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03/13/2002 Archived Entry: "Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2001"

Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2001 is a new addition to the expanding array of New Zealand wines available in our marketplace. Upon first tasting it last week, I was taken by its freshness, its "newly mowed grass" aroma, and its full, clean mouthfeel. It felt like sipping a bit of springtime.

Marlborough is the largest wine producing region in New Zealand. It receives the longest hours of sunlight in the country, and has ample amounts of rainfall. These conditions help bring out the best in the grape variety, capturing its wild or, as the French call it, sauvage character. Hence the name sauvignon.

The Wairau Valley, the particular area of Marlborough where this wine is grown, is protected by the Richmond Mountain Range, of which Mount Riley is a peek, which explains the name of the producer.

Sauvignon Blanc is never too oaky or overpowering, which makes it good drinking even without food to accompany it. Still, it’s a good wine to drink with Easter ham, or for an Easter brunch.

Average retail price $14.99, making it more of a wine splurge than a wine buy. Imported by Caravelle Wine Selections, New York.

-Carol A. Berman