Sauvignon Blanc

Note that I like the acidity. Just like I enjoy strong espresso. Pure, please. And so it is with wines; herbaceousness is for the garden, and knitting parties. So is too much jammy fruit, hence my reluctance sometimes when it comes to Zinfandel.

You can find this wine at Trader Joe’s for around $7 – a bargain. Pricing and availability, like a lot of products at TJ’s, may vary, especially considering this one is rumored to come from a defunct producer. Still, it’s worth trying if you can find some on the local shelves. Don’t expect layers, complexity. I’d never serve it with company. Casual BBQ, maybe. It’s a decent daily sipper. I’m not going out of my way to find a bottle, but it’s an acceptable stocker given its price point.

When it comes to Sauvignon Blancs, Malborough has the value equation locked. Kim Crawford is most widely known and for under $20 is also a decent value. But where Kim exhibits nuanced herbal notes, the Republic comes out swinging hard. It might not look pretty at times, but it’s much better, at least in my books, then most under $20 SBs. Interesting that this Sonoma-based operation would source New Zealand grapes and apply the formula.

Once again, disregard the notion of price when it comes to wine. Emphatically. It’s one of the wine marketers’ foremost positioning weapons. Take the same wine, and give it two different labels, with two different price points, and you can target two different buyers. A lot of our wine experience is perception. No doubt, there are variances of course when it comes to grape pricing, and quality of vineyards. I disagree, though, with those that pooh-pooh the notion of wine under $20, for example, as purely “beverage.” If that were the case, could you take the same bottle, make it $50-$100 and it would suddenly become special? Nah. No way. Again, there are good wines and bad wines. But price is not necessarily the best predictor.

2009 Sauvignon Republic, Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand (85 pts, $7) - StarkSilverCreek (blog)

This time of year, my column seems to have a recurring theme - the sweltering summer heat. I get more than a few e-mails and whispered party confessions of wine drinkers forsaking cabernet sauvignon for an ice-cold beer. With a wide range of refreshing wines available, there’s no need to grab the barley brew.

When I think refreshing and light wine, sauvignon blanc always comes to mind. The crisp acidic flavors are ideal for a summer cool-down. Each year it becomes a staple in our refrigerator to pair with our light summer meals.

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UNCORKED: 2 top chillers: Sauvignon blanc, rose - NWAOnline (subscription)

Two things to know about Sauvignon Blanc: 1) It's the consummate summer time wine and 2) Sauvignon Blanc from North Carolina grapes is about as rare as it comes.

For much of its life at Westbend Vineyards near Lewisville, the nearly two acres of Sauvignon Blanc there has been wrapped into the popular Yadkin Fume proprietary white blend. Though this grape has issues in the hot, muggy South, winemaker Mark Terry thought it performed well in the 2008 vintage and created a standalone.

Terry admits the grape has issues. It's prone to rot and struggles in the wilting heat and humidity of the south. It requires more fining during vinification and winemakers have to be careful not to strip aromas and flavors during that process.

In large non-stick skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter. Add apple wedges and cook until softened and golden brown (about 4 minutes). Transfer to plate and set aside.

Williams on Wine Recipe: Scallops & Apple Salad with 2008 Westbend Sauvignon Blanc - Greensboro News & Record

A bright red lacquer staircase and a glass-walled lift lead to Wasabi by Morimoto in the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, less than two years after the hotel was damaged in terror attacks that left 166 dead across Mumbai.

Window tables in the mezzanine-level restaurant look out to the Gateway of India and the Arabian Sea. There’s a sushi counter and teppanyaki kitchen bar for those tired of the view, and a 12-seater banquet setting in a corner enclave.

The decor is contemporary, with an installation by London- based artist Petr Weigl , while an over-sized, origami-styled hammered-metal light cover provides a traditional trimming.

Wasabi reopened in December, 13 months after the terror attacks. It was the subcontinent’s only venue in this year’s World’s Best Restaurants awards, moving up 16 slots to 54 from last year, when it operated in a makeshift spot on the roof.

India's `Best Restaurant' Serves Up Vegetarian Sushi, Talkative Waiters - Bloomberg

I don't know about you, but right now I'm looking for something crisp and cold to beat the heat. And this aromatic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is just the bottle to do it. Made from grapes grown on three vineyard sites in the Marlborough region, the 2009 Momo Sauvignon Blanc has lively fruit, notes of flint and stone, and a finish that has you going back to the glass for more.

At less than $20, it's still a serious Sauvignon, delicious with chilled soups, seafood platters, composed salads and grilled or broiled fish.

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Wine of the Week: 2009 Momo Sauvignon Blanc - Sacramento Bee