Little Gazelle Sauv Blanc

Little Gazelle Sauv Blanc is a Sauvignon Blanc from Massachusetts, bottled under the Esplanda label. The label doesn't give a vintage, alcohol level or tasting notes, so what follows describes what the grape and a cool New England origin usually produce. Sauvignon Blanc is a dry, high-acid white. Expect citrus (lime, grapefruit, green apple), plus herbal or grassy notes and perhaps a trace of gooseberry or passion fruit. A cool-climate origin like Massachusetts tends toward the crisper end of the style, with brisk acidity and a lean to medium body. Tannin isn't a factor in a white wine like this. Most Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel and sees little or no oak, so expect a clean, bright finish that ends on acidity instead of vanilla or toast. If this bottle has any barrel influence, it will show as a rounder texture. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F, which a couple of hours in the refrigerator will get you. Colder than that mutes the aromatics. Warmer, the acidity can seem loose and the herbal notes heavy. It doesn't need decanting. Pour it straight from the bottle into a medium-sized white wine glass with a slightly tapered rim, which concentrates the citrus and herbal aromas without letting them fade. At the table, that acidity suits dishes with a similar sharpness or fat to cut through. Fresh goat cheese, oysters and other raw shellfish, grilled shrimp, and seared scallops with lemon butter all work. So do green-herb preparations such as pesto, chimichurri or salads with vinaigrette, and light fish like cod or haddock. Spicy Thai and Vietnamese dishes with lime and cilantro are good matches too. This is a drink-now bottle. Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc is at its best young, while the fruit is lively, and it rarely gains anything from extended cellaring. Plan to open it within a year or two of purchase.