Summer afternoons are designed for rosé. Pinot gris and chardonnay poolside sound divine. Backyard grilling calls for a deep, luscious red, but for my money, nothing beats the passion fruit that reminds me of hiking the 11 mile Kalalau trail on the Na Pali coastline of Kauai, Hawaii: a cold glass of sauvignon blanc, preferably from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, please and thank you.
Sauvignon blanc is made in interesting ways all over the world, from the traditional Loire Valley region of France to the southwestern tip of Africa. But the medium-bodied, asparagus characteristics of New Zealand’s sauvignon blanc takes me back to a vacation balanced with intense hiking days and lazy beach days much the same way as this wine balances its high acidity with tropical fruit notes.
While there’s plenty of sauvignon blanc coming out of California, it’s often oaked with notes of minerality, which remind me more of a chardonnay than the crisp, fruit-forward sauvignons I enjoy.
For a regional switch up, the Casablanca Valley of Chile is making this varietal in much the same style as New Zealand, albeit not with the same reputation of this down-under neighbor.
As with other whites, in which the bright acidity is a premier flavor component, a recent vintage is preferred.
• Fire Road, Marlborough, 2014 Sauvignon Blanc ($13): Fire Road has a great story about the worst fire that swept through the Marlborough region, killing livestock and threatening vineyards, which explains its “burned” label. This dry wine is set off by its passion fruit and gooseberry aromas.
Gooseberry is another common sauvignon blanc descriptor. About the size of a blueberry, gooseberries are green and remind me a bit of a small tomatillo, which makes sense because they’re in the same family.
Fire Road sauvignon blanc is a great wine to have with grilled asparagus or even a salmon-pasta salad tossed with garden-fresh zucchini and a lemon-Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
• Jules Taylor Wines, Marlborough, 2014 Sauvignon Blanc ($13.50): Another passion fruit-led wine with some ripe stone fruit on the finish, this earned 92 points from Wine Enthusiast, making it a great value for the price. How about some grilled halibut topped with caramelized onions or even grilled salmon with mango salsa?
• Brisandes, Casablanca Valley, 2014 Sauvignon Blanc ($13): Chile is becoming known for its sauvignon blanc, but since it’s not as widely known as Marlborough or even California, there are some wonderful deals to be had from this region. This bottle definitely contains more citrus than tropical fruit (lime and green apple) notes. I’d pair this will Mexican food, which makes me think it also would be nice with snapper, lobster or crab. Goat cheese is an excellent appetizer idea, and grilled zucchini with rosemary chicken would be a stand-out dinner option.
Viki Eierdam is a Clark County native who lives in Battle Ground. She is certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Read the Corks & Forks blog at blogs.columbian.com/corks-and-forks
