Dare I say it, but is the fashion for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on the wane?
A wine course group were lukewarm towards a super-zippy Kiwi ‘Sav’ recently. I was taken aback when my girlfriends turned down a second bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon when out to dinner recently. We opted instead for a Sauvignon de Touraine, which was much more restrained, elegant, lower in acidity and easier to drink.
This wine up until recently was a textbook rarity, as students of WSET wine courses learned about this region in the Loire valley, hailed as ‘bargain-basement’ Sancerre (flinty, grassy), but rarely saw it on sale.
There are now several excellent labels of this wine in Ireland, particularly in restaurants. The new & lovely Mulberry Garden restaurant (formerly Ernie’s in Donnybrook) has a tasty Domaine de la Girardiere. Others to look out for (in specialist retailers) Le Grand Vincent and Le Petiot, both of which are about €12.50. For a food and wine experience, match it with St. Maure de Touraine goat’s cheese (produced nearby), in season right now. Pick some up in your local market or deli. I like mine flashed under a hot grill, and annointed with a splash of pesto and pine nuts.
Other good value French Sauvignons are Bergerac Sec (Wines Direct have Chateau des Eyssards at under €10), and Cotes du Duras (Honore de Berticot is €11 per bottle in Searsons, independent retailers and pops up a lot on restaurant wine lists). You can also look out for Languedoc Vin de Pays (B&G is under €10 in Super Valu). These styles feature pear and apple fruits, with moderate acidity, and are elegant enough to drink on their own.
Many of these wines are bottled with screwcap, to ensure quality, and they should be drunk within a couple of years, to enjoy their freshness.
