Frontera Sauv Blanc

Frontera Sauv Blanc is a Sauvignon Blanc from Massachusetts, bottled under the Esplanda label in a standard 750ml format. Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, unoaked-leaning white, and in a cool New England growing region you can expect the high-acid, lean style the grape is known for. Look for citrus-led fruit such as grapefruit, lime and green apple, with possible grassy or herbal edges. Styles like this are usually light to medium in body, dry, and finish clean and fairly short. Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine, so there is no tannin to speak of. If oak shows at all, it is typically subtle, because the grape is most often fermented and aged in stainless steel to keep its freshness. That bright acidity decides how to use the bottle. It cuts through richness and salt, which makes it a natural partner for goat cheese, feta, and fresh herb sauces built on parsley, dill or basil. It also suits raw and lightly cooked seafood such as oysters, steamed clams, scallops and grilled white fish, and it handles vinegar-dressed salads, asparagus and green vegetables that tend to clash with softer whites. For a New England table, fried clams or a simple lemon-butter haddock are good matches. Spicier dishes like Thai green curry or ceviche also work, because the acidity keeps the heat in check. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F, which is about two to three hours in the refrigerator or thirty minutes in an ice bucket. Straight from a very cold fridge it can taste muted, so let it sit a few minutes in the glass. There is no need to decant a wine of this style, and pouring it straight from the bottle keeps its aromatics intact. A standard white wine glass with a moderately narrow bowl is ideal, since it concentrates citrus and herbal aromas while holding the wine cool. Fill it only a third full so the wine stays chilled as you drink. Treat this as a drink-now bottle. Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc of this kind is made for freshness and generally peaks within a year or two of release, so there is little reason to cellar it. Once opened, recork it and keep it in the refrigerator, where it holds its character for about three to five days.