I wasn't familiar with the term and found this. I prefer Sauv Blanc over Chardonnay, so I think it sounds delicious. I don't usually buy Chablis, either, preferring Sancere if I'm drinking French wines. But I usually buy our excellent domestic whites.

https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-saint-bris

“Saint Bris is located on the Auxerre area (15 km from Chablis). The wine is produced exclusively from Sauvignon blanc and it is the only appellation in Burgundy using this grape variety. It is produced on clay-chalky soils.” The wine that you have sounds like a readonable sub and sounds enjoyable.

For future reference, consider wines from Honig Vineyard in California. Their wines are consistent in quality. They do just 3 wines. 2 sauv blancs—and the lower end one, Napa ( v fancier Rutherford) is nice and their cabernet is lovely. Plus you will enjoy the pretty labels. Its a sweet family-run business. They used to send funny postcards for their marketing.

I'm like you Mtn, never cared for wine. The last bottle I bought was for NYE, just for the heck of it. The person at the liquor store assured me I'd like one of these wines when I described what I liked in a wine. It was delicious. And don't let the price fool you!

Middle Sister Wine

I don't know anything about the specific wine but I generally enjoy sauvignon blancs (although I actually prefer pinot gris/grigio). I think it would be a good choice but agree that you might want to look at wines produced closer to home. Living in Australia, I stick to Australian and New Zealand wines, and haven't had (or missed) French or Italian wine in ages.

I always go with a New Zeland white; Pinot Gris/Grigio or Sauv Blanc. Never drink red but my daughters prefer Chilean or Argentinian Malbec or any number of Cab Sav's from various countries.

“Saint Bris is located on the Auxerre area (15 km from Chablis). The wine is produced exclusively from Sauvignon blanc and it is the only appellation in Burgundy using this grape variety.

So like, dumb question, when I am offering up that particular white, what would i say "would you like a glass of St Bris? Is St Bris one type of Sauvignon blanc and Chablis another type of Sauvignon blanc?

Lolol

I had never heard of this before. i’m familiar with wines and regions but not close to a guru. You’d not be wrong to simply to offer red or white and if asked more explain sauv blanc from saint bris

The St. Bris sounds delicious to me; I love wines from Burgundy. St. Bris is the appellation; the grapes used are Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris. (I googled this.) Chablis is from northwest Burgundy; Chablis wines are 100% Chardonnay grapes. I may live in Northern California, but I’m a French wine enthusiast!

How to offer the wine? Know your guests. If most of them are well-versed in French wines, "Saint-Bris" is fine. Otherwise, I'd offer a Sauvignon Blanc from Burgundy. The wine industry in the US emphaises the grape varieties over location. More people here are likely to be familiar with "Sauvignon Blanc" than with "Saint-Bris."

In France the place of origin is extremely important. Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) is a legal designation. "Saint-Bris" is the AOC that indicates a very specific part of Burgundy. The main grapes for wine in Burgundy are Chardonay for white and Pinot Noir for red. Saint-Bris is unusual because it is only used for wines from that area that are made with Sauvignon grapes. Wines made with other grapes in that area have a completely different AOC. (Why keep things simple when we can make them complicated?! ) There are other varieties for more rustic wines in Burgundy, but aren't a large part of the export market.

Hahaha! In our house we just ask our guests if they want white or red!

We love our wines and keep a good collection of our favs, as we have a bottle between the three of us every evening with dinner. My DH has a passion for choosing just the ”right” wine for whatever I make, and so, over the years, I’ve phased myself out of the researching and buying process. Between him and the gentleman who owns the place he gets most of our wines, they do come up with some fine choices. I’ll have to ask him specifically about St. Bris, though. as the name sounds very familiar. My favorites are usually a Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay, if I'm just sipping sans meal.

Okay, well I just became a little less stupid.

So it seems if I served this I might say, pinky aloft "Would you like to try the St. Bris? It's a charming little Sauvignon Blanc, from Burgundy" (insert knowing look)

italics mine because, bien sur, tout le monde knows that Sauvignon Blanc grapes originate from the Bordeauxregion of France.

You asked if it was a good substitute for the chablis and probably not. A chablis is an unoaked chardonnay and typically a Pinot Grigio would be a better substitute. But I don't think that's really what you're trying to do but rather you just want a nice white wine to offer to your guests.

I don't know this particular wine but your link calls it extra dry and it looks like the sugar content is 1.4g/L which is low. Not everyone is a dry white wine lover. But if you offer it as just a sauvignon blanc most white wine drinkers will say "thank-you, I'd love a glass"

I don’t know a lot about wines, either, but I also really like Honig sauvinon blanc! I was looking for Cakebread SB a few years ago, which I discovered thru a friend and loved, and the wine guy at the store suggested Honig. Less expensive and easier to find IME.

I also like Kim Crawford SB a lot, and it’s very reasonably priced.

I cannot drink red wine because it gives me a headache, and I have had the same reaction with most chardonnays. So when someone offers me a white wine, I have to be the high maintenance guest who asks what type of white.

Also love Sancerre. DH and I shared a bottle in Quebec City earlier this month and we are now trying to find the same wine locally. We don’t even drink wine much but we like to keep some bottles ”in stock” for dinner guests and holidays.

BLF, great tip about the sugar. I think, for me at least, that would be a good indicator.

The white we had with our friends this summer was Chablis from Domaine William Fevre, and that had 2 g/L of sugar.

The average six-ounce glass of white wine contains about 1.73 grams of sugar, so the Chablis is a little higher and St. Bris a little lower. I will hunt down the Chablis then, though I liked the idea of the former which is apparently a tad exotic.

I never worry about describing a wine I'm serving to guests. My go to is, "I haven't tried it before, but my wine guy highly recommended this."

I give wine as a gift fairly frequently and my friends are always thrilled to get something my wine guy recommends. Unfortunately, he moved to Portland. I have to find a new wine guy.

I am whatever the opposite is of a wine snob and drink it so infrequently anymore that I've become even less educated about it if that's possible. The only thing I know about wine is that I can love or dislike the same wine depending on the food I'm eating with it. It sounds as if you have your wine decided but if there's a future dilemma, I would often get a Viognier from TJ's that I liked a lot - when I drank wine more frequently.

I'm a certified wine snob. I'd drink it. I love French wine no matter how many Napa clubs I'm in, lol

Just wanted to add that I really don't like oaky chardonnays, and there are a lot out there and I know a lot of white wine drinkers who don't care for them. I also don't like reislings, they are too sweet for me. I also don't care for Gwertztraminer - it is too herby, spicy for my taste. All that being said, if I am given a glass of wine that I don't care for, I just sip it slowly and make one glass last all night. It may be sacrilige but in our circle, it is not taboo to have an ice cube or two in a glass of white wine...

I’ve recently started following this sommelier on IG. She’s very straightforward. Don’t miss the reviews of the Kirkland (Costco) Wine Advent Calendar.

https://instagram.com/loopersomm?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I know what you mean by oaky, and as a wimpy drinker, that is totally not my speed either. It is one reason I have leaned more toward rose in the rare cases where I have wine.

In any event, I finally scored exactly what I was looking for, the Domaine William Fevre Chablis, the wine my house guests picked out when we were shopping for our dinner over the summer, and which we all liked. Funnily, a nearby wine store had it --- chilled in the fridge!

We are having lunch guests on Sunday; who knows if they will even want wine, but I will be ready with both a red and a white LOL. Here she is:

If we're out at friends and am offered wine I always ask what it is. I don't care for reislings or Gewurztraminers and there are some Chardonnay's that are just okay. My response is always -"oh that sounds nice, thank-you" when in fact, I just want to be prepared for what I'm about to taste.

How interesting. I thought I was odd, because I don't like Chardonnay (because of the oak), or rieslings (because of the sweetness). Not at all expensive, but Chateau St. Michelle has a decent DRY riesling, but you have to look for it. Must be something about our taste buds.

Mtn, looks like you’ve found what you want / need, but I have a tip for you for the future, which I think I picked up from Eric Asimov in one of his wine columns. It’s especially helpful for people who don’t want to try different wines and don’t enjoy them. Shop for ratings, not vintage years or specific vineyards. Regardless of what type wine you’re looking for, look for wines that have been rated by some recognized body and get anything rated 89 or higher. And that’s it. Anything rated 89 or above is good, and anything over 91 is very good— regardless of price. I’ve tried this method countless times when buying something I wasn’t familiar and it’s held true every single time. In the past I have bought some really excellent wines for less than $20 with ratings 89 and above. Most online vendors have ratings listed (for the stuff that’s been rated) and big retailers like Costco and Cost Plus World !arket and Green’s have them displayed on the bins. Of course you miss out on some wine experiences of unrated or not yet rated bottles, but that’s no problem since you don’t drink it yoourself. So when a recipe is accompanied by a suggestion for a particular wine you can pick one of that type by the number and feel safe it’s very drinkable.

And I would guess people bringing wine to your house as a hostess gift would likely bring something pretty decent. I don’t know any people who love wine who would regift an inferior bottle, they’d keep it for cooking. You probably have some very nice bottles in your cache 😎

I'm glad you found what you wanted. I was curious if it is available locally and one of our local wine stores carries it. I'm tempted to try it based on what they have posted about it. I thought maybe you'd be interested, although maybe you've read all this elsewhere: https://grandvinwinemerchants.com/william-fevre-chablis-domaine-2019-750ml/

LOL Oly, with such build up it is now bound to disappoint.

My guests arrive tomorrow so we shall see which one we open --- red or white. Or none! I am serving a lunch of cream of wild mushroom soup, Olychick's Winter Panzanella, sliced cold tenderloin, and a caramelized poached pear with vanilla ice cream. Will report back on the wine.

I've read some reviews on another site. To the uninitiated, this sounds like a goof: (93 rating) This is really bright and clear with sliced apple, pear and stone. Some chalk, too. It’s linear and tight. Pretty length and freshness.

I assume these are the scores KSWL spoke of, look pretty darn good. (cant post photos again)

https://www.wine.com/product/william-fevre-chablis-domaine-2019/764518?state=CA&s=GoogleBase_CSE_764518_SHP50_type_Wine_WhiteWine_Chardonnay&showpromo=true&promo=SHP50&region_id=000071&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Smart_Wine_20-50&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhsmaBhCvARIsAIbEbH51Nurt6RnNjF5G_AVd8-U5216SubTEwOspgenuThVwcK3C70oJbdcaAr4eEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#closePromoModal

That wine will be fabulous, a 93 is really really good.

Your menu sounds fab! When should I be there?

:)

Not till your husband finishes blowing the leaves Annie. i think i saw him today … we were taking a scenic ride in the convertible!

Buying very expensive wine to serve at home is a waste of money. Buying an expensive bottle of wine to give as a gift is a lovely thought. Wine opened at home, where the guest may have had two glasses, leaves you half a bottle of wine. Wine doesn't keep very long, once opened, and unless you use it a lot in cooking, that half bottle is going to waste.

Suggestion if you live near Costco. Their brand of wines are supposed to be the very good "leftovers" of vineyards. Labeled under "Kirkland", the wines are pretty darn good. I love Sonoma Cutrer chardonnay. It is expensive. The Sonoma County wine at Costco is so close, it is amazing. Could it be? $6.99 a bottle.

https://www.reversewinesnob.com/search/label/costco/

Buying very expensive wine to serve at home is a waste of money.

Who did that? Not to mention, that is a judgment call.*

I am happy with my choices, vetted by friends (and me) and as it turns, out, highly rated. The Domaine St Fevre and the Valpane are both under $25 and I am happy with that. No doubt there are many many fine choices at several price points, but, TBH I personally would not serve a bottle of wine from Costco to my guests. If I liked wine, I might have it myself. But not guests. That's just me!

As for waste, that is an issue whenever we entertain, and I wish it were *only* wine.

I have a friend who has cultivated mother vinegar and I am going to get some from her and use the wine to make red wine vinegar. Not because i am so upset about wasting the wine but because I recently read a recipe that admonished "use good red wine vinegar" and wondered, what is that?

*Speaking of. Over a decade ago I was at a wine-tasting dinner we had for clients. At the end of the night, I was chatting with my firm's special events staff. We saw each other at these things all the time and were friendly. One of them said they had some leftover bottles of wine and had no use from them (I forget why) and did I want one ... it was worth $1k. I said, ok, sure. Then, as now, I was not really a wine drinker. I saved it to serve with dinner to friends, who were much more interested in wine and knowledgeable than I. I said nothing about the wine, which they said was good, but made no special comment on.

Their Sauvignon Blanc is also delicious!