Terry Robb & Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc

Terry Robb is considered one of the top acoustic blues guitarists in America. He is a master of American primitivism, a transitional style that ranges between country blues and early 20th century string-band music. Terry has a complex fingerpicking style, blending popular and traditional genres to make this music more listenable to the general public. However, his overarching style is rooted in the blues.

He began his career in Portland playing a wide variety of styles and went on to study music theory in college. In the early 80’s he met and befriended John Fahey, a driving proponent of American primitive music and recorded several albums with him. In the 90s he focused on his own style, collaborating with fellow Oregonian Curtis Salgado and touring with the likes of Buddy Guy and Steve Miller. I’ve included their concluding performance on the Conan O’Brien show below. Hope you enjoy!

Acoustic Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5Zao2OOmI4

Acoustic Blues II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfWFob8W-uM&feature=related

Slide Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvpqNFSQG2g&feature=related

Slow Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k1d6JKalNE&feature=related

Jitterbug Waltz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY9jLqIpMIM&feature=related

Weary Blues (with Lauren Sheehan): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOhbuAPWcAY&feature=related

Right or Wrong (with Lauren Sheehan):: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhUNQ3L3LMI&feature=related

Guitar Boogie(with Lauren Sheehan): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdgXaSNHqSU&feature=related

Who Knows (by Hendrix): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAhm23BzDfA&feature=related

Electric Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec_fbMth5UI&feature=related

Hey Joe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqRMj_tDpV4&feature=related

With Curtis Salgado & Steve Miller: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq9aOqfy3RI

Summertime and it’s stinking hot in Nebraska with heat indices above 110! When it gets that hot, I need a refreshing wine that I can quaff, slurp, or swill. Plus during the week, I don’t like to open a whole bottle because all I want is one glass. For those times, I resort to a boxed wine. Yes, it’s true. I drink boxed wine. But this one is special. Octavian has assembled a series of wines into what they call their Home Wine Bar, packaged in a patent-pending bag and box that is supposed to keep every glass tasting as fresh and flavorful as if the wine was just opened, even up to six weeks after your first sip.

I love Sauvignon Blanc, particularly from the Marlborough region of New Zealand and Octavian offers just such a selection in their Silver Birch Sauv. It has just enough grapefruit and peach aromas to confirm it’s a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

The taste is crisp with flavors of kiwi, grapefruit, and green apple with distinctive mineral and gooseberry notes prominent. This is a wine that Chardonnay drinkers will enjoy as much as Sauvignon Blanc aficionados. I can’t verify their claim of a six week shelf life as a box only lasts me ten days.

List is $24.00 but I picked it up in my local wine shop for $19.00 for 3 L, which makes it an incredible deal for wine of this caliber from a region that is one of the premium producers of this varietal. So, if you want a summer refresher, pick up a box tonight. Together with the music of Terry Robb, it’s a great way to beat the heat. Enjoy!

Cheers!