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Tag Archives: new zealand

Mr Glover Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand

18 Monday Jan 2021

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$13, 5 stars, 89 points, marlborough, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc


When I cook spicy Asian foods I am looking for crisp, fruity wines to offset the heat and allow the flavors to shine through. Typically Riesling is a good choice but I am leaning on Sauvignon Blanc now as I find it more versatile with the myriad of spices that are used in Korean, Indian and Thai cuisine. This particular Kiwi version is a very pale gold in the glass. The nose is very interesting- cut grass, lemon peel, apricot and kumquat. The palate is delicious with tropical fruits galore and a medium jolt of acidity. I’m still getting kumquats, but now I also taste star fruit and pineapple. The mid palate had a nice cut to it and the finish is decent in length with the tropical fruit theme continuing. This is a delicious wine folks and at 12.5% alcohol, it’s easy to drink. The structure makes for an easy drop without being too acidic yet it has a decent bite, important for spicy dishes. I think I picked right for this pairing but I would also put it up against a hearty charcuterie board, grilled Garlic Prawns, Salmon on the grill- you get the idea. At $13 this is a buy-by-the case wine that gets 89 points and 5 stars from me. Drink till 2024. Salut….

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Small and Small Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand

08 Tuesday Dec 2020

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$21, 4 stars, 89 points, marlborough, Naked Wines, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc


Very, very pale gold in the glass. Grapefruit and cat pee on the nose with some cut grass.  The palate gives me lime zest, green apple and vibrant acidity. It’s very refreshing and light.  The mid palate is very bright with citrus and more apple.  The finish gets back to the cut grass motif with really juicy acidity stemming from the lemon and lime notes.  I picked this wine to pair with Spanikopita- it’s a treat.  Drink till 2023.  89 points from me. 12.5% alcohol makes it a great quaffer, especially on a hot summers eve.  Delicious and decent value at $21. 4 stars. Salut….

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Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough, New Zealand

27 Friday Nov 2020

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$11, 4 stars, 89 points, marlborough, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc


Our second Sav Blanc of Thanksgiving was another Kiwi wine. Pale yellow in the glass with a somewhat muted nose of tangerine and pomelo.  On the palate it is refreshing with that orange citrus flavor along with grated ginger and capsicum.  There is a hint of wood accent on the mid palate and a touch of acidity.  It’s a fuller mouthfeel but is a bit shallower on the flavor profiles. 89 points and 4 stars for this $11 quaffer to drink till 2022. Salut….

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Barker’s Marque ‘Three Brooms’ Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough, New Zealand

27 Friday Nov 2020

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$15, 5 stars, 91 points, marlborough, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc


Light yellow in the glass. Pineapple, apricot and lemon on the nose. The palate is semi sweet with lemon zest, green apple, cut grass and a touch of honeysuckle. Delicious with mid grade acidity that balances the sweetness perfectly.  A hint of effervescence was noted by some but I’m getting a touch of green pepper instead.  It’s a really delicious white wine that has finally gotten a thumbs up from my buddy Dusty.  He is a red drinker but this one broke through for him. 91 points and 5 stars for this $15 wine. Drink till 2024. Salut….

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Rod Easthope Level 185 Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

21 Wednesday Oct 2020

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$15, 5 stars, 91 points, Hawkes Bay, Naked Wines, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc


This Kiwi treat is pale gold in the glass and has notes of lemons, watermelon, cut grass and blood orange on the nose. The palate is deelish. Yellow apple, lemon curd, melon and a nice thrust of acidity. The mid palate is very smooth and lean with nice citrus notes that pass on to the long finish. I like the acidity in this wine, it’s present but not too cutting. The mouthfeel is very refreshing and clean. Lemons and blood orange finish it up after 30 + seconds. Really enjoyable wine that I am pairing with Jerk Chicken and Jamaican veg curry. 91 points and 5 stars for this $15 wine. Salut….

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Cameron Hughes Lot 680 Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Marlborough, New Zealand

28 Sunday Jun 2020

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$14, 5 stars, 90 points, marlborough, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc


This wine kicked off our 4th Virtual Wine Tasting.   As in the past, I had all the attendees reserve half the bottle at room temperature and the other half chilled.  My brief notes include a very nice shade of light gold in the glass.  The nose was very floral and included grapefruit, citrus, green apple and pear.  The palate was very much in line with the nose and had a modicum of tangy acidity, citrus and floral notes with a decent length finish.  The room temperature version offered a much fuller nose, more emphasis on the flowers while the chilled version focused on the citrus and acidic components.  Both were delicious but I preferred the cold version whilst scoring the room temp slightly higher using my own 20 point scale.  Interestingly, the nose of this wine did not exhibit the telltale cat pee aromas that I usually note in Kiwi Sav-Blancs.  I don’t necessarily miss it, but I was hoping to showcase it as a prominent feature of the varietal from this region.  The wine did display some nice minerality that is reminiscent of a French Sancerre.  I am going with 90 points and 5 stars for this $14 deal.  Try and stock up for the hot summer and pair it with steamed shrimp, grilled fish or chicken breast and salad.  Drink till 2024.  Salut….

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Loveblock Pinot Noir 2018, Central Otago, New Zealand

26 Sunday Apr 2020

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$29, 3 stars, 90 points, central otago, new zealand, pinot noir, VWTC


This was the opener at my first virtual Wine tasting.  It was pretty full bodied and New World in it’s fruit forward approach.  Delicious but somewhat atypical for the varietal.  Very meaty and gamey with some interesting minerality.  I went with 90 points.  3 stars for this $29 Pinot Noir.  Salut….

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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 14 Doctor’s Creek Pinot Noir 2017, Marlborough, New Zealand

21 Thursday Mar 2019

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$19, 5 stars, 90 points, marlborough, new zealand, pinot noir


Quite dark but lacking much opacity in the glass.  On the nose it reeks of New World Pinot goodness.  Cherry cobbler, vanilla and strawberry coulis all hit me on the nose.  The palate has a gorgeous initial streak of bing cherry, blueberry (yup), cedar and spice box.  There is a fruitcake note on the midpalate that tempers some acidity.  The wine finishes with a slightly green note- capsicum comes to mind, but it’s quite nice.  The vegetal twist alongside the red fruit works well here.  There is an underlying astringency from the very feint tannins.  This is a delicious wine for immediate consumption or a few years in the cellar. 90 points and 5 stars for this $19 effort.  Pair with roast chicken, grilled salmon or Veal chops.  You can read my previous reviews of the Saint Clair lineup to see I am a huge fan, for good reason.  Salut….

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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 14 Doctor’s Creek Pinot Noir 2016, Marlborough, New Zealand

17 Friday Aug 2018

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$20, 5 stars, 91 points, marlborough, new zealand, pinot noir


A couple of us met up and had a tasting of several nice wines.  We started with this Pinot Noir, building our way up to the Bordeaux by way of some Portuguese, South African and Spanish bottles.  Read on for the highlights!

Gorgeous purple- see through but clear.  The nose is heavy on the strawberry.  Nutmeg is present, spice box and vanilla bean round it out.  On the palate it is lush, light and layered.  Strawberry coulis mixed with cedar plank and cherry abound.  The mid palate exhibits a darker fruit component and more spices that I found on the nose.  The wine has a very nice acidity and the very lithe tannins only show up at the finale.  An excellent bottle that drinks beautifully now and will go on for another 5/7 years.  91 points for this Pinot and 5 stars.  It is a perennial favorite of mine and is consistent, year in and year out.  $20.  Salut….

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Stone Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Marlborough, New Zealand

28 Monday Aug 2017

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$13, 5 stars, 90 points, marlborough, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc


Very pale greenish yellow in the glass.  The nose is delicious- passion fruit and mango.  The initial palate reveals a cleat slate on which I get citrus, mainly grapefruit, with some pear.  The passion fruit comes around again on the mid palate which is absolutely intriguing me.  It brings along some nice acidity and freshness.  The tartness begins halfway through and builds into the finish, where it leaves me with a nice fresh mouthfeel and some lingering tartness on the gums.  This wine is really interesting, from a flavor profile to the way it morphs on the palate.  I pulled it from the fridge as Moxie is making Stir Fried Shrimp and something else, I figured a Sauvignon Blanc would pair well.  I was right.  This wine gets 90 points from me and for the $13 I paid, a sure thing 5 star effort.  Drink now and for the next two years.  Salut….

 

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