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Obviously very young with a bit of grassy action, gooseberry, lemon barley and fruit punch aromatics. It’s light and crisp, perhaps a bit lacking in focus, but fresh and easy - not overt or mouth puckering.The flavours are of lemon barley, weak pineapple juice and some grassy character which present well and overall it offers an attractive and modestly priced glass of dry white. Excellent with food too.

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A three pack of wine from Yalumba landed the other day, and I was expecting the package to contain Octavius, Signature and Menzies, but instead it contained a Merlot, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc from Oxford Landing. Well it’s a life full of surprises all right. Anyway, it set me on a course of opening some ‘less expensive’ samples. First a bracket of 2007 Merlot from Wyndham Estate, Jacob’s Creek and Oxford Landing - all fault free dry reds - all around 84 points with the Wyndham Estate nudging 85 points due to having a bit more oomph and interest. The next bracket contained the 2008 Lindemans Early Harvest White, a modest 8% alcohol and 30% less calories but an amorphous thing on the palate that does a vanishing act the minute it makes contact, re-appearing with a puff of acid and spice on exit - 82 points, a 2007 Conte Estate “Pink Hit” Gewurtztraminer that smelt like a urinal at a tropical fruit canning factory, and this modestly priced Sauvignon Blanc from Yalumba - the best wine of the day.

It has a touch of spice and capsicum and yellow fruits - a sweetish smell and a bit sweaty too but clearly varietal. On the palate a mix of spice and tangy, pithy grapefruit flavours with some tropical fruit as well - decent flavours, although lacking definition and focus, it does offer a good mouthful of dry white finishing with decent length and a little acid bite. It tastes like Sauvignon Blanc and offers good solid drinking at the price.

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I had a glass at lunch and that’s when I liked it best - crisp, chilled and refreshing - and later that evening for a re-taste warm but without quite the same effect.

It smells of passionfruit, Pez, fennel, lime and a bit of wee on cut grass. On the palate fine and shapely with a mix of pineapple, lime and passionfruit although not overtly tropical or brash - more subdued and refined. It also has a little spice and mineral with fine acid and a bit of flinty textural interest. It drinks really well and feels balanced and vinous, not falling into the Marlborough sweet and sour trap like many. Dry white first, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc second and a good version of both.

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Here’s a new wine for (or from) Ce Soir Wine Importers from Aoc Touraine. I’m starting to see reviews of their portfolio cropping up all over the place. Indeed, I see this month’s AGT wine features a review of the excellent 2004 Les Léonides in the best imports $25 and under section. I’m told this particular wine will be available under screwcap, rather than the dodgy old synthetic that was in this bottle. I’m writing the note from memory because I don’t know where I put my note for it, but I only tasted it yesterday, so it’s as fresh as the wine. I’m the consummate professional.

It’s fairly subdued with gentle aromatics of light fresh tropical fruit (something along the lines of pineapple/green melon/kiwifruit), creamed honey and subtle grassy herbal character. On the palate it’s mid weight with a subtle creamy lees texture, balanced unobtrusive acidity and a little bit of flinty grip. It’s entirely pleasant and lovely to drink with nothing abrasive or obnoxious sticking out to annoy you. Finishes with decent length and a bit of flintiness on exit. Very attractive wine. I recommend it. I should probably give it 90 points.

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I’d imagine that about 92.5% of this wine is drunk in and around the greater Sydney area although it’s also well known that 7.5% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

A mix of passionfruit, pineapple and citrus with some grassiness and a bit of spice. Boisterous but very appealing. On the palate plenty of flavour and impact with juicy fruit punch, citrus and grassy flavours. It’s focussed and balanced with appropriate fresh acidity and a touch of creamy barrel ferment to round things out. Good finish with even a touch of flinty minerality to close. A versatile fun wine that drinks beautifully.

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Curiously I found myself in the unusual position of really wanting a nice cooling glass of Sauvignon Blanc this afternoon. Doesn’t happen that often but I feel a bit frazzled today. Wither Hills usually do a nice line in the old SB so I picked this out of the 1,274 bottles (or thereabouts) of Sauvignon Blanc that seem to be floating around. Good choice.

Pale and crystal clear it strikes a fine balance between the herbal capsicum and snow pea smells and the fruity ones of gooseberry, citrus and fresh pineapple. It’s a bit spicy too and I always like that. On the palate precise and clean with good drive and attractive flavours of light tropical fruit, lime and capsicum spice. Nice and dry with a little roughing up providing a bit of textural interest. Finishes clean and long with a lick of spice. A great example of the ‘classic’ Marlborough style.

Other vintages: 2005

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So much Sauvignon Blanc, so little time. The upside is that it’s pretty quick and easy to taste.

Punchy aromatics of spice, passionfruit, honeydew melon rind and tomato plant. On the palate fresh, clean and clear with juicy mouthwatering flavours of passionfruit, melon and gooseberry and a measure of varietal capsicum spice. A little soft on the back palate but never mind; it’s so refreshing and easy to drink that you are already on the next mouthful anyway. A wine for carefree enjoyment and picnics by the sea…

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Trust ace winemaker Sandro Mosele to turn out such a sophisticated Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a bit Euro and a bit of all right (two words as JP points out).

Light in colour and light in aroma with fresh pineapple, gooseberry, dried herb, a touch of cream and a bit of flinty funk. On the palate again fresh, light and pretty with flavours of gooseberry, passionfruit, mineral and a sprinkle of dried herbs. Clean and delicate with a long crisp finish. A wine of subtlety and refinement. It’s also a great food style.

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I have been doing a few 2007 Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blancs recently and they have been uniformly good (but don’t even ask about some of the 2006 reds …) It’s a style I like too. A whiff of grass, a pinch and a punch of tropical, a little smack of oak. Something for all tastes. This is 71% Sauvignon Blanc and 29% Semillon with 12% French oak for 13 weeks.

Lightly grassy and very lively with passionfruit and citrus, a bit of fennel and the barest kiss of vanilla oak. On the palate beautifully balanced with a soft lightly creamy texture, clean crunchy acidity and a real sense of freshness and charm. It has flavours of lime and passionfruit, some grassy characters and long herb and cream finish. You can drink it cold if you like, it is refreshing that way, but I enjoy the flavour and complexity when it warms a little in the glass. Right in the groove.

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Lincoln reviewed this last month and as I always like to say, ‘two reviews are better than none’.

Aromas of tinned grapefruit in light syrup, passionfruit skins, a touch of cream, dirt and grass and some spice. On the palate light bodied, soft and gentle with flavours of grapefruit pith, passionfruit, grass and a little flintiness. It has clean soft acidity and delicacy in its favour but also look somewhat dilute and wanders around on the palate looking a bit lost; a bit more focus and drive would see a higher rating. This is a more subtle Euro style Sauvignon that works well with food (and I just had a little glass with lunch to prove this theory).

Other vintages : 2007

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Anthony Brain is making the wine at Bellarine Estate now (I think) and gave me the poop on this wine. The vineyard is on black basalt over limestone and the vines are 12 years old. The wine is 35% barrel fermented with some solids and aged in old French oak for 4 months (with lees stirring). The tank portion is a clean tank ferment and then aged on fine lees for 4 months before blending and bottle preparation.

A lovely and interesting nose, showing aromas of lychees, lemon, pineapple and gooseberries, all intermingled with some spice, a funkiness and a touch of vanilla. The palate is not sweetly fruited, showing more pure and restrained fruits, tethered if you want, lemony and savoury but with a grassy edge. The wine has good body and great mouthfeel, bright acid and finishes dryly with some spice. All up, quite an impressive wine. I think Gary has a bottle of this too - I would be interested to hear his views.

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This is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon of which half takes a three month spell in French barriques of which two thirds are new. Never mind all that though because this wine is just wow!. So wow! it impressed the pants off me and as a result I am sitting here typing up this note in my underpants…

Aromas of passionfruit, fresh pineapple, cut grass, fennel, cream and spice. Multi-layered it strikes that rare and perfect balance between herbaceous and fruity elements. Fresh, poised and precise it has crystalline acidity and a lightly creamy textured palate with flavours of tropical fruit, grapefruit, grass and spice. There’s also a funky earthy character adding complexity. Seamless and long with a dry spicy finish - this is just about as good as it gets.

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Sauvignon comes from the French for savage I do believe. Nothing savage here mind you. This is well sophisticated mate.

Aromas of gooseberry, grapefruit, a bit of earthiness, some flinty reduction and a faint grassiness but all subtle and refined. On the palate this is dry and textured with weight and grip. High interest mouthfeel although it does push the envelope with regards to extract. It has flavours of grapefruit and gooseberry with some herbal characters and in fact tastes a lot like a flat gin and tonic with a good squeeze of lemon. Finishes long and dry with firm phenolic grip and a bitter lemon twist. Something special I think.

Other vintages : 2005

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You can take the Blanc out of the Sauvignon but you can’t take the Sauvignon out of the Blanc. That being said, this young sauvage has been to finishing school and carries itself with an air of quiet sophistication. Very well mannered. I tasted this alongside the De Bortoli of the same vintage and it was neck and neck until they both warmed up. The final result a photo finish with the De Bortoli winning by a nose (and perhaps a little length).

Quiet and subdued with passionfruit, grapefruit and guava, a little grassiness and some flinty reduction. Nothing overt or showy. On the palate fresh and tangy with grapefruit and gooseberry and only a light clipping of grass. Lovely pure flavour with crisp clean acidity and a slightly chalky texture. Very good length of flavour and a fresh grapefruity aftertaste. Complexity and refreshment all in one. A delightful wine.

Other vintages: 2006

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In a big country dreams stay with you
Like a lover’s voice fires the mountainside
Stay alive

Orange, Adelaide Hills, Pemberton and the Yarra Valley are all producing outstanding Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a Big Country all right.

Aromas of orange, passionfruit, fennel and cut grass offer up an enticing mix of punchy fruit and more austere herbal characters. On the palate fresh and vibrant with tart kiwifruit, grapefruit, passionfruit and grassy flavours. Dry, tight and minerally with mouthwatering acidity this has great drive and line through the mouth finishing dry and flinty with excellent length of flavour. Complexity and freshness all in one. This is a top wine.

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Martinborough does a good line in Sauvignon Blanc. This is hand picked from four vineyards with 15% fermented in three year old oak.

Juicy and fruity with mango, gooseberry and pineapple fruit and a little spiced capsicum and dried herb. On the palate a softer, rounder expression of Sauvignon with excellent weight and texture and lovely tropical fruit, sweet ripe limes and some spicy grassy flavours in support. Finishes with a tropical fruit and spice aftertaste. Juicy and delicious.

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Did you know you can use Google as a dictionary? You just type in define: and then your word.

Define: PHI - the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet
Define: Hyperbole - extravagant exaggeration

Hyperbole comes from the Greek to throw beyond and this wine is not only a curved ball for Sauvignon Blanc drinkers but also seems to make one prone to bouts of adjectival gibberish as evidenced by Jukes and Stelzer’s thoroughly loopy tasting notes on the press release. Problem is when you drink the wine you immediately forgive their purple prose…now ’scuse me while I kiss the sky…

Subdued and sophisticated with aromas of unripe pineapple, citrus, jasmine, flint, herb and spice. Subtle and superb. On the palate it is light and fine boned yet deep and satisfying. It offers citrus, fresh pineapple, green melon, dried herb, mineral and creamed honey flavours and combines a soft glossy feel with a dry flinty texture and juicy pithy grapefruity acidity. Finishes dry and long. A remarkable wine from start to finish.

Other vintages : 2006

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I hear 2007 is supposed to be a very good vintage for NZ Sauvignon and this wine certainly bears this out. Just for the record Secret Stone is a Fosters Wine Estates brand. I like the packaging.

Very pungent kitty litter smells with gooseberry, lychee and grapefruit, fennel, herbs and some flowery aromas. On the palate a fuller style with an explosive mix of light tropical fruit, peach, citrus and some spice and grassy flavours. Attractive mouthwatering acidity balanced with a touch of sweetness. Excellent length finishing with a crisp grapefruit and grassy aftertaste. I can’t imagine this not being very popular.

Other vintages: 2006

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NZ Sauvignon Blanc prices seemingly continue to creep up upwards in a stealthy ivy like manner… Stoneleigh is a Pernod Ricard brand for those not in the know.

This shows a little restraint with aromas of ruby grapefruit, gooseberry, lychee, kitty litter and grass with a flicker of sweaty reduction. On the palate light and dry with passionfruit, grapefruit and grassy flavours. Acidity is a little obvious but the overall balance is good. Decent length of flavour with a clean grapefruity finish. A good example of the ‘classic’ style and one I like.

Other vintages : 2006

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This is the second in my series of wines that are likely to polarise (in case you thought I had forgotten to pick the ball back up). Funny old style really a worked and oaked Sauvignon blend. The sister wine to this would be Cloudy Bay Te Koko I guess, more so than a white Bordeaux anyway. Well at least to my mind.

Aromas of lemon, melon, asparagus and creamy vanilla oak. A curious mix of smells. On the palate flavours of passionfruit, lemon curd, citrus, grass and vanilla oak with a slightly garlicy undertone. It has a gentle chalkiness and pleasing weight and texture. Very good length of flavour. Love the texture and the quality but I find the mix of vegetal and creamy vanilla flavours discordant. A fence sitting 90 points.

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