Twelfth Night Sauvignon Blanc

Twelfth Night Sauvignon Blanc comes from Esplanda and carries a Massachusetts appellation, which is unusual for a variety most shoppers associate with Marlborough, the Loire or California. The label gives no tasting profile, so what follows describes what Sauvignon Blanc typically does and what to expect from grapes grown in a cool New England climate. It is not a measured profile of this bottle. Sauvignon Blanc is a dry, high-acid white. Expect citrus (lime, grapefruit, lemon zest), green notes such as cut grass or green apple, and sometimes a touch of passion fruit or white peach. Cool-climate examples tend toward the crisper, more herbal end of that range, with a light-to-medium body, brisk acidity, no meaningful tannin, and a clean, fairly short-to-medium finish. Most Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel and sees little or no oak. Check the back label if the oak treatment matters to you. That acidity makes the wine a natural match for salty and tangy foods. Fresh goat cheese, feta, oysters, steamed mussels, shrimp, and grilled white fish all work, as do dishes built around fresh herbs like dill, tarragon, cilantro, or basil. It also suits salads with vinaigrette, asparagus, and green vegetables, which many wines handle poorly. Lemon-forward chicken and Thai or Vietnamese dishes are good matches too. Very rich cream sauces or heavily spiced red-meat dishes will overwhelm it. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F, which is a couple of hours in the refrigerator or about 30 minutes in an ice bath. Decanting is not needed. A standard white wine glass with a moderately narrow bowl will concentrate the citrus and herbal aromas. Wines in this style are generally made to be opened young, so plan to drink it within a year or two of purchase rather than cellaring it.