David Lawrason’s Weekly Wine Pick: a refined take on New Zealand’s signature white grape
David Lawrason’s Weekly Wine Pick: a refined take on New Zealand’s signature white grape
Villa Maria 2011 Sauvignon Blanc
$15.95 | Marlborough | 91 points
One the great buys at the LCBO seems to get better every year, striking a calmer, more refined approach to New Zealand’s signature grape.
The taste: The 2011 has a piquant, lifted nose of nettles, celery, dill, orange-grapefruit citrus and passion fruit—like a tropical fruit and citrus salad. It’s generous, intense and fresh, with just the right sweet-and-sour balance, a touch of CO2 liveliness and a very long herbal, citrus and mineral finish.
How to drink it: Chill well for casual sipping. Pairs nicely with Asian cuisine.
FINALLY you get it right!
When I lived in NZ this was my go to “plonk” – at $4.99 a bottle it was hard to beat. I still buy it at $15.95 but I always leave the LCBO with that gouged feeling :-)
Great to Basilsk is still enjoying our Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc here in Canada. Our Private Bin wine in New Zealand is $19.99 full shelf price at all major stockist. It may be possible that you were enjoying Riverstone Sauvigon Blanc, which is another wine produced by Villa Maria, they are two completely different wines. The Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc was just rated Top 50 Best Value for Money wines in the LCBO.