~$14US 100% Gewurztraminer, Nelson New Zealand

Nelson NZ is supposedly producing some interesting southern hemisphere Gewurztraminer and Riesling. Saw this on sale and took the plunge with some chinese food. Spicy and tropical fruits, with fine complexity. Balanced fresh acidity and a just touch of fruit ripeness. Bitey. Strange moth-wing/Raid note in the finish - not bad, just an added dimension. Definitely more mineral flavors than I expected, which is nice in offsetting the fruit. Paired beautifully with a citrusy sauce. An easy drinker that just smashed the Albrecht Gewurztraminer we tried a few weeks ago (which was cloying and off-balance). It was one of those wines that was gone before we knew it…A solid weeknight white and a fresh and well-crafted expression of the grape.

~US$20 100% Sauvigonon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

How does a great Sauvignon Blanc drink after 5 years?

Color: Very pale, some tiny bubbles
Nose: Fragrant - Mangos, pineapple, green tomatoes, some creamy notes as well
Palate: A flash of bright, fresh acidity, more mango and pineapple, canned sweet peas (Le Sueur) showing big on the midpalate
Finish: Short and abrupt, Asian plum candy

I have to admit, I haven’t had too many NZ Sauv blancs older than a few years, but I feel that this Isabel was unfortunately past it’s prime. While the nose showed a typical tropical flair, with some interesting green vegetable notes, the palate fell flat. The youthful zest and zing I usually expect with this wine was absent, and little else developed in it’s place. I hope to try an ‘06 to compare.