Wine Review: Zeal, Sauvignon Blanc 2004
It's been a while since I've sampled a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Frankly, it's been too long. Kiwi Sauv Blanc - at least that which comes from the Marlborough region - is consistently one of the finest expressions of one of the finest white wine grapes in the world. So much so it almost becomes a fault - I grow restless from the predictability and eventually wander elsewhere for a sense of the unknown.
Well roads go both ways, and today I returned from my travels into the world of lesser known grapes to sample Zeal, Marlborough, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2004.
Let's start with the good:
It has a screwcap. That doesn't mean "cheap" anymore. It means no chance of corked wine. A point in its favor already before it's open in my book.
The wine is characteristically pale straw colored in the glass. The nose suggests green chili and gooseberry.
One sip reminds me why I like New Zealand Sauv Blanc so much. The tropical fruit pops from the start across all portions of the palate - gooseberry, guava, nectarine, maybe even a hint of papaya. It also exhibits the typical Kiwi brambly, grassy undertones. The finish is clean and crisp. Sharp acidity. A rewarding reminder that New Zealand's Marlborough region seems to have been destined like no other place on earth (though Sancerre may quibble about that) to grow Sauvignon Blanc.
And that gets to the downside. It's a tiny one, but deserves mention. There really is little to distinguish this wine from a dozen others from the same region at similar price points. I totally love the stuff, but this bottle sat on the shelf next to Monkey Bay, which is every bit as good and four dollars cheaper per bottle (I bought this for $14 retail incidentally). Is it being greedy to ask for a winemaker to create distinctive, original wines from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, rather than all of them churning out more of the same delicious nectar year after year?
Anyway, if you're already familiar with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, you already know what to expect from this wine and it does not disappoint. If you're not familiar feel free to make a bottle of this your initiation. You'll have to get a lot more jaded (like a certain occasional wine-blogger) to find flaw with this one.
Well roads go both ways, and today I returned from my travels into the world of lesser known grapes to sample Zeal, Marlborough, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2004.
Let's start with the good:
It has a screwcap. That doesn't mean "cheap" anymore. It means no chance of corked wine. A point in its favor already before it's open in my book.
The wine is characteristically pale straw colored in the glass. The nose suggests green chili and gooseberry.
One sip reminds me why I like New Zealand Sauv Blanc so much. The tropical fruit pops from the start across all portions of the palate - gooseberry, guava, nectarine, maybe even a hint of papaya. It also exhibits the typical Kiwi brambly, grassy undertones. The finish is clean and crisp. Sharp acidity. A rewarding reminder that New Zealand's Marlborough region seems to have been destined like no other place on earth (though Sancerre may quibble about that) to grow Sauvignon Blanc.
And that gets to the downside. It's a tiny one, but deserves mention. There really is little to distinguish this wine from a dozen others from the same region at similar price points. I totally love the stuff, but this bottle sat on the shelf next to Monkey Bay, which is every bit as good and four dollars cheaper per bottle (I bought this for $14 retail incidentally). Is it being greedy to ask for a winemaker to create distinctive, original wines from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, rather than all of them churning out more of the same delicious nectar year after year?
Anyway, if you're already familiar with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, you already know what to expect from this wine and it does not disappoint. If you're not familiar feel free to make a bottle of this your initiation. You'll have to get a lot more jaded (like a certain occasional wine-blogger) to find flaw with this one.
Posted by Doug Williams on
Wednesday November 9, 2005 at 5:51pm
