Attributes:

Matua

Marlborough, Australia/New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2006: WineSpectator Rating: 89

tart

gooseberry, grapefruit, grass, lime, mineral

2005: Tanzer Rating: 87

lean

citrus oil, grapefruit, lime, mint, pepper

2005: WineSpectator Rating: 85

fresh, lively

juicy

2004: WineSpectator Rating: 87

soft

mineral, stony

2003: WineSpectator Rating: 88

bright, lively, tangy

2003: WineEnthusiast Rating: 88

citrus, pineapple

2003: Tastings Rating: 87

lively

medium-bodied

bell pepper, gooseberry, lime

concentrated, ripe

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 88

fresh, tangy

citrus, herb, melon, pear

ripe

Food Matches:

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.

When the first growers planted grapes in Marlborough in the 1970s (there is evidence of plantings as early as 1870s), it is unlikely they would have foreseen the extent of the growth and fame that the region’s wine industry would achieve, based upon a single varietal called Sauvignon Blanc. The distinctive pungency and zest fruit flavours of the first Marlborough wines, in particular Sauvignon Blanc, captured the imagination of the country's winemakers as well as international wine commentators and consumers and sparked an unparalleled boom in vineyard development. Worldwide interest in Marlborough wines, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, has continued to fuel that regional wine boom.

Attributes:

Chateau les Roques

Loupiac, France

Dry White Table Wine

750 ML

199: Decanter Rating: 4

rich

elegant

apricot, honey

Food Matches:

Attributes:

Rutherford Ranch

Napa Valley, United States

Sauvignon Blanc

750 ML

2002: Tastings Rating: 87

medium-bodied

2002: Tastings Rating: 85

medium-bodied

pleasant, well-balanced

grass, lemon, spearmint

2001: Tastings Rating: 86

elegant

2001: Tastings Rating: 84

tart

medium-bodied

grass, melon

2001: Tastings Rating: 84

tangy

medium-bodied

apple, citrus, grass, melon, spearmint

2001: Tastings Rating: 84

clean, soft

medium-bodied

melon, pear

2001: CGCW Rating: 84

clean

earth, grass, spearmint

2000: Tastings Rating: 86

full-bodied

rich

well-balanced

Food Matches:

This tiny strip of land just north of San Francisco is home to America’s most prestigious wineries. Its climate is ideal for viticulture. Ironically, it was deemed too ideal for some vintners, who have moved their vineyards from the valley’s flat plain to the hills in the east and west, adhering to the idea that grapes that struggle to grow yield better wine. The climate, soil, and individual wineries are enormously varied, so it’s impossible to identify a singular trait of Napa wines. In addition, nearly every noble grape is grown here, although Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the primary grapes. In the past, Napa’s wines have alternated between extremely fruity and fat to lean and subtle. Today the best Napa wines have achieved a balance between these extremes. Many are made to be drunk young and have abundant ripe fruit; others can be initially hard and tannic, but soften over four or five years to perfumed, cedary fruit. White Napa wines are excellent with fresh-grilled fish and chicken, but can also cope with more spicy and creamy flavors. Many Napa reds will overwhelm delicate cuisine, but rich red meat and cheeses do make good companions.

Comes mostly from California, France, New Zealand, and South Africa. Its highly acidic wines are often suggestive of herbs or grass. Light to medium bodied and usually dry, European versions are generally not oaky while California Sauvignon Blanc can take on many of the qualities of Chardonnay. France has two classic wine regions for the Sauvignon Blanc gape: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley The Bordeaux wine is called Bordeaux Blanc and the two best known of the Loire wines are called Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes blended with Sémillon.