This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the first this year to elicit a ‘Wow’ from me. It has that characteristic ‘New World’ taste to it – and would definitely appeal to lovers of ‘The Ned’ & Cloudy Bay (one of the winemakers used to work for Cloudy Bay). I guess that the fermentation took place at relatively low temperatures.  The winemakers employed the ‘reductive method’ (very New World) in which extra steps are taken to carry out the winemaking process in the (relative) absence of oxygen. It may sound far fetched (because air is everywhere), but by using stainless steel tanks and inert gases, a winemaker can greatly reduce the exposure a wine has to oxygen. The intent of reductive winemaking is to maximize the fresh fruit flavours in a wine.

Tasting notes: Distinctly New World. This is filled with intense flavours. At the risk of coming across as pretentious, the initial aroma was petrol/flint – which reminded me of a Zippo lighter. One of the flavours I got was nettle; I’m sure of this, even though I’ve never actually tasted nettle. Good acidity. An intriguing sauvignon with a long, complex finish.

Wine Colour – White
Price – £17.95
Where do I get it from? Berry Bros, The Wine Society, et al.
Current Vintage – 2017
Producer – Dog Point Vineyard
Grape – 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Region/Country – Marlborough/New Zealand
Points – 92

Food Pairing: This would go well with the usual white meats/seafood