This is our first 2011 wine to review and it is encouraging to see a wine this young taste so good. Well it is not really all that young in the life span of a Sauvignon Blanc because when wines come from the Southern hemisphere they are harvested in April or May at the latest. A good piece of information to consider if you are comparing any Southern Hemisphere (South African, Australian, New Zealand, Chilean or Argentinean) wine to an American or European wine prior to purchase or deciding what to bring up for dinner dependent on maturity. But on to the task at hand and that would be reviewing this wine.

Fresh, refreshing and crisp this Sauvignon Blanc has all the good attributes of New Zealand wines of this varietal from this region without any overpowering feline expressions. Straw and grapefruit aromas leap from the glass and the initial expression on the palate is tropical and quite soft for a wine with a clear cut level of acidity that is present but not too forward. Mouthfeel is pleasant and the finish cleans the palate efficiently. The citrus component in this wine calls out for shellfish and we paired it with a clean citrus and scallion crab salad placed inside crispy sesame wonton cups topped with creamy avocado and wasabi sauce. Although it is summer down under here, it is a typical Willamette Valley fall shifting towards our coldest season of the year. This pairing was transcendent enough to block out any thoughts of the impending early darkness that has arrived and transport you back a couple of months or to your last trip to a sunny beach. Any wine that can do that is something worth trying and keeping some on-hand whenever you may need a little cheering up.

Rating: Very Good (89) | $11 | 13.0% ABV

Find this wine to buy: Vinquire | WineZap.com