Nice And Naughty

Nice And Naughty is a Sauvignon Blanc made under the Esplanda label in Massachusetts, so it comes from a cool, maritime-influenced New England climate. That is a different setting from the Marlborough and Loire benchmarks. Cooler-climate Sauvignon Blanc usually keeps its acidity high and its fruit on the citrus and green side. Expect a crisp, dry-leaning white with grapefruit, lime zest and green apple. Gooseberry, cut grass or fresh herbal notes are common in the grape, and a light mineral or saline edge is possible. Body should be light to medium, with no tannin to speak of. Unless the label says otherwise, assume stainless steel fermentation and no noticeable oak. In that style the finish is clean and fairly short, and the acidity is what makes you want another sip. The bright acidity and herbal lift make this bottle a good match for dishes built on salt, fat or green flavors. Steamed or fried shellfish are the obvious choices. New England clams, mussels and oysters suit a regional wine like this, and so does a baked haddock with lemon and butter. The wine also works with fresh goat cheese, a salad dressed in vinaigrette, asparagus, and pesto or herb-heavy pasta. Sauvignon Blanc tends to hold up against ingredients that overwhelm softer whites, such as tomatillo salsa, cilantro, or a Thai-style green curry with moderate heat. A very sweet or heavily spiced sauce would overpower it. Serve it cold, at about 45 to 50°F, which is a few hours in the refrigerator or around 30 minutes in an ice bucket. Colder than that and the aromatics go quiet. Much warmer and the wine can taste loose and flabby. Decanting isn't needed, because a wine in this style has no tannin structure to soften. Pour it straight from the bottle into a medium-sized white wine glass with a slightly tapered rim. That shape keeps the citrus and herbal aromas concentrated without letting them fade. Treat this as a drink-now bottle. Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc is at its best in the first couple of years after release, while the fruit is still vivid, and it rarely improves with long cellaring. Keep it somewhere cool and out of direct light until you chill it, and drink it within a year or two of purchase for the freshest result.