Every posting I've had on this blog, ended with my following week's suggestion. According to my last posting, today I'm suppose to talk about Jam. But I've had a revelation.
As far as I'm concerned there are only three good things to come out of New Zealand: lamb chops, Lord of The Rings and All Blacks rugby. In the past I tasted a bunch of New Zealand wines, but none of them made an impression on me. I've sold a bunch, pushed them to my clients, talked their ears off, but I never found one good enough to spend money on. Especially the high prices they go for nowadays. Until last night.
Since my wife got pregnant a few months ago, we only eat fish once a week. Last night, I bought a couple of pieces of cod, cooked them and then went through my wine collection looking for something to drink. Somehow, from one my tastings the week before a bottle of New Zealand sauvignon blanc made his way on my shelf. I am the only one drinking, so I figured: What the hell?! I don't wanna open something better, so I'll give it a shot.
Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc is the bottle that set me straight about New Zealand wines. What a wake up call! I will never talk smack about them again. I don't know much about the producers, except that they are in Marlborough area and they are geniuses. The wine was not crazy mineral, which most wines from the region are, it tasted like grapefruit, blackcurrants and Granny Smith apples. I can honestly say, that I do not remember Sauvignon Blanc with a finish that long; I actually counted, and 20 seconds later I could still tasted it on my palate. Wow!!!
The wine is really not expensive, $15-$16 on the shelf. If you see it, buy it, you will not regret it. I've had $40 SBs from New Zealand that I hated.
Pairing? Fish. I cooked my cod with fresh tomatoes, onions, a lot of parsley and a squeeze of lemon, sort of like a marequiara sauce. The tomatoes complimented it, the lemon brought out the wine's acidity, the onions the sweetness, and the parsley I just happen to like a lot.
So, unless I find a bottle of Greek wine this week, that will change my mind about them, my next week's suggestion is gonna be Sophia Cabernet from Chile, one of my all-time favorites.
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