Synopsis, Our Opinion: An “Okay” grocery store New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Producer/Winery: Nebilo Wines, Healdsburg, California.
Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc.
Geographic Appellation, Region, Country: Marlborough; South Island, New Zealand.
Vintage: 2020
Price: $8.35 (with a 25% mixed case discount)
Purchased From: Harris Teeter Grocery Store; Kernersville, North Carolina.
Paired With: Mexican Tamale pie
Tasting:
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Note: Every now and again, when we find a good sale, we purchase wine we know nothing about from the grocery store. This is one of those sale-price “pig in a poke” grocery store wines. Generally we try to get non-domestic brands simply because we have been disappointed so frequently with sweet, poor quality wines…especially the reds. However, occasionally we get lucky and discover a real winner…a wine with excellent quality that’s sold at a very low price…e.g. La Vieille Ferme Recolte Blanc 2019.
Chilled before drinking. Clear, just about colorless with a tiny bit of green tint. Without question it was New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc right from the first sniff. Lots of gooseberry with a tad of ripe melon and citrus aromas. Fresh, tangy and off-dry mouthfeel, light to medium body and a 100-grit texture. The flavors were gooseberry dominated with lesser ripe honey dew melon, ripe peach, lemon and peppery spice. Lots of fresh edgy acidity with a bitter medium length spicy finish. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc through and through with lots of gooseberry that slowly give way to melon flavors and bitter tastes. On the positive side this was filed with a large assortment of fresh flavors, but the off-dry character became more prevalent as the wine warmed and the dominating gooseberry was a real distractor. We both said it was satisfying with the Mexican dinner, but just tolerable…at best, when sipping without food. In the end we called it an “Okay” grocery store New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Photo from Nobilo.
Comments: Learn more about Nebilo and their wines.
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Closure: screw cap.
UPC Code: 0 81434 31530 4
Imported by: Constellation Imports; Acampo, California.