My favorite wine geek sent this email today, just thought I'd share. Robin Garr is no Parker but he leads one of the most knowledgeable wine discussion groups on the net.
"SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY
It's hard to believe that it has been a full generation since Cloudy Bay
first burst on the wine world's consciousness in 1985. As recently as
the middle '80s, New Zealand was almost unknown as a wine region, and
the Sauvignon Blanc grape wasn't much more of a contender, a variety so
widely dismissed as lackluster that Robert Mondavi had re-named it "Fumé
Blanc" in hope of fooling people into thinking it something else
entirely.
Within a few years, Cloudy Bay's once-unique Marlborough style -
grapefruit and green peppers and gooseberries and more than a hint of
spraying tomcats - had attracted a cheering horde of fanciers. In Great
Britain and the U.S., each new vintage flew off the shelves almost as
soon as it arrived, and its retail price, in dollars or pounds sterling,
quickly rose through the teens into the 20s. Recent sightings have even
reported it over $30 in some particularly rapacious U.S. markets.
And of course, as most hot new products do, it soon spawned a school of
imitators. Some wine "geeks" were dubious - particularly those with
taste buds weaned on Euro-style wines who preferred the relatively
austere and food-friendly acidic character of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé
from the Loire or the rich but terroir-driven Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon
white blends from Bordeaux. But the big-name critics raved about the
fruit-forward, bold and bright New Zealand, and producers responded.
Once-sleepy Marlborough was soon carpeted with vineyards, most of them
turning out Cloudy Bay taste-alikes.
The marketplace being what it is, it will come as no surprise that the
phenomenon soon leaped national boundaries. In judging wine competition,
I've tasted Sauvignon Blancs from Northern Italy, Croatia and Slovenia
that I could have sworn were Kiwi; even a few Sancerres lately -
particularly from overripe 2003 - have shown suspicious jalapeño and
catbox aromas. And now comes this clean, fresh and very New Zealand-like
entry from South Africa. Bottled under screw cap and priced to sell at
just over $10, it's a great buy if you like your Sauvignon Blanc in
Technicolor. But let the record reflect that it's yet another Mondovino
moment in the internationalization of wine.
________________________________________________________________________
DURBANVILLE HILLS 2005 DURBANVILLE SAUVIGNON BLANC ($11.99)
This is a transparent and very pale straw color wine from South Africa,
bottled under screw cap. Its vivid aromas of white fruit and exuberant
green chile peppers may be made in conscious emulation of the New
Zealand Cloudy Bay style; flavors are consistent with the nose,
herbaceous and fresh, tart acidity provides a spine beneath a mouth-
coating texture; crisp citric flavors of lemon-lime and grapefruit
linger in a long finish. U.S. importer: Brown-Forman Beverages
Worldwide, Louisville. (April 19, 2006)
FOOD MATCH: Depending on whether your perspective is that of a pessimist
or an optimist, Sauvignon Blanc in this bold, forward style either goes
well with lots of dishes or doesn't go ideally with much of anything. I
like it with similarly bold dishes, chicken or seafood or vegetarian
dinners with attention-getting (not fiery) Asian or Mediterranean
flavors. It worked well with earthy garbanzo pancakes (see the April 20,
2006 Wine Advisor FoodLetter) garnished with goat cheese and prosciutto.
VALUE: It's under half the price of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc and on
the low end for New World Sauvignon Blanc in general; no complaints if
you like this style.
WHEN TO DRINK: The Techicolor aspect may fade into something more subtle
with a few years of cellar time, but much like jammy, exuberant
Zinfandels, aging may sacrifice the bold character that many consider
its primary attraction.
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE:
Sauvignon Blanc = "So-veen-yawn BlahN"
WEB LINK:
Here's a good fact sheet on Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc from
Wine.co.za, a South Africa wine portal:
wine.co.za
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Look up prices and find vendors for Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc on
Wine-Searcher.com:
wine-searcher.com;
The group is called the WLDG (wine lovers discussion group) and it has been around forever. I've been registered for over 10 years now. Money Penny |
