Sauvignon Blanc


Leeuwin Estate Art Series Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Margaret River, Australia (£15.99-£18.99 Domaine Direct, Fortnum & Mason, Highbury Vintners, House of Menzies, Luvians Bottle Shop, Uncorked, Winedirect) Quite light in body but full of flavour – smoky, nutty tinned pear, like Bordeaux Sauvignon, plus tangy, flinty Loire-like gooseberry character. Crisp but luscious, […]

Sauvignon Blanc from Australia, New Zealand & South Africa


Recorded with unjustified optimism before the England v US game… Montana Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand (£7.99 Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s Morrisons, Asda) Refined, quite elegant style for Marlborough, with a lean stony character to the citrus and lemongrass flavours; good tense minerally finish too. S- De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc […]

Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc


McHenry Hohnen Semillon Sauvignon 2009, Margaret River, Western Australia (£9.99-£10.99 – see below for vast list of stockists) A touch of green pepper and citrus, but it’s English summer fruit flavours that dominate – apples, pears, and rhubarb – with all being kept in check by a spine of fresh […]

Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio? Plus Chenin and WA SSB ...



Montes Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Curicó, Chile (£6.50 www.qpwines.com) Clean and fresh, slight lime and lemon jelly, zippy and zesty, with a touch of river pebble, a simple but honest style. C+ Montes Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Leyda, Chile (£9.40 www.qpwines.com) A mixture of lushness, warmer and rounder, a touch […]

Three Chileans, One Washingtonian – all white


Quite a way to go before these are on a par with the reds (see here and here for a couple of recent videos on Argentine reds) Septima Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Mendoza (£6.99 Codorníu UK) Not a taut, buttock clencher, almost nutty Bordeaux style, quite rounded, light citrus, hint of […]

A quartet of Argentine whites


Ferngrove “Symbols” Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2009, Frankland River, Western Australia (£8.99-£9.50 Seckford Agencies) Crisp, grassy, herby, with the Semillon adds punchy pungent weight to the citrussy treble notes of Sauvignon. Nice seafood style. B+ Leaping Lizard Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Western Australia (£7.99-£8.50 Seckford Agencies) Not as immediate and forward as the […]

Semillon – a very fine swan indeed