Posts Tagged ‘grapefruit flavors’
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: New Zealand
Cost: $9.99
Light and juicy with just enough grapefruit flavor to let you know it’s a Sauvignon Blanc wthout overwhelming you with citrus flavors. Great for seafood, sushi, appetizers, or on the patio.
Recommendations: While Terra Andina Sauvignon Blanc has take its place in my heart as my go-to summer deck wine, Ponga is certainly giving it a run for the its money. Light and crisp with just enough citrus to be refreshing without beating you over the head with it, this white from New Zealand was the perfect compliment to a lunch of cheese, crackers, hummus, and home made bruschetta that my wife and I enjoyed this past weekend. That being said, I would definitly recommend pairing the Ponga with a piece of spicy tilapia or even some sushi.
If you’re in the market for a deck wine and don’t want to spend a lot of money on it, the Ponga Sauvignon Blanc is a great value with a great taste. Half the fun of drinking it is just saying the name, but you’ll get a lot of enjoyment drinking this on the deck as the temperature continues to climb. Grab this one.
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: France
Cost: $13.99
Pale straw coloring and a nose of citrus that is matched only by the flavors. Heavy flavors of lime with a crisp finish.
Recommendation: I had picked this bottle at a local wine shop as it was their “wine of the week” and I’m alwasy in the market for a good Sauvignon Blanc. My wife and I paired this wine with a dinner of grilled chicken over salad, and it’s a good thing that the wine was as light and citrusy as it was, because I may have over-seasoned the chicken.
The aromas and flavors of lime were almost overpowering at first, and caught me off guard at first as I was expecting more grapefruit. I’m not sure if the heavy flavors of lime are indicative of Sauvignon Blanc from France or just this particular vineyard, but it was certainly unexpected, but still very good. The crisp finish of the wine was refreshing, as I’ve come to expect from Sauvignon Blanc, and was the perfect compliment to my (over) seasoned chicken and salad dinner.
If you prefer grapefruit flavors in your Sauvignon Blanc, this won’t be what you’re looking for, but if you’re looking for a crisp white wine with lots of citrus, this is a great buy and I would recommend it.
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
