to wring out anything beyond lemon rind.
The flavor is well balanced with mineral, acid, and a touch of sweetness. Under the prevalent notes of citrus rind, were light, botanical notes of tropical fruits like carambola (star fruit) or kiwi. The wine is briefly sweet on the front, and sour and sharp on the end. It finishes clean with a lemon tartness. The wine is called “Bright & Crisp” and that is exactly what it is. It’s not complex. It’s not in an old world style of French white wines. There’s no funk or barnyard in it. It is a pleasant, light bodied, crisp and bright sauvignon blanc. In a blind tasting, I would have assumed this was from California or Oregon.
My husband, who is not a wine drinker, but does like a few white wines, described it as a picnic wine. Something cold and crisp to drink in the sun with a sandwich. His description reminded me of Tim Minchin’s song, White Wine in the Sun. I think this would be a great bottle to share with friends and family during a lazy, sundrenched afternoon by the pool. I thought that if it was around $12/bottle, it would be a good price point. And Casemates has placed it under $12, so I’d say it’s a great option for a white, everyday drinker, or to share with folks who don’t expect a revelatory experience from a glass of wine.
2023 Obvious Wines Nº02 Bright & Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France
It’s always a good day to receive a box from Casemates. Thank you, Alice! I’m unfamiliar with Obvious Wines, but a Sauvignon Blanc from the Lore Valley that’s also vegan and sustainably farmed has piqued my interest. I haven’t seen many screw tops from France; it doesn’t affect my perception of wine at all!
It’s a pale straw color, a little lighter than expected. I let it sit in the glass for about 10 minutes or so as the bottle felt too cold. On the nose, I get some faint honeysuckle and citrus. On the pallet, the mouthfeel is smooth and subtle. It’s very dry, refreshing, and well-balanced. The finish leaves you with a hit of minerality. It reminds me of a light new world Sancerre with a finish of a New Zeeland Sauvignon Blanc. I envision enjoying this with rich white fish, Thai with a little heat, and a dinner salad with blackened tuna.
I enjoyed this wine despite it being in the 20s here in New York! This would make for a lovely warm-weather sipper. I’d have no qualms about serving this at a casual gathering. I’m guessing it probably retails in the mid to low $20’s. I’m sure Casemates will price this attractively! If your cellar can use some Sav Blanc, I suggest you pick it up!