09
Feb
2009 Matariki Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Price: $14.99 at Total Wine
Sight: straw yellow
Smell: grapefruit, lime, mineral
Taste: grapefruit, lime, banana, steel, stone, spice
Overall: This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc surprised me. I admit it proved me wrong. My expectation was to hate it like I hate most of the NZ Sauvignon Blancs that I try. New Zealand has such a distinctive style (grapefruit & grass) that sometimes it seems like NZ producers are chasing a final product rather than creating something unique. I’ve experienced a lot of citric disasters that push the grassiness beyond herbaceous, beyond grassy, and into green bell pepper territory, and it turns me off immediately. However, I don’t find that harshness in this wine at all. The citrus acidity is poignant and focused, both tempered and emphasized by a near-metallic minerality. The body of the wine is rich, and beyond grapefruit, the fruit shows lime and also hints of tropical fruits. I liked this wine a lot more than I expected to.
Shrimp Recipe:
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add shrimp. Season immediately with salt & pepper. Sprinkle over it ground mustard, dill seed, and cayenne pepper. Turn shrimp as needed. Add a splash of Sauvignon Blanc. When the shrimp start to curl, they’re done.
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