New Zealand Sauvingon Blancs including Cloudy Bay

Hello everybody and welcome to Wine Library TV. I am your host Gary Vaynerchuk and this my friends is the Thunder Show AKA the internet, most passionate wine program and today we are going to be talking about a very interesting subject matter. You know it’s getting into the spring, this summer I’m going to New Zealand for a week. Mott, you know—I know you’re not coming on trip it makes me crazy, you want to come on the trip. It’s a long ass flight body but what I want to really talk about is premium. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, we’ve done Sauvignon blanc in Wine Library TV from New Zealand multiple times, as a matter of fact Mott link that up, let’s link up the last two or three times we’ve done each and such a total searching at top corner and see what you get. Always been a fascinating subject matter for me, there’s a really love, hate thing going on from the consumers at this point in the US of this product because a lot of people feel that they are too sugar pied candyiesc to grassy, too over the top on the flip side, it continues to grow in market share, we continue to sell more and more New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, very high in fruit, very crisp to a lot of people and a very easy drink in the summer time. Now, 70 years ago is really exciting because you can get these wines for six to eight to ten dollars a bottle max outside of the Classic Cloudy Bay which we have here on the show, they’ve really kind of crept up to the $10.00- $15.00 range now for the premium stuff you could probably gets some stuff under ten but what we have here is to re classic brands many different reasons Allan Scott and we talked about when we had Mr. Arnold on the show and we wrote a book about Allan Scot, we’ve done Allan Scott prior Chasing Venus, I almost in positive. We’ve done a prior vintage and I loved it. I could be wrong about this one but the most positive and then the wine they put the whole darn country on the map. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, the first Sauvignon Blanc I remember being really you know passionate about, everybody wanted it; it was at the cover of the wine spectator back in the late 90s which really started the New Zealand revolution in the US, 94 point score you know everybody said what is this wine? Prior to that really the only New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that was ask for in our store was the more in black label. They carried some sort of tradition and sought act on this, that means anything but, Cloudy Bay is probably be single moisture quested white wine at wine library still, it is still a top 15 searched item on winelibrary.com. It is a beast of a brand and we’re going to put it to the challenge that I as an ’07 up against this two 2008 that we have here as well and talk about food pairings. What we think about of this wines and I’m really excited, notice all three and we top it. Let’s read some comments Matt what do you think? BF said, to our lovely March Manage show on Friday, hey Gary like that Alaska comments there I’ve been watching since episode 60 or so. Learn the ton favorite college is George Town too bad they sucked this year. You know I have a little love for Georgetown because of Mr. Patrick Ewing but Bobby Tiger says love the blind tasting at 50 few, you’re way too young to remember putting cigarettes in the slee on your dirty t shirt. Sorry I forgot you leave in New Jersey and James Madison University go heels for Bobby Tiger. Green Pea, I like that name, I love that Michigan state took a dirt nap. Go buck eyes, great show love the blind tasting. Young Dave one of the original Vayniacs, Mott, big fan of his, question of the day my life and this was what is your favorite college, my life would be very different today without the guidance of my alma matter, Emerson College, young Dave doing his thing in LA in the wine scene. And Snarff was the first time that came in yesterday and he said top five and that’s what they do, pay attention. So let’s go the first wine the Allan Scott, this is one of the alma matter that was kind of weird like my brain just thought that was interesting. Allan Scott 2008 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, 12 bones, this winery we’ve talked about at length if you’re curious and interested in that kind of scenario, Mott definitely link up the—you remember he was on the show with this New Zealand book and what was that called, My First Crush. Very good Mott, I am sure that is correct. 12 bones always like wines that are 12 bones because that is Joe Willy name its number so you know any Jet Band should love $12.00. Very light in color, nothing to crazy let’s give it a sniffy sniff because that’s what we do, right at the back you know its like classic in your face bouquet I mean these wines are never aromatically challenged. If you love the nose as much as I do these wines bring thunder in that scenario, no doubt, they are intense. There is no mistake what this wine is in a blind tasting. Right away you’re like that as so much to maybe a South African Sauvingon Blanc but probably not there’s classic grassiness, exploding on the nose. I get a little fig action on the nose which I like a little bit as well and there’s also almost like you know a not a lot I want to say fabreeze but its not fabreezy but its so aromatic, its almost like a maybe like a tile cleaner, something that has a little bit like of a lemon scent. So it’s a little mister clean like to me in that way but the grasses coming through, a little lemon peel as well very, very aromatic wine. Let’s give it a whirl. 13% alcohol content, you know not coming through at all which is great at room temperature, a little steele have a little aluminum action coming on and now I’m picking on the back end, almost like actually yeah, it’s very aluminum like. I remember it’s like taking a baseball bat cutting a bunch of lemons up and then like squirting them all over the back and then licking that back, that’s what this taste and clearly you are playing college baseball, no aluminum bats for the pros. So I’m getting that very steely lemony kind of play, kind of basic good mid-palate transition. So it will give you this wine not but it gets a little austere and awkward on the finish that is super excited about that. Let me give it one more shot. Textbook classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc but, unfortunately for me I feel like I can get this kind of style at $7.00 to $10.00 of bottles. So at 12, even though I’m not being raked by the price I don’t feel it delivers the quality price ratio that I maybe looking for. To me this is an 586 point wine kind of basic, well structured but lacking any charisma or anything outside the box that I can probably get again from that $7.00 to $10.00 play in New Zealand and that kind of makes me sad and a little bit bored and then just that it so Mott that is it, it is all I got. Let’s move on. Chasing Venus, 2008 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, this wine rolls in at $14.00 and let’ see what this little bad boy has again, Mott do you remember I’m almost positive that we’ve had this wine in the show. I think I really, really like it in a big like six or seven New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc tasting but, I remember being like passion fruit, but remember being different let’s see if that holds true, lets give it a sniffy sniff again. Callers pretty much in the same ballpark, you know this is even more grassy, intensity I mean this really feels like I just mode the lawn, pick up or loose I just stock it directly in my nose, there is a lot of grass coming through. There’s also a little bit of like a deal component on this which I kind of like and also if—let me give me one more shot. Yeah, it’s coming through, like almost, like a sugared jalapeño action. So I get a little bit of like hot peppery thing going on but, its of kind of rounded like almost like cantaloupe juice, very sugary kind of fruity, cantaloupe definitely the grass thing going through. Do you like intense I kind of like this nose but its not that what I remembered, again I thought it was more like a passion fruit, like a different kind of play. This is not; this is more again textbook New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc out. Let’s give it a whirl. First and foremost a completely different experience, then the Allan Scott, it’s got more weight, there’s more of viscosity, there’s more structure. It’s just thicker, I would say like kind of like milk to water in your mouth that thickness is more like orange juice, it’s a little thinner than the milk, you know just but, its definitely heavier. This was just wateresc, this is not, this has a little bit more beef to it. The grassy flavors are very intense, its high in acid and if you’re not into the pineapple juice meats grass kind of think going on, you’re not going to like this wine because it comes at you and comes at you hard, it goes right down the palate, the acid and the back end does make this more of a food play, all the sudden I’m yearning for sushi which has been something I’ve been paring a little bit more often with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and that’s kind of more mouth with that. Good structure, good length and let me get one more shot, yeah I mean the grass is undoubtable. For a lot of people that the beak whether you like the grassiness, this is definitely one that you’re not going to have to be all in. I mean this is not something that you can be like, yeah it kind of like the grass. If you don’t, you can’t drink this. The herbaceousness of the fruit but, I kind of like it, this is my kind of style wine. I like the acid on the back and it mix it much more fruit friendly than it really thin Allan Scott effort. I’m going to score this wine 89 plus points, there’s something holding me back from 90. I keep all my finger on it and something like 91 or 92 or that nature. Yeah you know what I’m being a little tough Mott for no reason. Let’s give this wine 90 points. I’d like this wine, it’s a good effort, and it’s very distinct to my palate, this is where you got always do what you know. Trust your own palate. It doesn’t matter where I come from. Yeah I gave it 90 points but, take this review in, if you don’t like the grass you’re going to the 70s because this wine, it really tastes like eating lawn. Let’s move on. The big boy Cloudy Bay, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough as well, $23.00 and easily the most recognizable and most sought after New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in the world, you know just on every single wine list from top three star Mischland to cheese cake factory. I mean this wine is everywhere, it’s extremely strong as a brand, it’s a very good wine, normally I’ve traditionally liked this wine and let’s see what’s going on here. It’s time for but, I like to call a sniffy sniff. Now, truly ironic, three wines from Marlborough, three totally different noses, this wine almost more of a minerality on the nose almost on the water like on the nose. There is that subtle grass and that’s just been undeniable all day today but, there’s a little bit more of like crushed rock going on here as well and I also give a little bit of like a pear component on the nose which I like sweet Asian pear. So, very nice nose definitely more tame than the last two on the bouquet—yeah kind of nice lets give it a whirl. Good acid again reminds me a lot of the chasing Venus on the palate. Quite a bit actually. A lesson tends me on that grassy, lawn like play but apples maybe like very sour, sour apple flavors coming through here, yeah really actually it does, it taste like a reference sour patch gets the other day and some portion like right behind it. There’s another self but this taste again apple, sour patch kid, like you know just that apple candy but on the sour level. Good fruit on the back end. Better acidity than the Allan Scott probably a little bit less than a chasing Venus but maybe a little bit more balanced. This is the kind of wine that would definitely go well with any kind of whole fish, oysters, if you’re big like West Coast oyster fan as I am Kumamoto, Olympia, this would be a nice pairing – and give one more shot. A mellow effort but not bad again, all three wines are at room temperatures from really tasting the essence, you know its okay I wouldn’t say that I’m in love with this wine. I think the Chasing Venus is better, I think it’s got a little bit more hop to its step and that’s kind of what I’m looking for and my white wines I’d like the acid, it would draw some to it to Rieslings and Gruners. It’s good but I wouldn’t say its phenomenal. You know only go 89 points on this wine which is fine but given the height, I’m a little bit disappointed, I have been hot and cold on the Cloudy Bay but on a consistent level, it has to be like this. You know they’ve just all made in my own mind that 88 to 91 point review five I really like. This holds seven effort just pretty salad but not just something that I’m like yearning to have the have and need. Own a pretty gum, you know it’s actually really quick because I was tight tonight, right Mott I’m doing a job here and we’re keeping it tight. Just taste this Chasing Venus after taste with Cloudy Bay. Just for kicks and giggles real quick. Almost like watermelon jolly rancher attack there this time. Definitely a little bit more of an intense acid play that’s what I’m looking for, feel good about where at, feel good about the show. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc very interesting subject matter to me. Lot of people going to be drinking at over the next three to four months. Make sure you explore and tries many different types as you can. Don’t just go for the main brands as you can see. It’s a $9.00 swing here and there’s really no debate in my mind for my palate. No its one point, its one very big point. Question of the day. What wines are you excited about to drink this spring? What types of wines or what winery, what you got? Share little something. You with a little bit of me, we are changing the wine world.