Mirror Lake Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - Cambridge Wine Merchants

New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is perhaps now a little passé in the UK these days - at least amongst the young, metropolitan "ordinary" wine-drinkers that I know.

Not quite as out of fashion as oaky Chardonnay, it definitely seems to be on the way down after a peak in the late noughties as people have moved on from the ripe, tropical, lush Sauvignons to something a little more restrained and cool-climate, often a Pinot Grigio.

At a tasting I gave for some colleagues last year (see here), however, it was a cool-climate Loire Sauvignon that was most appreciated amongst the whites, so any rumour of the death of Sauvignon would seem to be greatly exaggerated.

This Marlborough Mirror Lake Sauvignon Blanc Sauvignon from Cambridge Wine Merchants seems to be trying to take the best of both the New World and the Old to come up with something a bit different; pale in the glass, on the nose, it is highly aromatic with cut grass and nettles, but on the palate it feels intense with a crisp acidity that is balanced by good minerality on the finish.

It takes me a little by surprise - the aromatic nose suggests something rather lusher and fleshier will follow, yet the palate is unexpectedly restrained and subtle, and impresses more with its focus and balanced, dry finish rather than through the kind of easy-drinking you might be led to expect from the nose.

However, the end result works very well - focused, zippy and refreshing with lots of varietal aromas, this would match well with some classic goats cheese with aromatic and peppery rocket as a garnish.

£8.99 from Cambridge Wine Merchants (£7.26 when buying a case of 12); it is imported by Kingsland Wines.

Links

Cambridge Wine Merchants - http://www.cambridgewine.com/

Kinsland Wines - http://www.kingsland-wines.com/