Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc

 

Varietal:  Sauvignon Blanc
Region:  California – USA
Cost:  $8.99

Very pale coloring is almost misleading due to the big nose and very aggressive flavors of this Sauvignon Blanc from California.  Grapefruit is most prominent, but hints of other citrus fruit like lime are also present on the palate.  Crisp finish that is the hallmark of this varietal and citrus flavors mean it will pair well with boldly flavored foods or by itself.

Recommendation:   If you’ve read any of my reviews before, you know how I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Mirassou wines before.  I love their pinot noir, but was less than impressed with their chardonnay offering.  It was because of this that I was a bit apprehensive when purchasing the sauvignon blanc.  Was I going to like it?  Was it going to be like the chardonnay?  The answer is somewhere inbetween.

The first thing I noticed after pouring myself a glass was the big nose of the wine.  While I usually expect a crisp, citrusy nose from a Sauvignon Blanc, this one was harsh, and almost rough.  The wine itself had a very heavy grapefruit flavor, with hints of other citrus fruit.  The crisp finish was a nice pairing with the spicy meal that my wife and I drank the wine with, and probably saved the wine for me.

While this certainly isn’t my favorite Sauvignon Blanc, and it’s not even my favorite Mirassou wine, the Sauvignon Blanc from Mirassou was at least a step up from their Chardonnay.  If you’re really in the market for an inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc you can do worse, but you can also do a lot better, as South American produces numerous Sauvignon Blanc’s that are of better quality and equal pricing.  An upgrade over the Chardonnay, but not one I plan to purchase again.

Purchase Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc here