Wine of the Day, No. 844
An exquisitely balanced sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.
Once upon a time, sauvignon blanc wines from New Zealand could produce a chuckle for their wild, boisterous tropical-herbal-citrus character — abetted by a touch of green bean and cat’s-pee — so much so that they became their own easily-identifiable niche, a meme, as it were. Just about anyone, after a few sniffs, could say, “Oh, yeah, that’s New Zealand, all right.”
Matters have calmed down nicely, however, and the best of the breed, while still exuberant and infectiously attractive, feature more restraint, nuance and balance than in days of yore.
A superb example is the Cloudy Bay 40th Anniversary Sauvignon Blanc 2024, from New Zealand’s Marlborough district. Fermented with a blend of native and commercial yeasts and then aged in stainless steel tanks, with a very tiny portion in large oak casks, the wine displays a pale straw-gold hue and arresting aromas of celery leaf, lime peel, talc, pink grapefruit and gardenia; oh, and traces of acacia blossom, gunflint and graphite; that element of graphite shows up on the palate, feeling finely honed and sifted and riven by bright, pert acidity and crystalline limestone minerality; looks for notes of quince added to the juicy but spare hints of lime and grapefruit and just a bare squeeze of mango; the finish wraps everything in a swath of heather, white pepper and fennel seed. A masterful performance. Now through 2028 to ‘30, with fresh oysters, grilled shrimp or mussels, seafood risottos and such. Excellent. About $35.
Imported by Moët Hennessey USA.