Since Punxsutawney Phil told us we’re going to have a short winter, I decided to go with a wine that’ll be great in the summertime: the 2014 Matua Sauvignon Blanc.

It comes from the Marlborough region of New Zealand — famous for producing Sauvignon Blancs. The wine is a 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc with all of the grapes coming from the region, measuring in with a 13 percent alcohol by volume.

Being a white wine, it is pretty light in color with only a hint of yellow. On the nose, it is very floral. The bouquet isn’t overpowering, but it’s enough to make your mouth water for the taste. I smelled a hint of citrus and lemongrass somewhere in there.

When you get to take a taste, you’re in for a treat. Matua’s review is spot on when it describes it as “refreshingly good” with “vibrant citrus and pineapple flavors with great length and structure.” I intentionally didn’t look at their review until I evaluated it for myself, and I came up with pretty similar tasting notes, with the addition of a buttery feel. Sticking with the tropical trend, I got a lot of citrus notes, specifically grapefruit and pineapple. I’d say it definitely has a tropical zest.

The wine is sweet, but not overpowering like a Moscato. It’s a bit on the acidic side — you’ll feel it at the finish, but it’s nothing crazy.

The 2014 Matua Sauvignon Blanc is definitely not a wine you’d want to enjoy with a thick steak or on a cold wintery night. However, try it with a filet of salmon or fish with a lemon-garlic sauce. The two will complement each other beautifully and really knock your socks off. You could also pour a glass to accompany a pasta dish with a white sauce, as it’ll go well with that, too.

Once winter decides to leave — could be in March, could be in June — this is a great bottle of wine to bring to a barbecue or picnic. Enjoy a glass with some friends on a nice warm and sunny day. An added bonus: The bottle is simple and elegant. It doesn’t have any crazy designs or weird fonts — rather, it is very classy looking bottle, for a great price of just $10–$12 a bottle.

So when the time comes and you’re looking for a great white wine, try and get your hands on a bottle of Matua — you won’t regret it.

Published on February 11, 2016 at 12:01 am