June 2008
3R's - Rafik Samuel
Sauvignon Blanc
When I think of wine during the summer months, I always want one that is cool and refreshing. It should also be light and easy to drink. No wines fill that description better than those made from Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauvignon Blanc grape is grown in many winemaking areas of the world and is easily found in the wine section of any store. The grape has some distinct flavors that make it wonderful for the summer. Wines from this grape have flavors such as grapefruit, lime, gooseberry, pear, passion fruit or melon that are crisp and flavorful. These grapes also have an herbal or “grassy” flavor that gives the wine more “complexity”.
When looking for this wine in the local store just remember the new world wines (those outside of Europe) label the wines by the name of the grape, while the old world wines (France, Spain, Italy, etc) label the wines by the area they are grown. The producers that have made this varietal famous include Sancerre, and Pouilly-fume from the Loire Valley in France. Although these wines are wonderful, they are a little pricey. I tend to like the sauvignon blancs from New Zealand, either from Hawkes Bay or Marlborough. These wines are usually very light and relatively cheap. A few of my favorites include Monkey Bay and Nobilo from Marlborough and Matariki and Fauna from Hawkes Bay. These wines run in the $8-15 range.
These wines are great to sip after a long hard day, to drink in a social setting or to be served with a meal. They go with a variety of foods including seafood, spicy Asian foods, grilled vegetables or grilled chicken. Well, I hope you enjoy trying these wines as the summer heat really starts to rev up!