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The Wine Wizard |
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Hi all: The 2007 New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are popping up faster than you can produce transgenic mice. I have had the chance to try almost a dozen in recent weeks, and I have yet to find one I would not happily drink. And, except for Cloudy Bay, they are still significantly better bargains than most other decent wines these days at $10-15, some even less than $10. So, how to decide on which of the many to try? I think the biggest differentiator among NZ SB’s is their acidity, and suggest that you base your selection on your own acid level preference. I say this because irrespective of acidity, almost all that I have tasted have excellent fruit flavors and are clean and attractive. The flavors are primarily grassy, herbal gooseberry in character with added layers of citric and/or tropical fruit to varying degrees. So here goes: High acidity NZ SB’s: 2007 Kim Crawford, Marlborough, $13. Has a definite citric edge (high acid) but very clean and crisp with nice fruit intensity and excellent length. 2007 Huia, Marlborough, $15. Same wording applies. Flavor differences from the above are there but too subtle for me to find words for. Medium Acidity NZ SB’s: 2007 Oyster Bay, Marlborough, $12. I really like this one for its richness and viscosity coupled with classic grassy, gooseberry fruit and medium level acidity. 2007 Babich, Marlborough, $10. Much the same as Oyster Bay, but a touch of interesting sage and lemon lends complexity. Again, richness comes across in part because the acidity is not too high. 2007 Matua Valley “Paretai”, Marlborough, $17. No reason to cost 50% more than the above. Same descriptors as Oyster Bay, just as enjoyable until the price is revealed. Let me also mention a current release 2006 NZ SB: 2006 Whitehaven, Marlborough, $11. Another classic, clean, medium acidity example with excellent gooseberry fruit, and good length. SB’s usually are best drunk young. While right now this 2006 tastes as young as the 2007’s above, I would not keep it too long. In contrast, the 2007 Cloudy Bay ($22) was disappointingly simple, lemony - and that was in a blind tasting so that this was not just a reaction to unmet expectations. Recall that it was Cloudy Bay SB that introduced the world to New Zealand as a wine region. In sum, for my palate and wallet, Oyster Bay and Babich will be my targets this year until additional NZ SB’s (and there are many more I have not yet seen) displace them. Here are some recent red wine releases: 2005 Tobin James “Rock and Roll” Paso Robles Syrah, $14. Great fruit on the nose and palate – rich plum and dark cherry. Excellent mouthfeel, medium bodied and soft but noticeable tannin. This is a very easy-to-drink wine, with 14.6% alcohol, so best imbibed at home with the cars locked in the garage. Some earth, vanilla, and slight gamey/bacon element (which is actually quite common in syrah). Good balance and length. 2005 Trentadue “Old Patch Red” Sonoma County, $10. This is mostly Zinfandel (70%) with the balance being petite sirah, syrah, and carignane. It has a jammy, slightly earthy and sweet nose with obvious oak, and a palate that follows in kind. It is an interesting wine, big and bright and spicy but with soft tannins and OK acidity. The fruit is both red and dark berry, and the 14.9% alcohol does show as heat at the finish. But very approachable and will be excellent with food. 2006 Macchia Barbera, Cooper ranch, Amador county, $20. This is a 15.3% alcohol blockbuster. It has lots of American Oak on the nose and palate (dill/coconut), but definitely has the dark berry fruit to match it. The richness of fruit and viscous mouthfeel without heavy tannin is very seductive. For some, the oak will be in excess, but for me this wine has enough balance to make it to the column. The oak and aclohol give it an almost sweet palate, but there is no residual sugar that I can taste. Probably this wine will not age too long. It should be drunk in the next 1-2 years, I think. 2006 Marquis Phillips Shiraz, SouthEast Australia, $12. Here we go again - 15.5% alcohol, tons of lush dark berry fruit, soft tannin, soft acid, some spice and a fair dose of American Oak. Mae West in a bottle. The oak, alcohol and ripe fruit combine to suggest sweetness but the wine is quite dry technically - no sugar. This is definitely a short term wine - drink within the next year. It does not have much structure or complexity and needs to be drunk young. 2005 Yangarra Estate Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia, $20. This is definitely a couple of steps up from all of the above. This is a big, powerful wine with great structure. It will cellar for several years (if kept at a cool constant temperature of course). Rich blackberry nose, with oak that is not as obvious as in the above wines. The palate is opulent, and the tannins are just right - enough for structure, not at all heavy. The acidity is just on the high side, which will help its aging potential. There is complexity, with some earth, spice and oak to complement the blackberry fruit. While a fairly high extract wine, it is not at all forced - it is powerful without being heavy. |
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