What’s on our wine list as we head into summer?
Lately, we’ve been enamoured with New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. While some find these wines to be too grassy, we think they do an excellent job of providing the crisp greenness one looks for in summer white without the pungency that can sometimes be overwhelming. Read: more “fresh cut grass” than “newly composted lawn.” Plus the fruit and citrus undertones, especially of those from the Marlborough region, manage to be both mouth puckering and refreshing at the same time. Most of all, we love the price tag. Who wouldn’t be a happy to pick up a bottle of great wine for less than $15?
Here are a few of our top favourites:
- Babich Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($11-$15) – An all-time favourite. While some might find the grapefruit note a bit strong, we love how it cuts through both the nose and the finish for a wine that comes across as both robust and clean.
- Matua Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2012 ($13-$15) – A soft greenish white Sav, this is another Marlborough wine that blends tropical and citrus flavours along with a pleasant herby nose for another fresh clean tasting.
- Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($11-$15) – For those looking for a slightly more traditional Sav (read a little less tropical punch!), this well balanced white is consistently good and always a pleasure to open.
- Neil Ellis “Sincerely” Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa ($12-$15) – Of course we can’t have a list of summer wine without including one from the most famous wine region in S.A., and this is our most recent pick. More of a French twist than a New Zealand fruit cocktail, Sincerely manages to be the perfect mix of herbs and minerals, with enough fruit to balance it out.
- Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County, California ($11-$15) – What the heck is a Cali vineyard doing on this list? We couldn’t help ourselves after trying this out. Affordable and consistently good, this small vineyard is making a name for itself for its lush yet crisp Savs as well as its silky smooth Petite Sirah (more on that in a later posting!)