It's not often I talk about what I consider "main stream" wine: wine you can get just about anywhere, no matter how large or small the shop. In our case, we are so small every wine slot counts. We have to be even more choosey when it comes to our selection. We are equally careful not to pack our shelves with things you CAN, in fact, get anywhere; our brand is built around finding unique, harder to find, boutique selections.
Except when it comes to the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. This is a wine I have no issue 'giving up' a slot to. I think it is absolutely delicious. The fact that the price came down a couple of dollars this year makes me even more gleeful about it - it was pushing my limits previously at $19.99.
I had the pleasure of meeting the man behind the magic, Mr. Crawford himself, just about a year ago. I tasted through every wine available in the MA market. And there are a LOT. I could appreciate and enjoy most, with a couple of rare exceptions that were just a bit too weird, honestly. Yet at the end of the day, for the value, I still think the basic level Sauvi is the way to go.
It offers up a beautiful bouquet of gooseberries, sunflowers and freshly cut grass. The palate is rich for a Saugivnon Blanc - maybe at a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being water and 10 being a glass milk. The gooseberry, pink grapefruit, lemon-lime and grassy flavors coalesce in your mouth. I particularly enjoy the somewhat briney, sea-like and deliciously long finish.
Try pairing this bad boy with any kind of fish, summer salad or... grilled chicken. Just a couple of days ago I whipped up a quick, off-the-cuff recipe of grilled chicken (marinated in plain yogurt, paprika and a dash of red pepper), topped with a soft nectarine salsa. Stupendous.
This is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with flare. Lots of it.
How does the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc stack up in your wine world?