What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

It is amazing how some folks can invest so much of themselves into making good wine, yet do the bare minimum to connect their customers to the people and places behind their craft. For example, there are times when little detail about a wine is offered on the bottle's label. And then there are instances when even less information is provided online at the producer's web site.

Granted making wine is an incredibly time consuming process, yet it seems a shame that for all of the energy invested, the only testament to this effort seems to be what ends up in the glass.

So, it was with disappointment that after seeing a recommendation in Paul Gregutt's column, I purchased a bottle of the Rulo 2007 Sauvignon Blanc ($15) and was left with little to connect me to this wine. Rulo Winery, located in Walla Walla, has been making some respectable juice since 2000, but clearly has a long way to go toward connecting folks to the who, what, and where behind its product.

Rulo's bottle reveals little, other than the variety, vintage, vineyard, and AVA on the back label. Rulo's city, zip and tagline ("relive a memory, realize a dream") are also there, but nothing else. No web site URL, no email address, and no phone number. Going online, I located the Rulo web site, only to find a static homepage with a street address and email contact.

As a result, I have no idea who produced this wine, how they made it, and what their story is. What a shame for folks like me who seek to connect to a wine beyond what is merely in the bottle. Thus, I am left with nothing more than comments on the Rulo 2007 Sauvignon Blanc (12.5%) itself.

On the eyes, a light, steely off yellow color. On the nose, a hint of green grass, but little fruit offered. On the palate, it was crisp with some minerality to it. Not much in the finish. In fact, it tasted more like a pinot blanc than a sauvignon blanc. The wine was okay, but I am left wanting more beyond the glass and bottle.