I've been gradually working my way through the Covey Run "Quail" range of Washington table wines. Covey Run is owned by Ascentia Wine Estates, whose wine portfolio of Northwest wines includes Columbia in Washington state, and Ste. Chapelle in Idaho. I picked up this bottle of Covey Run Sauvignon blanc 2005 on sale at a local chain grocery for $5.99; I suspect one reason it was on sale is that with the 2006 vintage Covey Run has switched to labeling their Sauvignon blanc with the much more fashionable Fumé blanc, following in the footsteps of other Washington winemakers like Barnard Griffin and Hogue.
The Covey Run Sauvignon blanc 2005 is the palest straw in color and quite attractive. The aroma hints at pear and green apple. It's very clearly a Sauvignon blanc in taste, leaning towards the pear side of the palate with just enough acid to make me think of grapefruit or perhaps Persian lemon; as the wine opened (and perhaps warmed a little) the aroma and flavor both changed. Covey Run's Sauvignon blanc is light and refreshing and would pair beautifully with Asian sweet chilis, pork and green beans, or Thai chili lime and shrimp salad. This particular year, 2005, the Covey Run Sauvignon blanc received some very positive reviews. The winery Website notes that Covey Run added 0.5% of Washington Chenin blanc "for its flowery nose." I'm curious as to whether that's actually noticeable to the average drinker, but either way, I look forward to trying this Washington Sauvignon blanc (or Fumé blanc) with dungeness crab and lightly smoked local salmon.