I Have Come To Appreciate White Wines More....

In the past, I was never a big fan of wine. It took too much work and lots more money than beer. But as of late, the past two years, I have come to enjoy a variety of wines both red and white. I started with drinking reds and then moved onto whites, particularly during the warmer summer months. I have really come to appreciate the Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand for their zesty flavors and aromas. In this article, Bloomberg writer gives some reviews of the 2004 crop.

Sauvignon blanc -- once known as a white wine grape with a green, grassy character and refined, aromatic nose -- was best exemplified by the sancerres and pouilly fumes of France's Loire Valley. Over the last few years, it's become something very different.

New Zealand's style, with intense tropical fruit flavors and aromas, has now become the new standard for the varietal, thanks to a great deal of hype in the wine press.

A couple of years ago, I spent a couple of weeks in the Loire Valley, taking in the sights and enjoying some of their wines. By the side of the road, they have these tasting caves and we had the chance to taste and buy some truly wonderful wines there too. The wines are not as spunky as the New Zealand varieties but are wonderful in the summertime too. Its just not that easy to find good ones here in Asia since the the vineyards are typically small and do not have a global presence like some of the New Zealand ones do.

The writer also mentions... Goldwater Estates New Dog 2004 (a pricey $20; http://www.goldwaterwine.com )... a wine that I had during a special gourmet dinner one night earlier this year. This one just punches, actually assaults one's nose with high fruity tones. Its delightful and I have a few bottles in my wine fridge. Cheers.