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TN: A cavalcade of Sauvignon Blancs

So what wine did we open to celebrate the birth of our son? Nothing too precious since Jean must still severely limit her alcohol intake, so we ended up with the 2003 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. I have never been a big fan of this wine from a QPR perspective, finding previous vintages less interesting than some lower priced competitors. However:

nose: a powerful mix of grapefruit and tropical fruits palate: big, rich fruit, lots of grapefruit and something more, slight herbal notes and a long finish

Without question, the most impressive Cloudy Bay that I've had, and a great way to celebrate an important occasion. I would put it on a par with the similarly priced Palliser Estate, a perennial favorite.

Several days later, we opened two bottles with dinner. One was the '03 Matua Valley SB, a current QPR favorite at our house. With it, I also opened a wine that I'd tasted earlier that day at a local retailer's.

2004 Verramonte Sauvignon Blanc nose: grassy, stones and tropical fruit palate: light-to-medium body, crisp acidity, flavors of pineapple and grassy herbaceousness

For $8.99, a delightful wine and tasted blind I would've guessed New Zealand, not Chile. This wine easily outclassed the Matua Valley. Look out Kiwis! There may be competition on the horizon.

Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton
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Well Mark, you have answered the big question that this NG posed - what wine would you toast the birt. Congrats. again. The CB has always been a favorite of mine, and most of my guests. While I have NOT tried the Palliser Estate, I definitely will, solely on your rec.

Chile, hm-m-m. I had tried their Casa Blanca Valley Chard, and it was the best Chilean of any varietal that I have had. That said, it was so far down the list of Chards, that I never went back. I've done the Reserve tastings on Merlot, and Cab, but also have been left wanting. Too much better wine, IMHO, that was in about the same price range. Now, you have tossed out another Chilean, and I will try it, as well. So many others sing the praises of the Chilean wines, white and red, but I just can't find enough to like. Maybe this is the ONE.

Thanks for the update and, at the very least, you've sold two wines, that I have yet to taste.

Appreciated, Hunt

Reply to
Hunt

Mark, what closures did the NZ SB's have? I had heard that the switch to screw cap was more or less universal in NZ now, indeed I have just bought my first 2004 case (Matua) with screw caps. In 2002 Palliser used both, and IMO the screw cap was by far a superior wine. The same year's Nobilo and Cloudy Bay retained their corks (and, it must be said, were none the worse for that IMO), so what is everyone doing now? I'm not convinced that Chilean SB is a rival to the best of the genuine homegrown "Kiwi Style", but the Vina Tarapaca for one is an excellent wine in its own right.

Regards,

Ian

Reply to
Ian Hayward

Erk! Hunt, not knowing your tastes I'd be careful in reading too much into my recommendation. CB is a far more restrained and elegant wine than the Palliser, which one critic has described as "Marlborough SB in drag" and is flamboyantly fruity. However, you may find that your tastes run parallel to mine, in which case knock yourself out.

Well, Chile has come a long way since my first taste of Concha y Toro and Cousino-Macul. Montes Alpha is a current favorite of mine, and Lapostolle is making some decent wine, too. Still, you won't find much Chilean wine in my cellar...yet.

Keep in mind that the Verramonte was competing with other SBs at a low price point. Tasted side by side with the CB, it would taste thin and diluted.

Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

The CB was cork-finished, the Matua under Stelvin. My understanding is that some of the wines are bottled under cork specifically for the export market.

Certainly, put up against Palliser, Villa Maria or CB, this wine will be outclassed -- but it sells for less than half their prices.

Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

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