THREE MOUTH-WATERING SAUVIGNON BLANCS & THREE REDS FROM BELOW THE EQUATOR
It is getting warmer outside, and there is just something about a refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc that just hits the spot.
Remember when we were kids, and when it was hot you had some lemonade? Well, to me, Sauvignon Blanc is the adult version of that. It is tart, but juicy at the same time. The best summer Sauvignon Blancs have a liveliness which leaves you craving more, and a tropical refreshing side that makes every glass enjoyable.
These three wines are some of my favorites from the Southern Hemisphere. All are great-tasting value-wines to get you through your warm summer days… or nights…or both!
2020 Satellite Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough New Zealand
This instant store favorite is a brilliant example of classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc! The 2020 vintage has not wavered in the traditional style of this wine. The nose hits you with classic notes of grass and grapefruit but it doesn’t mask a beautiful wave of tropical guava. The palate is bright and lively with acidity and tropical fruits. This wine is delightfully refreshing perfect for any summer day.
$12.99 per bottle
Matetic 2019 Sauvignon Blanc "EQ Coastal" Casablanca Valley, Chile
Grown just 8 miles from the Pacific Ocean this wine is produced Organic and Biodynamic and serving aromas of citrus and tropical aromas accompanied by hints of herbal aromas. As many Sauvignon Blanc's are it is refreshingly crisp on the palate with concentrated fruit flavors and fresh salty acidity that finishes with lingering minerality.
$16.99 per bottle
2020 Bayten Sauvignon Blanc, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
This crisp, zesty Sauvignon Blanc displays textbook aromas and flavors of green fig, gooseberry and lime. Grassy herbal notes and threads of green pepper are supported by elegant underpinnings of mineral and chalk. More on the round side of Sauvignon blanc, great acid but it isn’t overwhelming like some Sauvignon blancs can be. Throw some shrimp on the BBQ throw some lemon on it and you have a perfect pairing.
$12.99 per bottle
Three New Red Wines from the Southern Hemisphere:
Argentina, South Africa & New Zealand
Antucura Malbec is a find for all of my Catena Vista Flores lovers out there. Easy drinking Malbec that has great juicy qualities without being jammy. There is a slight earth and floral aspect in combination with the dark fruits that are great expressions of terroir.
The Den Pinotage is one of the more interesting Pinotages I have offered in a long time. This wine is complex and changes dramatically the more it opens up in your glass. This is one I want you to experience yourself.
Te Mata is the oldest winery in New Zealand, and this Alma is a special single vineyard from an amazing place in New Zealand.
Antucura 2019 Barrandica Malbec, Vista Flores, Argentina
In view, an intense and bright red color is observed, with violet tones. On the nose, it is a very aromatic wine, with notes of red fruits such as plum, blackberry and some floral notes. On the palate it is an elegant wine, with a friendly entry and good acidity, fruity and with great intensity within ripe tannins.
$15.99 per bottle
Painted Wolf 2019 Pinotage "The Den”, South Africa
Medium-bodied with ripe boysenberry and mulberry, savory spice, milk chocolate and toasty wood flavors, leading to a bright crisp finish. This wine can be enjoyed up to four years from vintage. The grapes for this wine were harvested from farms in Paarl, Swartland and Breedekloof. Pinotage was harvested over four weeks starting late January 2018. Most of the grapes were destalked and fermented in tanks with French and American oak staves. Malolactic and maturation was completed on staves. Total production 60,000 bottles. Social wines to be enjoyed with friends and family, these wines are named for the den, the heart of all painted wolf communities. Flavor-packed, soft and juicy comfort wines. Painted Wolf Wines supports the conservation of the highly endangered painted wolf (African wild dog) and the protection of the diminishing wild spaces of Africa, through its donations to the EWT – www.ewt.org.za and Tusk – www.tusk.org
$11.99 per bottle
Te Mata 2018 Pinot Noir "Alma", Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Midnight-dark with a deep crimson edge, Alma ’18 is a triumph of aromatic wild strawberry, black cherry, currants, marzipan, sage and sandalwood. The palate’s ripe, sustained, structure reveals a parade of spice and brooding, soft, dark, berry fruits and rich savory tannins set to unfurl with time. Cherry, black plum, cinnamon and smoke, all glide across a palate which is wonderfully deep-set. Finely-dressed for its debut, the premiere release of Alma ’18 is modern, majestic, and enchanting in its detail.
$52.99 per bottle