Fiona Taylor, of Christopher Piper Wines, discusses Sauvignon Blanc.

Sidmouth Herald: Sauvignon BlancSauvignon Blanc (Image: Archant)

Sauvignon Blanc has to be a favourite of many people.

It’s crisp, grassy gooseberry flavours, sharp tang of acidity and classic nettle aromas hits the target dead on when you want a cold, crisp glass of wine. There are however, so many to choose from and some can taste cheap, overly astringent and so sharp that one glass is often enough (not often this happens I agree).

So it’s worth discovering a few within our walls that retain delicious aromas of fresh herbs, pineapple, guava, passion-fruit and other tropical fruits (New World), or a soft elegance and subtlety (Europe) alongside an equally drinkable palate.

A textbook Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is produced by the Sowman family who own and run Tindall Vineyards.

This is a mouth-filling wine made from low yielding vines with a soft capsicum nose and crispness.

All the tropical flavours melt together and it rolls around the tongue tickling all the tastebuds.

If you like fishcakes, this is a perfect match.

Heading to South Africa, Paul Cluver focuses on expressing the South African ‘terroir’ from the Elgin region.

His Sauvignon Blanc has a creamier texture than the Tindall and is more grapefruit than gooseberry on the nose.

These are handcrafted, individual award winning wines and are always in the top five of our web ‘bestsellers’.

Off to another continent, Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc is from one of Chile’s top wineries in the Casablanca Valley, and is an amazingly pure and concentrated wine. Ginger and lime dominate the flavours and there’s a fabulous splash of minerality that comes through on the palate.

Finally to France (of course) and to Domaine Saint Peyre in the Languedoc.

This too is a crisp and grassy Sauvignon with the scent of the sea from Etang de Thau not far away from the vineyards.

Clean, pure flavours and great elegance make this a soft Sauvignon unlike the boldness of the Tindall.

All of course available through Christopher Piper Wines.

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