Welcome to the second in our quick refresher series on Wine 101! We led off with Riesling, and now are carrying on with Sauvignon Blanc!
Quick Facts on Sauvignon Blanc:
When at it’s best, Sauvignon Blanc is a wild, daring varietal that dazzles with acidity, and punches above it’s weight with massive gooseberry, citrus, and refined green herbaceous notes.
Color: White
Style: Dry
Body: Light to Medium
General Characteristics: High Acidity, Slightly Herbal, Green, Gooseberry, Citrus
Notable Regions: California, New Zealand, Liore Valley (France), Chile
Last Year’s Recommendation: Starborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2015
For those of you who’ve been with First Pour Wine since the beginning, you may recall that Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc was one of the first wines we ever reviewed. However, it was also one of the better Sauvignon Blancs on the site. Given that, and that we’re doing a revisit of Wine 101, it seemed worth while to give Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc another shot!
Sight: A light yellow with a hint of green or turquoise with watery edges.
Smell: Bright, floral, and happy, it’s loaded with grapefruit, gooseberry, and limes from the beginning. There are touches of flowers, honeydew melon, and jasmine. There’s so much green tropical fruit in the nose (starfruit, papaya, etc), it’s like a fruit salad.
Sip: Light and lively, it’s an electric current of acidity that makes it a zinger on the palate. Gooseberry, lime, starfruit, and grapefruit all come together in a ripe mix of fruit and green notes. The texture is smooth and well balanced.
Savor: The ending has lime pith and grapefruit working in hard money with a little bit of slate and saline. The finish is clean and refreshing.
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a stand out player the field of Sauvignon Blanc. While it’s bright, it also has wonderfully smooth texture, and a huge field of flavors to play with. As an example of what the varietal is capable of, Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a fantastic starting point.
Verdict: Gooseberry, Tropical Fruit, Lime, Starfruit, Bright
Rating: 92
Price: $9
Marlborough, New Zealand
Available At:
