Sauvignon Blanc - Wine of the Week

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Apr 13th 2010 @ 4:00PM

Sauvignon Blanc is one of those white-wine grapes that folks either love or hate. It's not far off from other gourmet liquids that include Sumatra coffee or Guinness beer in that the flavor profile is bold and aggressive. Yet in the case of Sauvignon Blanc, the wine is also acidic and bright.

Find our seven favorites after the jump. When pairing with food, splurge on oysters or mussels, a great complement to these wines, which are fermented in stainless steel. As far as cheese, select varieties like aged cheddar, muenster, goat cheese, aged Asiago or aged Parmesan. You want a cheese that is going to give equal weight to the wine for a powerful match.

Don't be tempted to age these in your cellar. These wines should ideally be drunk within six to nine months of their purchase.

2009 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($18)
We've been sipping this wine for the last five vintages and it's a consistent winner. Grassy with layers of gooseberries, passion fruit and pineapple, the wine is very balanced. The finish lingers in a way that is very unforgettable.

2009 Hanna Winery & Vineyards Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley ($19)
There's a nice mineral finish on this wine, and overall it's a zippy but clean palate with notes of guava, lemon and grass.

2008 Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley ($18)
Intense, undercurrents of lime and lemon notes drive this wine into further flavors of pink grapefruit and pineapple, with a very creamy composition.

2007 Philip Shaw No. 19 Sauvignon Blanc, Orange, Australia ($20)
Whether you love it or hate it, you know it's going to be a good Sauvignon Blanc if the smell makes you wrinkle your nose. A nice effervescence combined with passion fruit and gooseberry emerges mid-palate before wrapping up with an herbal finish and a kiss of grapefruit.

2008 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough ($20)
Gooseberries on the nose carry through to the palate on this fresh and crisp Sauvignon Blanc that's very true to the Marlborough style (in other words, zesty!). Notes of lively fruit include gooseberries and peach.

2009 Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough ($14)
Pleasant mineralities mingle with fantastic acidity to produce a surprisingly long and lean finish, with notes of Meyer lemons, key limes and gooseberry too.

2008 Tohu Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough ($15)
There are bright, fresh notes all over this wine, and the acidity is not overpowering. Tropical notes and an interesting, herbaceous nose stay true to the Marlborough style of Sauvignon Blanc but adds some uniqueness too.

Filed Under: Drinks, Features
Tags: marlborough, sauvignon blanc, white wine, wine

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-13-2010 @5:21PM vanessa said... Whitehaven is AMAZING. It's the one that turned me on to New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, which are so much better than American -- and even Austrailian -- ones. Cupcake is a wonderful, often more economical option. I was sorry to see Nobilo left off the list, but it's fab as well.
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4-17-2010 @10:43AM KiwiChickNC said... Vanessa, I agree with you completely. Kiwis make excellent whites and Nobilo is second to none so I too was suprised to see it left off.

Good choices Kristine Hansen...now go out and buy yourself a bottle of Nobilo, you'll love it.

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4-17-2010 @11:11AM Sayle said... I have always been a die hard wine devotee (a close study for many years) and red has been my area of love but a friend introduced me to whites (beginning with Sancerre and moving into Sav Blancs in recent years-I am NOT a Chard fan). New Zealand has the market down on Sav Blanc!!! For the price- point and the EASE of which one can drink these, they are beyond a solid buy and Nobilo was the first one I adored ( I have tried just about all of them) but I must admit, the BEST one right now on the market for the $ is OYSTER BAY. I am in NY and at about $10-$12 a bottle, you cannot beat it. If you have not tried it, definitely do. I cannot believe it was not included in this list.
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4-18-2010 @6:04PM spirit said... Hmmmmm, I'm a chardonnay girl
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4-17-2010 @1:51PM Hank said... My wife and I switched to Sauvignon Blanc about a decade ago when we tired of Chardonnay. There are some great American brands that are extremely inexpensive. I recommend the SB by Geyser Peak, Columbia Crest and Bogle. The biggest steal is Hogue Fume Blanc. You don't need to pay $15 or above for a really good Sauvignon Blanc. These are all $10 or less in our city.
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