How a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc brought me back to New Zealand Wines

There was a time I was on a three year Chardonnay kick for all my white wines. Then, I became  tired of Chards and found Sauvignon Blancs.

After that, I found New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs and thought I had found wine heaven.

These wines were terrific…real wakeup wines. Bracing, good clean acidity and lots of fruit. I thought Kim Crawford was just wonderful and would have put her on my buddies list, had there been one back then.

In time though, as with Chardonnay, my tastes started to wander and I moved away from Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand to some other non-Chardonnay whites.  While I’m back to Chardonnays again, I did not return to my love of New Zealand white wines.

So, imagine my surprise when I picked up a Brancott Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from Marborough, New Zealand!

I was ashamed of myself for abandoning New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.

Make no mistake; it was Sauvignon Blanc and it was definitely from New Zealand.  You can’t mistake that grassy, citrusy nose; that bracing acidity and that clean crispness of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Oh, but this one went further than I remember most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs going. It had a full, almost silky, mouthfeel.

I suppose I was tasting the difference between a “regular” Sauvignon Blanc and a reserve Sauvignon Blanc. The wine showed more depth, especially on the finish which was long, lingering and pleasant. What was missing was some of the harshness that I had found in some of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines I had tasted previously.

So, I’m back to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

 I’ll be looking for a reserve and I’ll especially be looking for the Brancott Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from Marborough. With a Wine Spectator Rating of 92 from their April ‘09 issue and a price of $18.00 a bottle, this New Zealand wine is well worth it and real pleasure!