Beverage: Evolution No. 18

Type: White Wine Blend

Maker: Sokol Blosser Winery

 

Review by Crystal Miller

Photo by Colleen Harrison

 

Warning: this wine is for the everyday person. If you think a Pinot Grigio can sometimes be too dry, a Riesling can be too sweet or that you simply just don’t care, you are in luck with Evolution. This is an approachable wine even to those who don’t drink wine regularly.

Evolution White is a white wine blend using Pinot grigio, Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Muller-Thurgau, Semillon, Pinot blanc, Sylvaner and Chardonnay. For those keeping score, that is nine different varietals. What this means is that the winemaker has created a recipe that balances the best part of each of these wines. Or, more simply said, it means that it is yummy.

Evolution is a proprietary blend from Sokol Blosser Winery in Dayton, Oregon. 

“In over 20 years of winemaking, this is by far the hardest wine I’ve had to make,” says winemaker, Russ Rosner. “It’s like mixing nine different colors of paint and trying to end up with a rainbow instead of a muddy brown.”

The alcohol content is 12.0 percent, and each bottle costs $15.

I’ve been drinking Evolution for about 10 years. The first bottle I tried was labeled Evolution No. 9. The most recent bottle I’ve purchased is labeled No. 18. Because the wine is such a complex mix, each batch will vary slightly from the next, thus the winemaker assigns a new number in the evolution.

This wine is light, crisp and a little sweet. It pairs well with spicy food such as Thai or Mexican, but it’s also a relaxing wine to sip. At my house it is the go-to wine. I always keep a bottle on hand, and for any occasion it seems to fit. Dinner with friends — get the Evolution; visiting on the deck — get the Evolution; not sure if we will want red or white — get the Evolution.