Unusual varieties and blends turned up for this tasting along with a few gewurztraminers which are increasingly rare these days.
Sauvignon gris, a relative of sauvignon blanc that's a variety in its own right, two sauvignon blanc pinot gris blends, an example of the Italian variety arneis, and the Austrian gruner veltliner.
BEST UNDER $20
(about $17)
A blend of two popular varieties, this has enough sauvignon blanc (70%) to make it intense and lively and enough pinot gris (30%) to give it fullness in the mouth.
Lightly fragrant with adryish finish.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Average value
BEST VALUE
(about $23)
Seductively rich and fragrant, oozing lychees, silky and mouthfilling with a lovely long finish, at two years old this is drinking beautifully.
- Four and a half stars (out of five)
- Good value
(about $24)
Fragrant with hints of roses, lychees and eau de cologne, a hint of butterscotch and nuts, this is textural with a slight bitterness that helps it partner food.
- Three and a half stars (out of five)
- Average value
(about $25)
A northwestern Italian white variety, arneis is now being made by a few New Zealand producers.
It hints of pear, almond, ripe cox's orange and aniseed and cinnamon, and is mouthfilling with a lovely, dry finish.
- Four stars (out of five)
- Good value
(about $25)
A white variety from Austria, this is fragrant, spicy and medium sweet with hints of greengage and peach, intense and mouthfilling with a crisp finish.
- Three and a half stars (out of five)
- Average value
(about $35)
Sauvignon gris shares much of the lively green fruit of its cousin sauvignon blanc, but perhaps without the sometimes aggressive character.
This is lightly pungent, fresh with hints of mineral and citrus and a crisp, zesty finish.
- Four stars (out of five)
- Average value
ANOTHER GLASS
Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Gris 2010
(about $16)
A blend of 80% sauvignon blanc and 20% pinot gris results in hints of green fruit and apleasant roundness in the mouth, this is a simple, medium sweet wine.
- Two and a half stars (out of five)
- Average value
Two stars - simple, clean, enjoyable wine; three stars - good wine with varietal characteristics; four stars - very good wine with some outstanding characteristics; five stars- outstanding wine with balance and harmony that leaves you with a sense of wonder.
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective.
These are personal recommendations.
