We had some friends over for a sauvignon blanc tasting on Wednesday afternoon. The purpose, besides just hanging out with friends, was to look for bargains ($25 and under) to feature in a neighborhood tasting for 50 or so participants in June. I supplied all the wines.
NV Steenberg Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape
Greatly exceeded expectations for a $17 bubble. Apparently made by Traditional Method, it's concentrated, bright and fruity with visible viscosity and firm, mouth-filling petillance. Almost ridiculously attractive. The next morning, our group collectively ordered two cases of this for personal use and half a dozen for the June tasting. Makes one wonder why sparkling sauvignon blanc is so rare.
2022 Faustino Sauvignon Blanc Vino de la Tierra de Castilla
A very odd Sauvignon Blanc. Not awful, just lacking varietal typicity and having a flavor in the vinyl/petroleum family, but not petrol like rieslings get. Can't quite describe it. Not undrinkable and in fact one guy loved it, but I wouldn't buy again. Maybe this is why you never seen Sauvignon Blanc in Spain.
2022 The Rothbury Estate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
No idea how it came to be that this Australian wine producer made a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but apparently it happened and the wines are currently at Grocery Outlets in my area for $9/bottle. And it's crazy good. Textbook fresh and oak-free NZ flavors of gooseberry, lime, tangerine, cilantro and a dash of green bell pepper. A no-brainer for June.
2022 Claude Riffault Sancerre Les Boucauds Sauvignon Blanc
The ringer at twice the price of any of the other wines but a perfect reality check to show the greatness of the grape. This one's a master class in elegance. Not especially assertive, just layers upon layers of subtle complexity including white asparagus, white peach and creamed white corn.
2021 Hindsight Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley
The "hind" part of the name is very appropriate. This is ass-in-a-glass. Stinky cheese nose with the wrong kind of funk. Horrible.
2022 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape
Loads of limestone minerality with fresh bay leaf, parsley, lime peel and limestone minerality. Excellent. I expected this wine to outclass everything else in it's price range ($15ish), but in fact there was another contender:
2022 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Sauvignon Blanc Los Vascos Colchagua Valley
Presents the grassy side of Sauv Blanc in a very classy, French kind of way. Closer to Loire than Bordeaux with asparagus, cilantro and lime here, as well as some talc with sharp, non-tropical acidity. Another no-brainer for around $15.
2021 Viña Koyle Sauvignon Blanc Costa la Flor San Antonio Valley
This also had some fans, and I was one of them. Am guessing it sees some oak, with some white asparagus richness as well as well as quince and perhaps baked pineapple in the fruit basket. Will include in June if we can find more of it.
2022 Novelty Hill Winery Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley
There's absolutely nothing wrong with this wine. It's balanced and drinkable but compared to the other wines, it came off as bland. Washington can do better.
And then for laughs I threw in a recent vintage of 14 Hands, a super-cheap line from Chateau Ste Michelle made for people with cheap, simple tastes. It did not disappoint: dilute with artificial lemon-lime flavors.