The Daily Sip: enjoying a first-rate sauivgnon blanc from South Australia

I’m sitting around on a wonderfully pleasant autumn afternoon, charcoal grill firing up, kids occupied, new puppy calm. I’m having a taste of a mouth tingling sauvignon blanc that I know will match well with the cut-up chicken (from a local farm) that I’m about to grill after marinating it in lemon, white wine, olive oil and herbes de Provence. The wine is from South Australia,  Wakefield Wines’ 2009 Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc. It’s nicely balanced with notes of green apple, lime, passion fruit, gooseberry and a touch of vanilla framed by a “vibrant acidity,” to borrow a phrase from the bottle’s back label.

This one, while on the fresh and racy side, is slightly de-tuned from many New Zealand sauvignons, which should make it broadly appealing to devotees of the grape. It also reinforces what I have known for some time, that Australia is making some first-rate sauvignons that remain largely overshadowed by regions that are better known for the variety. Beyond citrus-marinated chicken, enjoy this $17 wine with simple fish and shellfish dishes and sushi. Alcohol is 13 percent. Imported by American Wine Distributors, South San Francisco, California. Received as a press sample.

del.icio.us Tags: Wakefield Wines,Wakefield Sauvignon Blanc,Adelaide Hills,Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc,South Australia,Australian Sauvignon blanc,American Wine Distributors,Edward Deitch