Man O'War Sauvignon Blanc 2009

new zealand has gotten a reputation for their very nice sauvignon blancs, and this one, selling for about $11, is fairly typical of this new zealand varietal. the nose has lots of tropical notes, some nice herbal and grassy aromas. and a little touch of spice. the palate is very crisp, with lots of guava, grapefruit and some mineral notes. this is followed by a spicy finish. this will work well with a variety of lighter foods, with seafoods or aisian fare. i would look for this to be a nice summer patio pounder as well.

Maryhill Sauvignon Blanc 2008

summer white wines always include sauvignon blancs and this one from washington is very nice. selling for about $12 this one has aromas of pear, pineapple tropical fruit and honey. The palate has subtle grapefruit, granny smith apple and some tropical fruit flavors. nice mineral notes and good clean finish. easy drinking white that i enjoyed with pulled pork barbecue and potato salad. try it with salads or seafood too.

Gato Negro 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

i tried a red from this wine maker not long ago and it wasn't bad so here is a white. i love inexpensive sauv blancs like barefoot, and this one compares very favorably. the nose is citrus, papaya and floral notes of jasmine? the palate is grapefruit right up front, followed by minerals and then a nice, crisp, slightly spicy finish. it was a bitter cold night when i tried this but it hit the spot as i sat down to have a glass of wine and blog about it. sells for about $4.

Veramonte 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Reserva

this was a nice sauv blanc from chile. once again, another summer fare wine that paired well with the grilled foods. nose of grapefruit, honeysuckle and minerals. the palate was crisp, but not too acidic. flavors of honey, citrus, especially lemon, followed by some herb notes. nice zingy, medium finish. it sells for about $9-10 and is definitely worth another taste.

Coppola Yellow Label 2007 Sauvignon Blanc

i was not impressed with this one on first taste. and it really didn't get any better. citrus on the nose along with a bit of mineral. on the palate, way too acidic. tart lemon and some grapefruit that just never seemed to ease up. if you like a tart wine, this one is for you. just not to my liking. about $15.

Silver Beach 2006 Sauvignon Blanc

here is another beautiful summer time white from new zealand that will pair well with seafood dishes or many other summer foods. tropical fruit notes on the nose like grapefruit and lime. citrus, grapefruit, celery and some grassy notes on the palate. very complex wine but very easy drinking. some acid at the finish. for the nice price of about $12, this is one i will definitely be purchasing again before the summer is over.

White Wine?

yes, i do drink white wine. it is coming up on the warmer time of the year and a good patio pounder, a nice gulpable white, can make the late evening on a warm day more bearable. i have a couple of good sauvignon blancs to suggest. the first is whitehaven, from new zealand…the personal favorite of this house. beautiful and fruity, citrus, passion fruit, delicious with food. the 2006 was rated 90 points with wine enthusiast. we have always got a bottle or two on hand in the wine rack.

the other recommendation is what i am tasting right now…taltarni, from australia. another fruity white that has a nose of grapefruit and tastes of grapefruit and pear. very crisp, tasty wine. 87 points with enthusiast and sells for around $14.