Berserkers,
July 2016 has been the hottest July on record around the entire world and here in Ontario, Canada it feels like August is the same. It’s way too hot for sweet wines, reds and fuller-bodied whites like Alsacians and Chardonnays. So sparkling and Sauvignon Blanc are the absolute musts. I was introduced to Dog Point and Greywacke by fellow board member Mike Grammer and I went with the Dog Point this week to go along with some BBQ.
DOG POINT 2015 SAUVIGNON BLANC
SUMMARY: A superb upscale New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that is just about perfect. As refreshing as a white wine gets without dropping below 13% ABV.
I knew I was in for something good when the nose of this wine hit me. Rather than overwhelming grass and gooseberry aromas, I get a very subtle pink grapefruit peel aroma and I really have to nose hard to get it. In the glass, the wine is almost crystal clear but for a very light golden hay color that shows up under light.
On the palate, you have exceedingly clean flintiness with intense flavors of white grapefruit, gooseberry and grass with the fruit dominating far more than the grass. Acidity is exceedingly high and the finish is quite long. Superb balance. Mouthfeel is exceedingly crisp and clean. To be perfectly blunt, this kicks the crap out of any Sauvignon Blanc I’ve ever tried previously. It has the ripeness and fruit of a Cali Sauv Blanc but the crispness and high acidity of a Sancerre without the oak barrel aging.
Honestly it really doesn’t get any better than this SB and it hits the spot perfectly on a hot summer day. It’s a tad pricier than most SBs from anywhere at $24.95 CDN but it’s worth the premium. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and make sure it’s chilled down when you drink it.
