WINE .... with David Bray
It’s easy to get tired of sauvignon blanc. Goodness knows there’s more than enough of the stuff around in the cheaper racks of the bottleshops. But it is equally easy to love this ubiquitous variety, so let us take a quick look at some of the newest and most interesting to turn up on the shelves.
Sauvignon blanc came out of Bordeaux and is now to be found in many of the world’s wine regions, particularly the cooler ones, where at its best it is made into a crisp, dry, and refreshing wine, You will also find it in the wonderful dessert wines from Sauternes and Barsac.
The flavour can range from aggressively grassy, through passionfruit to sweetly tropical. It can be fresh, crisp and sometimes elegant. And sometimes a bit overpowering The one many of us first encountered as a quality product was (and still is) Cloudy Bay. I find it usually a bit much for most foods, but am told it is one of the few wines that goes well with sushi.
Anyway, here are some well worth the tasting:
Saint & Sinner Calling Card Adelaide Hills Savvy Blanc 2010 (pictured above) attracts attention with its label as well as its name and is a seriously good wine. It is one of a range that is sold as being “sexy, fun and fashionable”.
Nothing wrong with any of that, though I have read a thoughtful comment along the lines of “not sure if this kind of marketing has a broad appeal but we were drawn to the fresh take on wine labelling and colourful packaging”. We will come back to the rest of the range another day. Anyway, this is fresh, soft, and well-balanced with a light, dry, crisp finish. Reckon I should let the makers/marketers have their say on this one: “Eat, who needs to eat. I’m good anywhere, any time. . . .a real crowd pleaser, but how about some finger food or tapas.” Around $26.
Verdun Park Lyla Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is probably my present favourite version of this wine from either side of the Tasman – fresh, plenty of zingy flavours, notably citrus. Lovely. Verdun Park Wines is a small Adelaide Hills producer. This is the Voumard family’s second release, named for “a true lady of her time whose personality and characteristics are reflected in this refined, crisp, fragrant and character-filled (wine)’. Recommended with Asian and Indian food. $20.
Kingston Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is a blend of fruit from Adelaide Hills and Mount Benson. Mount Benson is a small but growing region on the Western edge of the Limestone Coast, pretty close to Coonawarra and its trademark terra rossa soils. Bill Moularadellis set up Kingston Estate in 1985. He says: “We’re confident that the quality of our wines has taken a step forward over the past years... We are sourcing grapes from a range of fantastic vineyards with the objective of creating wines with complementary flavours, balance and appeal.’’ This one shows the expected classic green herbaceous characters and passionfruit flavours. Fresh, soft and drinkable it should go nicely with fresh seafood, chicken and light Asian dishes. $13.99
Step Road Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is yet another good one from the Hills. The Step Rd winery, in the Langhorne Creek region, was established the winery in 1985 and uses modern winemaking technology and environmentally sustainable practices to produce quality wines “reflecting the essence of their regions’’ in two fine brands, Step Rd and Beresford. This is a single vineyard wine, complex with passionfruit and tropical flavours and elegant finish. $21.90.
Tinja Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is from grapes grown on the slopes of Orange’s Mount Canobolas, 1000 metres up, One quarter was barrel fermented with wild yeast and left on its lees for some months. It is the work of one of this country’s great winemakers, David Lowe, since 1987 at Mudgee. He says he was looking for “further complexity and texture which is what our customers are now looking for in this style”. Delicious, refreshing and low in alcohol at 9.8 per cent. $20.
