MontGras "Reserva" Sauvignon Blanc 2009

MontGras "Reserva" Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Origin: San Antonio Valley, Chile
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $8.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Straw-gold in color, this wine has aromas of citrus and lemongrass, with slight sweet bell pepper notes. On the palate, the citrus flavors are nicely balanced with a touch of grassiness and minerality that gives it a crisp feel. The finish is brief, bringing out a hint of spiciness (though it could also be characterized as citrus zest).

Our rating: This is a very nice wine, one which we enjoyed with grilled chicken and quickly stir fried vegetables. We think it may pair slightly better with seafood, in particular shellfish, but given how drinkable it is -- there's a subtle hint of tropical fruit sweetness that captivated us -- this wine can probably be readily served with a wide variety of cuisines. It's no secret we're fans of Chilean Sauvignon Blancs, and this one doesn't (and won't) disappoint. We rate it Above Average, nearly Excellent.

Taste profile from the winemaker: Appearance: Pale straw yellow. Aromas: Loaded with grapefruit, passion fruit and figs combined with nice fresh grass and asparagus notes. Intense and attractive. Deep and intense citric fruit and melon. It not only has freshness, but also volume and a nice texture. Full bodied.

Winery website: . Viña MontGras

Antica Corte Garganega/Pinot Grigio 2010

Antica Corte Garganega/Pinot Grigio 2010

Origin: delle Venezie, Italy
Blend: Garganega (80%), Pinot Grigio (20%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $7.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Light gold in color, this wine has aromas of dried tree fruit, honey, and spices (cider). The flavor profile on the palate is quite similar to the nose, right down to the cider character that becomes more prominent into the finish, which is long-lasting but somewhat on the bitter side.

Our rating: We reviewed last year's vintage not long ago, and used the word "harsh" to describe the flavors on the palate. Although we described the flavors themselves a bit differently, "harsh" is applicable here as well. This is not a sipping wine by any means, but does pair well with food; we served our bottle, coincidentally enough, with almost the exact same meal we mentioned last November, chicken and rice. We think it would complement most poultry or pork dishes, particularly those with Italian or Mediterranean flavors. We like the complexity of the wine, but not so much its overall character. Still, we do rate it Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Cloud Break Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Cloud Break Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Origin: California
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $7.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Pale straw-colored with silver hightlights, this wine has pleasing gooseberry and lemongrass aromas with faint citrus floral notes. The citrus flavors on the palate are nicely balanced and accompanied by some underlying minerality. The finish enhances that mineral character and is slightly too astringent, not unlike dry stone.

Our rating: This is another one of those wines that works for us right up to the tail end of the finish. The citrus flavors on the palate are a little thin, almost as if the winemaker was being a little too timid to make them more pronounced. Still, this is a good wine to serve with seafood and, indeed, we served our bottle with broiled grouper sandwiches, a nice pairing. But that stony character towards the end bothered us a bit. According to the information on the website, no oak was used in aging, but what we're sensing doesn't come from oak, but seems to be more of a rough, unrefined finish, instead of a crisp, clean one. Still and all, its strengths tend to overcome its one serious weakness, and we rate it Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: Crisp and refreshing with aromas of lime and lemongrass. The palate has bright acidity and a clean finish.

Winery website: Cloud Break Wines.

Oak Leaf Pinot Grigio NV (New Bottle)

Oak Leaf Pinot Grigio NV

Origin: California
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: July 2011
Purchase Price: $2.77 (750ml bottle)

We recently reviewed this wine, so won't repeat ourselves here. But while picking up a few bottles this past week — yes, we actually follow our own recommendations! — we noticed something different about the bottle: it's small! Well, not really that small, but significantly shorter than "standard" wine bottles. We snapped a picture of the Oak Leaf Pinot Grigio next to a typical white wine bottle; you can see that it is not nearly as tall. It's about the same width though, and contains the same amount (750ml) of wine, just in a smaller package.

Tiny print on the bottle indicate it's made of "Eco-Glass", something new to us. We checked out the Oak Leaf website, and here's what they have to say about it.

Oak Leaf Eco-Glass™ wines are packaged in an innovative wine bottle that is significantly lighter than standard wine bottles, but the wine inside is just as good.

Made with 25% less glass than standard wine bottles, Oak Leaf Eco-Glass weighs significantly less than a standard bottle and requires much less fuel to transport. This results in less carbon emissions and a reduced environmental impact, which ultimately leads to a better, greener, more sustainable environment.

So enjoy a glass of Oak Leaf Eco-Glass and help the planet, as doing good feels good.

We also checked out the Eco-Glass.org website, which gives more information about the bottle itself and the wineries that are using it.

We think it's a terrific idea to use lighter glass — our arms certainly notice the difference! — and hope other wineries consider it too.

Taste profile from the winemaker: A light white wine with subtle aromas of ripe honeydew and orange blossoms. The flavors are bright with lemon, peach and a mineral crispness in the finish.

Winery website: Oak Leaf Vineyards.

Mendoza Station "Seleccion Especial" Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Mendoza Station "Seleccion Especial" Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Origin: Mendoza, Argentina
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $8.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Citrus and lemongrass aromas with faint herbal notes are exhibited by this light golden colored wine. The citrus flavor -- more lime than lemon -- on the palate is moderately tart but nicely balanced. The finish adds a bit of orange zest and is fairly long.

Our rating: We enjoyed this wine, but in checking back on our notes from last summer on the "standard" 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, it seems this "Seleccion Especial" is a very different wine. The present wine is crafted more in the style of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, but softer. It retains the citrus and grassy character, but with somewhat rounded edges. The hint of orange -- it was brief and could have been pineapple or something similarly tropical -- we tasted on the palate just before the finish is a nice touch. We served our bottle during an outdoor luncheon of sandwiches and salads, an admittedly uninspired meal; still, we think this wine is rather versatile and would pair particularly well with most Asian cuisines. We rate it Above Average, though at $9 we also think it slightly overpriced.

Taste profile from the winemaker: None

Winery website: None found.

Star Tree Chenin Blanc 2010

Star Tree Chenin Blanc 2010

Origin: Northern Cape, South Africa
Blend: Chenin Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $9.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Tropical fruit and herbal tea aromas are exhibited by this gold-colored wine. Initially rich, almost creamy, on the palate, the fruit flavors -- pineapple, guava, maybe kiwi -- are nicely rounded and well balanced. The finish is brief though unremarkable.

Our rating: We served our bottle with sauteed split chicken breasts and a Mexican-inspired rice dish, a good match. We think this wine would pair with a wide variety of cuisines, particularly those that are mildly spicy. This isn't a complex wine by any wines, but a versatile one. We enjoyed it, and rate it Above Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: Orange River Cellars. Though other Star Tree wines are mentioned on the website, the Chenin Blanc is not.

Ribbonwood Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Ribbonwood Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $3.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Straw in color with gold hightlights, this wine has aromas of gooseberry, lemongrass, and lime with some slight herbal notes. The citrus (grapefruit) flavor is pronounced on the palate, but has a nice acid balance to it. There are hints of tropical fruit as well, maybe some kiwi or melon. The finish is clean, though relatively brief.

Our rating: It's hard to believe this is a $4 wine, as it shares many of the classical characteristics that are typically found in the New Zealand style of this varietal. If we to quibble, we'd say that we thought the palate lacked a bit of grassiness and that the minerality that makes its presence in the finish is a bit off, and it's more of a food wine than a sipping wine. But really, these are really minor faults. Not everyone enjoys this style, but it pairs beautifully with seafood, especially grilled or broiled white fish, and at this price, it's definitely worth a second -- or third -- or fourth -- look. We rate it Above Average, nearly Excellent, and are still astonished that we paid only $4 for this bottle. (We hope it wasn't a misprice by the seller, or worse, an error on our part as we inventoried our last purchase, as we intend to be back for more.)

Taste profile from the winemaker: None

Winery website: Framingham Wines: Wine Treasure from New Zealand. Ribbonwood Wines is produced by Framingham Wines. This label is not mentioned on their website.

La Différence Viognier-Muscat 2010

La Différence Viognier-Muscat 2010

Origin: Pays d'Oc, France
Blend: Viognier (70%), Muscat (30%)
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Bottle Closure: Screw Cap
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $8.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Light- to medium-gold in color, this wine has aromas of pears and apricots with faint floral notes. The fruit flavors on the palate are more tropical in character, ripe melon and pineapple, slightly off-dry but not exactly sweet. There's a hint of spiced cider that forms into the finish, which is lengthy and evolves into an unexpected flavor not unlike smoked nuts.

Our rating: There's nothing simple about this wine, which almost overwhelms with different sensations and flavors. But there's a discordant note here too, that makes its presence known very late in the finish, pretty much after everything else has been absorbed or faded away. We were sold on this wine right up to that point. We served our bottle with a Spanish dish, which was just an okay pairing. We think Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cuisines might make for a better match. Score-wise, we're rating it Average, but we think this is going to be one of those wines that people either love or hate ... and if you add it all up, that's about Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: The Viognier brings flavours of ripe peaches and apricots and the Muscat pure grapes. The wine is medium dry but the feel is medium due to the tropical fruit notes.

Winery website: La Difference Wines Ltd..

Night Harvest by R. H. Phillips Sauvignon Blanc NV

Night Harvest by R. H. Phillips Sauvignon Blanc NV

Origin: California
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc (76%), French Colombard (8%), Malvasia Bianca (7%), Chardonnay (5%), Semillon (3%), Chenin Blanc (1%)
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $8.99 (1.5L bottle)

Our review: Light lemon yellow in color, this wine has aromas of citrus and citrus flowers with vegetal (bell pepper) and lemongrass notes. The flavor is citric in character, a bit tart but also reminiscent of lemon rind. The finish is herbal and is slightly chalky.

Our rating: We didn't care much for this wine, the last of our 1.5L purchases that we are considering to serve with outdoor grill food this summer. That rind-like flavor seemed to become more established the more we consumed, and really interfered with our enjoyment of the wine. Food didn't much balance or mask it either. This is a real disappointment for us as many years ago we used to purchase this label on a regular basis as an everyday wine. We last reviewed the 2004 Night Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, calling it Average; this non-vintage bottle rates at best Below Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: A very aromatic variety, this wine is bursting with the zest of citrus, tropical pineapple, apricot, and accented by hints of lychee nut and freshly cut fescue which give it varietal character. Vibrant acidity on the palate make this wine refreshing and the array of flavors ranging from kiwi, peach, citrus, and hints of macadamia, make it a wonderful wine to pair with white meats, fish, and pasta.

Winery website: Constellation Wines U.S.

Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio 2010

Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio 2010

Origin: Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Italy
Blend: Pinot Grigio (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $9.99 (1.5L bottle)

Our review: A light yellow gold in color, this wine has aromas of peaches and flowers with slight notes of citrus. Initially very fruity on the palate, leaning somewhat towards more sweet than tart in terms of overall character, but also a bit unbalanced. Into the finish, though, the flavors quickly diminish and flatten out.

Our rating: This is another example of a potential 1.5L wine to serve this summer at outdoor gatherings. It's not a great sipping wine, one to enjoy while the burgers, chicken, shrimp and brats cook on the grill, but served with food, it's fairly versatile. We previously rated the Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio 2007 Average, but we're less enthusiastic about this vintage, rating it right on the border between Average and Below Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: Color: Straw yellow. Bouquet: Pleasant, delicate and fruity. Flavor: Dry, elegant and balanced.

Winery website: Mezzacorona: Wines from the Dolomites.