Álvarez y Diez / Mantel Blanco, Rueda (Castilla y León, Spain) Sauvignon Blanc 2023

 This superb Rueda producer never seems to hit an off-note with either Sauvignon or Verdejo, and for me, the only suspense involved in tasting each new vintage comes down to which wine will be slightly better.  The race in 2023 resulted in a near tie, as the wines are equally meritorious in their different ways.  Most of the Sauvignon that is planted in the region goes back to the period when temperature-controlled fermentation enabled Rueda producers to shift from Sherry-style wines to dry table wines, and frankly, this French variety went in as a bet-hedger in case Verdejo produced in that style wouldn’t sell (which is likewise mostly why French varieties were planted in the renaissance in Priorat, in Catalonia).  As things turned out, Verdejo performs extremely well when rendered as a fresh, dry table wine, so examples of Sauvignon have dwindled over the past two decades.  However, as this producer shows every year, Rueda produces Sauvignon that is fleshy and ripe but still varietal in character, with citrus and white melon flavors that meld very nicely with light herbal accents.  This can’t match the 2023 Verdejo in terms of physical weight or the impressiveness that naturally flows from that attribute, but it is every bit as complex, and a bit more refreshing for summer enjoyment.  Compared to the many ripe Sauvignons being released from California and Washington state, this is better than most costing nearly twice as much.