Sauvignon Blanc

The fertile area of Marlborough in New Zealand is known for its Sauvignon Blanc wines, and the 2011 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc ($13), which comes out of a winery in the region that's been around since the 1940s, is a great representation of it.

I tried this bottle in the middle of the day, when the tropical aroma and perspirating label enticed my palate. I opened the twist-off bottle to find that recognizable passion-fruit scent released into the air; the flavor mirrored the bouquet. Like a tall, chilly glass of lemonade, this Sauvignon Blanc finished tart, crisp, and refreshing, with a numbing spiciness on the tongue that reminded me of fresh pineapple.

I tend to prefer a rich, oaky, and buttery Chardonnay, but this particular Sauvignon Blanc has my vote for patio drinking, on those days when the temperature remains high in the triple digits even into 8 p.m. Its dry, tart notes are stimulating and won't leave you in a heady wine fog. I'm apt to pair the wine with just about any cuisine calling for an acidic wash-down, from sticky, sweet Hawaiian barbecue to spicy Indian food.

We're suckers for a clever wine label and are occasionally swayed to try a new bottle purely based on its aesthetic appeal. Luckily, in this case, the packaging belies the contents within. The Pomelo 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($10) manages to achieve the rare feat of tasting just as advertised. Crisply acidic, with notes of — you guessed it! — pomelo (a close relative to the grapefruit) and pineapple, tasters agreed that it was "très drinkable" (almost dangerously so) and would be "fun for an outdoor adventure" thanks to its twist-off top.

We'll be cooling off with a bottle or two of this reasonably priced supermarket favorite (we found ours at Safeway) all Summer, and we suggest you follow suit. We enjoy sipping it solo, but its clean flavors make it versatile. We wager it'd play nicely with the delicate flavors of the sea (flaky sole or steamed mussels, anyone?), particularly when accented with zesty citrus.

"The Sauvignon Blanc grape owes a lot to New Zealand," wine writer Eric Asimov once wrote. He's right: New Zealand winegrowers have a talent for balancing fruitiness and bracing acidity in every glass, leaving behind a crisp finish that often contrasts the heavy oakiness of that other white grape, Chardonnay. Plus, its producers often favor the screw cap, something that belies a greater philosophy about wine that I couldn't agree more with: it should be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, for any occasion.

I asked wine buyer Carlo Wismer of San Francisco's The Jug Shop to talk shop about one of the New World's most popular white wines. He offered his thoughts on what makes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc so popular; see them when you keep reading.

Sauvignon Blanc is without a doubt my preferred wine grape. It's normally a wine that's crisp and refreshing with flavors ranging from fruity and floral to earthy and grassy. One recent bottle that's worth mentioning is the 2009 Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc.

It's from New Zealand and has a screw-cap top, but it's delightful, complex, and easy to drink. It's the type of wine that after one sip, you can't exactly note the flavors, so you take another sip and another, until the whole glass has somehow quickly disappeared. It's a super dry Sav Blanc with a full body, tropical nose, and clean young taste.

Although I drank it solo, it would pair well with seafood dishes and tangy cheeses. I tried this wine at a tasting and definitely have plans to seek it out and enjoy it at home. What's your favorite Sauvignon Blanc?

When the weather turns cool, I normally gravitate toward red wine. However, the other day, I was enjoying a rich and delicious pasta with mushrooms and anchovies that begged for a crisp white. Thus I opened this bottle, the 2009 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Matua. It tastes young and grassy with a citrusy aroma and zippy finish. The liquid is straw yellow in color with a creamy body and delightful acidity. I drank this wine slowly because each sip was truly enjoyable. At just $9, it's a real steal!

Do you like Sav Blancs from New Zealand?

According to Wines of the World, the definition of Sauvignon Blanc is "a dry, crisp, and intensely aromatic variety with a firm streak of acidity." The 2009 bottling from Forefront by Pine Ridge Vineyards is exactly that. Although it's a textbook Sauvignon Blanc, it's far from boring and one of the best whites I've sipped in a while. It's a refreshing, clean wine with a rich body and tropical fruit aroma. The finish is smooth and lush, while the color is light butter. I paired it with a mixed green salad with blue cheese, but it's the sort of versatile white that can go with everything from grilled shrimp to roast chicken. At $16, it's an affordable bottle that's so wonderful, I would recommend it as a hostess gift.

Have you enjoyed any memorable Sauvignon Blancs recently?

Last month, I was floored by the drinkability of Babich's 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, and I've been obsessed with Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs ever since. Marlborough is New Zealand's premiere region for the grape; the sunny, cool, maritime climate is ideal for producing crisp, herbal wines.

A grocer at Trader Joe's recommended Kim Crawford to me, calling it "the standard" for New Zealand Sauv Blanc, and I have to agree with her. Its innocent straw color is deceptive; one sip reveals an intense, concentrated wine with grass, green apple, pear, and guava notes. The finish is off-dry, but leaves a memorable, lingering acidity at the back of the tongue.

For $15, an everyday white doesn't get much better than this. Have you ever tried Kim Crawford? What's your go-to white?

Last Monday, I went out for dinner at a nearby restaurant. As luck would have it, all the wines were half off, so we asked our server to pick something for us. Her choice? A 2009 Babich Sauvignon Blanc, from the Marlborough Region of New Zealand.

I was surprised anything so young could be this good. It smelled like passionfruit, with a hint of guava, and on first sip, was slightly effervescent yet creamy at the same time. It ended with a tart finish. As time passed, notes of pear seemed to take over on the nose and the front of the palate.

I love wines that evolve right before my eyes as I'm drinking them. Have you ever had a similar experience?

I ate plenty of thick-skinned, giant pomelos in my youth, but it wasn't until Aspen this Summer that I had my first taste of Pomelo wine. Ever since, the refreshing white has been my go-to everyday Sauvignon Blanc.

Produced by California's Mason Cellars, Pomelo is made entirely out of Sauvignon Blanc grapes — but with its effervescent, citrus-peel aromas and pineapple flavors, the wine could've fooled me into thinking it had real fruit.

My favorite part? At $10 a bottle, I never have to think twice about picking up as many bottles as I want at my neighborhood wine store. Have you ever tried Pomelo? What other Sauvignon Blancs do you prize for their extreme value?