Tasting Review- Sauvignon Blanc

"Wine is one of the most civilised things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing."- Ernest Hemingway 

As the saying goes, wine is the most fantastic and ever evolving thing on earth which has the power to awe and amaze us with their evolution in flavour and also educate us in terms of the process of caring to crafting that excellent bottle of wine!

So this is actually my first entry on the wine section. After having the glorious opportunity to try out some wines from different regions of the wine producing world, it would be fantastic to just share with you a sneak peek at my world and the wines that I find amazing and must share about. 

All wines aren't bad wine and it all has the opportunity to complete the dining experience you are looking for! 

For this entry, I am going to share with you a grape variety which has all been on everyone's mind and taste; Sauvignon Blanc!

 This grape is actually a white grape which results in producing a white wine. The amazing part is that this grape variety do have exist in a range of style from dry to botrytised sweet. 

(Credit:New Zealand Wine map by WineFolly)

Let's get down with a little history about this grape shall we? 

Sauvignon Blanc is actually originated from the wine producing region of France.

It is everywhere but mainly you can find this grape in the region of Bordeaux  ( Entre du Mers, Graves ) and Loire Valley (Sancerre, Pouilly- Fume, Menetou-Salon, Touraine). You can find it also in New Zealand (famous region: Marlborough) or even Australia (Adelaide Hills).

This grape is widely planted around the world and it always will surprise you as it differs in taste from the region it is planted from..
The characteristics of this wine is basically an aromatic white grape which is widely known as the refreshing, lively and fruity wines overall..
 This is basically a crowd pleaser for those beginners into wine appreciation as it is relatively easier to accept. Mostly the newbies will start with the Sauvignon Blanc produced from New Zealand as it has more of an assertive style which exudes a peachy, blueberries,  lemon and lime aroma, green or grassy notes either from asparagus or the herbs (thyme) accompanied by mouthwatering acidity that just makes you salivate whereas the seasoned wine drinker would sort after something of an acquired taste depending on your tastebuds but they will still go for something more subtle and exudes elegance with a rather minerally taste which derives from the soil or the surrounding influences.

It is a delight to taste the Sauvignon Blanc from the other regions as it will taste differently and express itself differently from the soil and the location that the vineyards was situated.. Usually you will find something about this grape in common in terms of the wine it produces and that would be it exhibits a dry and medium plus mouth watering acidity that makes it a food friendly wine. 

I'm sure you must be wondering why I would say that when the Sauvignon Blanc that you encounter in your local wine shop would be a very fruity, lively and pungent white wine with that medium acidity that makes you want to eat a plate of oysters or even have it as an aperitif!
There is an actual difference between the soil and whether the vineyards are planted either facing the ocean or the river that streaming along the region or even whether it's a south or north facing slope and even the climate that the vineyards is on whether they are cool, maritime (ocean facing) or even mediterranean climate.
There are alot of factors to consider and that also includes the wine making approach that is taken by the winemaker itself to express their preferred style of how that particular Sauvignon Blanc should be!

Enough of all those wine geeky knowledge and let's get down to the main business which is the wine drinking part!

The 1st wine that I would like to introduce hails from the land of the Lord Of The Rings; Jules Taylor Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2017
This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was planted in different plots of the Marlborough region. The brainchild behind this amazing adventure is the husband & wife team; Jules & George. It is a passion project of Jules which has studied the art of winemaking in Lincoln University and blossom it's experiences and craft in the scenic country of Italy especially in Piedmont & Sicily where it helped her in shaping her winemaking style..

Jules Taylor was established in the year of 2001 and with its constant hardwork and determination, it has turned from a small family owned winery to an internationally recognised full fledged New Zealand winery that is well known for it's Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay.
Their vineyards are located in the 3 sub regions of Marlborough that are Southern Valleys, Lower Wairau & Awatere Valley..
All of this 3 sub regions brings out slight differences in terms of wine characteristics, micro and meso climate and the terroir of the sub regions.

Let's get to the tasting notes:
Appearance:
It has a very pale & bright lemon colour with a tinge of gold on the outer rim and there isn't any sediment or gas in the wine.

Aroma:
It has an aromatic burst of tropical fruit notes like ripe and sweet pineapple and mangoes with a touch of kaffir lime leaves, juicy lemons, canned tomatoes, tomato stalk and ending with an aromatic and subtle herbaceous notes..

Palate:
This is a very dry wine incomparison to your normal juicy, fruity and light Sauvignon Blanc..
 It has a very medium high acidity that whets your appetite and it has a prominent note of limestone and seashell on the palate with very juicy lime and lemon notes, passionfruit, gooseberry and pineapple! There were hints of fresh seaweed and also asparagus
The finish is quite long and the salinity lingers quite long after the wine has passed out from your palate..

Food Pairing:
Oyster with lemon wedges
Oven baked grouper  with a side of asparagus
Seafood
Chinese food

The 2nd wine is  Errazuriz Max Reserva Sauvignon Blanc which is from Aconcagua Valley, Chile.. This is a relatively new wine region which is located next to Argentina and facing the pacific ocean which brought a cool sea breeze during night time and also there is a phenomenon called the Humboldt current that is from the southern end of the ocean that also contributes to the grape growing and flavour development as it helps to cool those dry and dessert temperatures.. 

This wine is made with 100% from Sauvignon Blanc 

Tasting note:
Appearance:
Deep and bright yellow colour with a greenish hue

Aroma:
Pungent herbacous or green notes like green capsicum, rosemarry, dill, thai basil, tomato leaves and green stalk together with a refreshing notes of lemon, grapefruit and lime, asparagus and the background of it was filled with that briny and seabreeze aroma and also white flower aromas like jasmine flowers.

Palate:
On the palate, the wine has a very prominent taste of salinity, limestone but once you are passed that you will get a burst of fresh, juicy and ripe notes of lemon, lime and also grapefruit! There were also some chinese herbal notes present in the middle of the palate..
 This wine has a medium body to it, a very dry sensation which means that it has less than 6grams or none content of sugar, a very high acidity which coats your tongue with an everlasting sensation of salinity and limestone.. It also has a slight hint of sour cream note and some creamy sensation along the way of tasting it but the green vegetable elements like asparagus, green peppers, celery is really evident throughout the entire palate.. It has a very long finish accompanied by salinity and also the green vegetable notes which lingers for long even after the wine is gone..

Food Pairing:
In my opinion, this wine is great wine with food that has a rich sauce or a heavier texture meat as it is really versatile with creamy and fatty fish or Oyster that comes from a slightly briney waters..

The 3rd wine I tried is the Dandelion Vineyards The Wishing Clock Sauvignon Blanc.. 

This mysterious white wine hails from the land down under and in specific the wine region of South Australia.. This region has always been famous for it's robust, peppery and medium to full bodied Shiraz made from the Barossa Valley.. 

This wine region is located just north of the Barossa & Eden Valley region and it is actually the coolest region in South Australia.. The Adelaide Hills is gradually being well recognized for their cool climate and their versatility to produce some of the award wining wines from those cool climate grape varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay & Pinot Noir.. 

This little region here is also the hub for wine makers or wineries that are looking forward with the Biodynamic and organic viticulture and vinification!

Let's get to know more about this wine shall we!
The grapes are all hand harvested and retain the whole bunch which was all done in the wee hours of the morning and the grape must (juice) is then fermented into the stainless steel tanks with a controlled temperature range of 12-14 degree Celsius that serves a function to preserve those lovely juicy white fruit aroma and also the refreshing acidity!

Tasting Notes:
Appearance:
It has a very bright, pale with a tinge of golden straw.. There is no gas and sediment in the wine

Aroma:
The wine has a very pungent aroma of white stone fruits such as peach, apricot with a hint of green pears, citrus fruit, grapefruit and gooseberry

Palate:
It is bursting with ripe and juicy notes of lemon, lime, peaches, grapefruit, apricot and pear!
 There were hints of salinity to it and seabreeze and chalky notes to it..
 There is also some hints of green notes like asparagus, mint, dill.
The acidity was medium high which is great for an aperitif.. It has a long finish with a very nice touch of the minerality towards the end!

Food Pairing:
This wine is great with Asian food or even as an aperitif to your dinner!

Sauvignon Blanc made from the new world (New Zealand and Australia) are usually made to be enjoyed instantly! Just crack open the bottle up and enjoy with that seafood platter! 

Wine tasting is a rather subjective part which do evoke an argument amongst professional and wine lovers but most important part is to enjoy and keep an open mind and you might just snap yourself with a hidden gem!