Welcome to the second in a series of back to wine basics posts to help put you on the path to wine success!  While riesling may be the style of wine most suited for crisp acidity, subtle sweetness, and stone fruits, sauvignon blanc is the greenest of wines.  Sauvignon blanc is crisp, and loaded with gooseberrries, deeply green flavors, and a touch of herbaceous / vegetal notes.  As sauvignon literally means wild, it isn’t surprising that the wine it produces are powerful, daring, and laced with acidic intensity and at times, a gamey note sometimes referred to as ‘cat pee’ (in a positive way).  While new world wines (California, New Zealand, etc) may seek to minimize the herbal characteristics of the wine, Sauvignon Blanc still has plenty of depth to work with to produce a great wine.

Quick Facts on Sauvignon Blanc:

Color: White
Style: Dry
Body:  Light to Medium
General Characteristics:  High Acidity, Slightly herbal,  Green
Notable Regions:  California, New Zealand, Liore Valley (France), Chile

In 2011 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc was an amazing Sauvignon Blanc for the price.  Can 2014 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc deliver on the promise of new world sauvignon blanc?  Or does is require a revisit of fruit forward crisp whites.  

Sight:  2014 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc pours a pale straw color, almost water like with only the subtlest tinges of gold

Smell:  True to form, it steps into grass and gooseberries immediately, bringing in notes of green papaya, bell pepper, lime, and a hint of jalapeno.

Sip:  On the palate, 2014 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc has a brightness that is overwhelming, and a bitterness jumps out flaring through a massive pile up of gooseberries and herbs.  Limes and bell peppers join in, but a touch more sweetness wouldn’t have hurt.  The body is light – medium.

Savor:  Finishing on a herbaceous note, it gradually leans away from ever green herb in the garden to make way for a pop of lime.

2014 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc is a prototypical Sauvignon Blanc, that is at best, heavy handed, and at worst over powering.  A slightly more balanced approach around some of the bitter lime and gooseberry elements would produce a more integrated sauvignon blanc.  While the grassy elements aren’t perfectly balanced, 2014 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc provides an ok representation of what the varietal should be.

Verdict:  Acidic, Bitter, Gooseberry, Herbal
Price: $9.99
Marlborough, New Zealand