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Thelema Mountain Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2007

August 31, 2008 By Shea Leave a Comment

Now here is a brilliant South African Producer. This Sauv Blanc was fresh, very aromatic and filled with complex rocky and stony mineral flavours, powerful pomello rind, and a touch of grassyness. Bone dry and unoaked, what made this so special was the exceptional structure and very robust depth to the flavour profile. If you like Sauv Blanc at all this is a must try and definitely a best in class type of bottle. I can’t wait to try their Cabernet.

Excellent
$25 at Marquis (also available at other private stores)
Filed Under: $20-$30, Excellent, Sauvignon Blanc, South African Wine

Ojai Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc Westerly Vineyard 2006

June 22, 2008 By Shea Leave a Comment

Ojai, a well respected boutique winery in Central California, made its reputation off of its big boned and heady Syrah’s. I hope to do a bit more extensive of an Ojai tasting, including a Syrah, some time this summer, but this occasion called for a simple but tasty match to wondefully fresh Arctic Char. Sauv Blanc in California is all over the radar and it can be difficult to know when a wine will be a proper effort or some unoaked plonk to pan off on tourists who can’t afford the higher priced bottlings. Luckily, this was the former rather than the latter.

Good Sauv Blanc can have perhaps my favourite nose of any white wine. This delivers with a grassy, rich and round nose that opens into a palate of apple, butterscotch and rich minerals. The buttery yellow colour foretold the viscous texture and full mouthfeel. A very very good Sauvignon Blanc.

Excellent
$38 at Marquis
Filed Under: $30-$40, Californian Wine, Excellent, Sauvignon Blanc

Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc Te Muna Road Vineyard 2007

June 1, 2008 By Shea Leave a Comment

As much as New Zealand Sauv Blancs get slack from the average self-styled connoisseur these days, there are still many shining examples of superb Sauv Blanc coming from this oft-forgotten isle. Craggy Range has an excellent reputation, and this is the best NZ Sauv Blanc I’ve had since Cloudy Bay.

Rich and sumptuous, this grapefruit and orange laced liquid also boasted a big peach and peach pie nose that was simply beautiful. The acidity was quite low, but this just brought out more of the deliciousness of the orchard fruits. A fantastic creation.

Very Good+
$38 at BCLDB
Filed Under: $30-$40, New Zealand Wines, Sauvignon Blanc, Very Good

Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2006

February 24, 2008 By Shea 3 Comments

A while back I reviewed the Cloudy Bay Sauv Blanc, giving it an excellent rating and noting that the winemakers behind Cloudy Bay had started another project. Well, this is that project. Dog Point sports an interesting spikey logo on the simple label which connotes some of the spikey character of the wine. I picked this up on a trip to Toronto at the LCBO for $22 – a steal. For some reason it is $11 more here in Vancouver and I think I’d rather go for the Cloudy Bay for $2 more.

This good value gem is like eating a juicy grapefruit on a bed of fresh cut grass on a fresh spring day as your new kitten comes by and pees on your leg. If that description doesn’t get you hankering for a sip, what will! The wine has decent acidity but doesn’t need to be consumed with food. The texture is silky and yet has a tangy freshness that keeps the mouth awake. The clay-like flavours are subdued, and while the wine has a tinge of cheap sauv-blanc-ness to it, it rises above the regular with its structure, texture, and finish. Plus, the nose is just entrancing.

Very Good+
$22 at LCBO, $33 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars


Filed Under: $20-$30, New Zealand Wines, Sauvignon Blanc, Very Good

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2006

January 19, 2008 By Shea Leave a Comment

I am not one who is usually into whites. However, a good friend of mine was raised on white wine and never drank reds until I convinced him otherwise. Part of this process involved each of us bringing a bottle (or 2) of our favourite red/white and using it to convince the other to switch allegiences. I’m happy to say that while I wasn’t converted to whites, I gained a new appreciation for them, and this wine was one of the ones he brought over. I just had it again, and it lives up to the memory.

The wine is quite pale, even for a sauv blanc; however it still has a lot of character and body. The nose is powerful and pretty grapefruity. The palate is strong on the grapefruit/pomelo with a nice hint of passion fruit. The wine has a lovely buttery texture, but not like cheap crappy over-oaked chardonnay. I believe the original wine makers at Cloudy Bay have moved on to other projects, but I think their legacy is still quite good (although I’ve heard not as good as it used to be). Given how much I like this wine, I’m going to seek out their new premium winery project (Dog Head I think…). Anyhow, the wine has a nice finish and a firm yet not overbearing structure. Well worth it.

Excellent
$35 at BCLDB

Filed Under: $30-$40, Excellent, New Zealand Wines, Sauvignon Blanc
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