Groth Sauv Blanc

This Sauvignon Blanc comes from Massachusetts, a cool-climate region where the grape's natural acidity tends to stay high. The listing doesn't give a vintage, alcohol level or tasting notes, so what follows is what Sauvignon Blanc grown in a cooler place typically shows, not a measured profile of this bottle. Expect a dry, light- to medium-bodied white with citrus and green-fruit character: lime, grapefruit, green apple and gooseberry, often with a grassy or cut-herb edge. Whites like this are usually made without noticeable oak, so the texture should be crisp and clean, with no tannin to speak of and a brisk, refreshing finish. That acidity makes it a good match for food. Fresh goat cheese, feta and other tangy cheeses suit it, as do oysters, steamed clams and lightly pan-fried fish. Dishes built on herbs or sharp flavors also work well: asparagus, a green salad with lemon vinaigrette, pesto pasta, or chicken with salsa verde. It cuts through fried food, so fish and chips or calamari are good partners. For spicier dishes, Thai or Vietnamese salads with lime and cilantro are a natural fit. Very rich cream sauces and heavily smoked meats will overwhelm it. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F, which is about three hours in the refrigerator or thirty minutes in an ice bucket. Colder than that and the aromatics go quiet, while a warm glass makes the acidity feel sharp. It doesn't need decanting. Pour it straight from the bottle into a standard white wine glass or a slightly narrower Sauvignon Blanc glass, which concentrates the citrus and herbal aromas and keeps the wine cooler while you drink. Treat it as a drink-now bottle. Unoaked, high-acid Sauvignon Blanc is made for freshness and generally loses its vivid fruit rather than gaining complexity over time. Drink it within a year or two of purchase and finish an opened bottle within a few days, with the cork or a stopper in and the bottle in the refrigerator.