I'm going to New Zealand. I love Sauvignon Blanc. I hate grapefruit juice. Help.

Please.

Dan Kravitz

Can I suggest:

Drink Sauvignon Blanc
Avoid Grapefruit juice

You’re welcome

Try Tinpot Hut SB. The '08 was fabulous (but no idea how it’s aged or if it’s still available), the '13 very good but not at the same level.

Also try Kumeu River Chard (esp Hunting Hill). Trust me.

It’s lucky that we don’t have a grapefruit glut at the moment… And you’ll be pleased to know that NZ makes one or two wines other than SB that are worth trying. What’s your itinerary in terms of wine regions?

I second the Kumeu River Chardonnays!!!

Why not try Dog Point for Sauvignon Blanc?
Also, NZ makes killer Rieslings

How about Pinot Noir?

Trying too hard to be funny, so not clear:

Are there any Sauvignon Blancs in New Zealand that have little or no flavor of grapefruit juice? I love grassy, hay-ey, herbal Sauvignon Blancs, even with a touch of cat pee as long as there is very little or preferably no aromas or flavors of grapefruit.

Yes, I plan to drink Riesling and Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and try other things.

Thanks.

Dan Kravitz

I don’t recall any grapefruit notes in the Tinpot Hut.

Wasn’t picking up any ‘grapefruit juice’ descriptors during a recent tasting outing in Marlborough. But most of the wines I tried were from Wairau Valley fruit, I think Awatere wines can show more grapefruit/gooseberry type notes, although I note some Wairau summaries talk about grapefruit! Ah well.

For SB (and others), try Dog Point, Spy Valley, Seresin, Framingham and Fromm. Enjoy NZ!

Dan,

I can’t really help with the NZ SBs because I don’t typically drink them. You’ll find plenty in NZ but I don’t think they’ll be radically different from what you get in the US (just a wider selection).

I’d suggest you look out for things that are only available in a trickle in the States eg Waiheke Island or Hawke’s Bay Syrahs, Kumeu SVs, Neudorf Moutere and other leading Chardonnays, top Martinborough and Bannockburn Pinot Noirs, Framingham, Pyramid Valley Rieslings etc.

I can be more specific about any of this if it is of interest including particular wines, wineries and wine shops to visit, depending on where you will be. Remember NZ is not a small country, it’s larger than Great Britain.

Enjoy your visit!

Cheers, Howard

Dan, I received the following email from a friend who is not a WBer …

Howard,

Apart from steering Dan toward other varieties, you might want to suggest he seek out the following SBs:
Clos Henri
Astrolabe - esp Kekerengu & Taihoa
Churton
Greywacke Wild Sauvignon
Rockburn Fume Blanc
All are more Loire than (what people think of as) Marlborough.

In terms of SB, would add Neudorf and Te Mata to the suggestions - both from somewhat different climate and therefore different flavour profile from “typical” Marlborough. There are also a number of “winemaker mucked around full malo barrel ferment” examples, which are unlikely to have grapefruit flavours. As Howard said, if you want some specific reccos for wines / wineries / restaurants let us know.

Sorry for the jest.
I must admit I can’t recall picking up Grapefruit in Sauvignon Blanc wines, so I’m guessing we have a difference in palate perception.
On that basis, take any of my recommendations with a pinch of salt.

Martinborough does seem to avoid the extremes of pungency and something like Palliser estate should be widely available to try. The oaked/prestige versions should also be safe ground, but can be quite different to the mainstream style Cloudy Bay’s Te Koko was a fore-runner and Te Mata’s Cape Crest not much later. More recently Greywacke’s wild sauvignon as an interesting variant - quite complex to my palate.

regards
Ian

Second Palliser being a good shout. Also Greywacke’s Wild Sauvignon Blanc has got a nice richness and is more apricot than grapefruit.

Having had a few of these, I think this is a fantastic list.

Dan, many (most?) that are not on this list that aren’t grapefruit-driven will be very tropical, which I am going to guess is also not your preference. Other than these, definitely check out other regions. When I went a few years ago, I visited wineries in Hawke’s Bay, Martinborough, and Central Otago. We drove through Marlborough without stopping. I think we did well.

Dan,
you should come to Styria/Austria instead …

http://www.austrianwine.com/our-wine/wine-growing-regions/steiermark-styria/

The SB’w I suggested are indeed leaning towards the tropical side. Which for me was quite enjoyable to see the evolving style as I hate the cat’s pee gooseberry SB’s. (Enjoyable being a relative term as I really never buy or drink SB, but as a kiwi, I’m often asked for suggestions or handed the wine list to choose one for those so inclined).

Agree with the list above, although I didn’t enjoy the Clos Henri SB’s this time around.

Thanks to all for the many replies.

My NZ schedule is not yet set, I haven’t even started. However this is primarily a family vacation, so winery visits will be somewhere between few and none.

Rauno E, thank you very much for your kind suggestion to contact you for recommendations. As soon as I know where I am going, I will do so. While the family in general finds visiting dentists or dry cleaners preferable to visiting wineries, good restaurants are always welcome.

Best regards,


Dan Kravitz

Thanks to all for the many replies.

My NZ schedule is not yet set, I haven’t even started. However this is primarily a family vacation, so winery visits will be somewhere between few and none.

Rauno E, thank you very much for your kind suggestion to contact you for recommendations. As soon as I know where I am going, I will do so. While the family in general finds visiting dentists or dry cleaners preferable to visiting wineries, good restaurants are always welcome.

Best regards,


Dan Kravitz

Dan, make sure you pass through Wellington. We will get together and have a night of fine wine with the locals. Mike