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long, complex, crisp finish. Louviere, Olivier, Smith Haut-Lafitte, and Do‐
In Bordeaux, in Graves and the Pessac- maine de Chevalier. If you are a big hitter,
Léognan appellations, winemakers often go for the 2022 Haut-Brion Blanc (blended
blend Semillon into their Sauvignon Blanc with Semillon, $750 a bottle if you can find
wines to add texture, then add other nuances it).
with oak aging. The aromas can be a mix of
grass, honeysuckle, stone fruit, and vanilla. New Zealand Rising
Flavors range from light and fruity styles in
the lower price ranges to the more complex New Zealand is second in global produc‐
wines with lush, multilayered textures and tion. It has become synonymous with Sauvi‐
finishes from the leading producers. Some gnon Blanc, most notably for the distinct
quality producers with good distribution in‐ wines from the Marlborough region on the
clude Chateaux Doisy Daene, La Garde, La
South Island. The aromas jump out of the
glass with a mix of grapefruit, stone fruit,
new-mown hay or fresh-cut grass, and a
herbaceous character (the scientists at‐
tribute it to methoxypyrazines and thiols).
Wines from Hawke’s Bay on the North
Island tend to be more like white Bordeaux,
with good fruit on the nose and hints of oak
aging, with a semi-crisp, fruity finish. We also
enjoy Sauvignon Blanc wines from the south‐
east corner of the North Island in Martinbor‐
ough, an exemplary region for Pinot Noir.
Martinborough Sauvignons typically have
some grapefruit in the nose, then more stone
fruit and hints of minerality on the Sancerre
side of the spectrum.
New Zealand wines worth trying include
Brancott, Lawson’s Dry Hills, Villa Maria,
Craggy Range, Allan Scott, Cloudy Bay, Pal‐
liser, and Kim Crawford.
Cool Valleys in Chile
Chile, third in global production, has
cooler vineyard sites in the San Antonio and
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