New Zealand builds reputation for sauvignon blanc

The signature wine of New Zealand, a signature being written worldwide, is sauvignon blanc.

Just as shiraz has become the signature wine of Australia, sauvignon blanc from New Zealand has earned respect in the wine-drinking world because of its distinctive grapefruit taste and acidity.

There are many different styles of making sauvignon blanc, from Sancerre to California, but New Zealand has used modern technology and a bit of aging in oak barrels to give it distinction.

Sauvignon blanc is the most versatile of white wines, a good companion to everything from chicken and pork to fish. A typical shelf life is only one to two years.

I asked my wine-tasting group to sample five New Zealand sauvignon blancs. Here is how they compared:

- 2002 Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc at $16.99. What a delightful wine. It had the grapefruit and acids we expected, but everything was in perfect balance.

There was some grassiness in the aroma but it came across as a fresh, lively, mouth-watering wine. The acids were there but didn't bite. The grapefruit tasted very ripe.

This was our favorite in the tasting.

- 2002 Craggy Range Winery Sauvignon Blanc at $19.99. This wine had a more muted aroma than the Dashwood, with hints of orange. It had a richer body, though, more restrained than lively, but easy drinking.

- 2002 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc at $17.99. The Nautilus showed an aroma of grass and lingonberries. In the mouth, it was slightly chalky but very dry like a Sancerre.

The acids were so strong, this wine definitely needed food. My tasters thought this wine would be great with oysters.

- 2002 Lawson's Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc at $15.99. The aroma had sulfur that eventually blew off, so you might wait a few minutes before drinking it. Then we picked up a nice grassiness.

This wine was not as lively nor well-balanced as the others.

- 2002 Giesen Sauvignon Blanc at $12.99. This wine has always been a great value for this price. The aroma offered oranges and tangerines. In the mouth, it had the lightest body of the five -- a very delicate wine. The texture though was soft and elegant. The finish was short.

For comparison's sake, I sampled some American sauvignon blancs:

- 2002 Huntington Earthquake Sauvignon Blanc at $12. Named after the earthquake that hit the Napa Valley in 2000, this wine had an aroma of grass, ripe melon and violets. The flavors filled the mouth with plenty of acids.

- 2001 Chateau Potelle Sauvignon Blanc at $15. This wine had a light body and was very dry. It had enough acids, though, to easily handle food.

- 2002 Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc at $16.50. Made in a more traditional style, this wine's aroma was full of grass with hints of citrus and minerals. In the mouth, it was clean and refreshing.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 or e-mailed to editor