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Archive for the ‘New Zealand’ Category

If you are looking for a white wine with lots of zest for an extremely reasonable price Stephendale Sauvignon Blanc 2009 is the wine choice for you.  Produced in the Marlborough region of New Zealand, the Kiwi’s are turning out aromatic and flavorful sauvignon blancs that delight the palate and are light on the wallet, due to strong back to back growing seasons in 2008 and 2009.  Stephendale’s version is dry and medium bodied with an extremely light straw color.  There is a very pronounced sweet lemon aroma upon opening.  I found this wine to have a mixture of citrus, green apple, and lemongrass flavors with a great zing from the crisp acidity.  I wasn’t getting very much grapefruit on the palate like most of the other sauvignon blancs I have tried from this region.  I liked that it wasn’t predictable and set itself apart from my other favorites such as Kono.  Nothing is lacking in this wine and it has a refreshing, long finish on the palate.  It is available for under $15 and would be the perfect wine to pair with seafood on a warm summer day.

Lately I am hearing a lot of buzz regarding wines produced in New Zealand particularly Sauvignon Blanc.  I decided to taste for myself what this gorgeous country is offering with their wines.  I took a chance and picked up a bottle of Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2008.  This white is produced in Marlborough which is New Zealand’s largest wine growing region and is now recognized by wine experts for turning out the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world.  The initial taste of this wine was clean and crisp with a distinct citrus flavor reminding me of juicy grapefruit.  This white has a pleasant acidity which gives it a nice long finish on the palate.  I definitely would pair this wine with seafood and poultry dishes.  Kono is a huge hit for me and will now be a regular purchase since it is extremely affordable at less than $11 a bottle!