sauvignon blanc RSS

baja california, grenache, mexico, sauvignon blanc, valle de guadalupe -

mexican wine

Mexico is, of course, known more for its tequila and mezcal than for its wines. Domestic consumption of wine is low, which hasn't helped the development of the industry. However, there are plenty of wineries in various regions across Mexico who are determined to express the terroirs of Mexico. Mexico's wine never developed essentially because of the Spanish. Mexico was the jewel in Spain's imperial crown, and the Spanish were extremely protective of the newly conquered country. Vines were first planted under an edict from Cortés in the 1520s, and wine was becoming a successful industry until the Spanish saw...

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austria, sauvignon blanc, st-bris, steiermark -

sauvignon blanc with a twist

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can be smelt across the room. It's wonderful in a blind tasting as the tasting note writes itself. These wines remain extremely popular even if they have a (sometimes undeserved) reputation for being too obvious and unsubtle in their pungent, unrestrained aromas. They also give the impression that all Sauvignon Blanc tastes the same. That's unfair on New Zealand, as there are many different expressions between and within regions. It's also unfair on Sauvignon Blanc as there are many extremely interesting and individual wines from regions not strongly associated with the grape variety. I recently wrote...

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burgundy, irancy, montalcino, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, tuscany -

Tuscan Sauvignon Blanc?! Almost Chablis Pinot Noir?!

Two unusual wines that aren’t found too often: Tuscan Sauvignon Blanc and Irancy, a small, northerly Burgundy appellation for Pinot Noir.

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amber wine, australia, cabernet sauvignon, frankland river, mclaren vale, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, western australia, yarra valley -

australia

Living here in California, I’ve learnt that Australian wine can be a difficult sell. There are preconceptions, often based on the success of yellow tail, that all Australian wine is simple and fruity. And as Australia has a similar climate to California and trends have paralleled since the 1990s, then why drink Australia instead of California? Well, dig a little deeper and you’ll discover esoteric winemakers, unexpected grape varieties, historic but lesser-known wine regions, and a wide range of quality wines. Let’s start with Grenache, because there are plenty of old vines which represent the tapestry of Australian winemaking history...

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bordeaux blanc, coteaux du giennois, loire valley, quincy, sauvignon blanc -

Sauvignon Blanc

I have to confess that Sauvignon Blanc is a grape variety I've often been snobbily dismissive of as the aromas can be too obvious and often not that pleasant (after all, cat's pee doesn't sound like a positive adjective...). But recently I've had to rethink, after tasting several dangerously drinkable yet sophisticated wines made from Sauvignon Blanc. So, why the prejudice and why the rethink? prejudice: New Zealand  Sauvignon Blanc most likely originates from the Loire Valley in France, where it's famous in appellations such as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé for a lean style noted for gunflint aromas. But it's New...

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