RATING – 4 corks out of 5 No one ever thought James Cagney would smash a grapefruit in his girlfriend’s face, and I didn’t think I’d be drinking a grapefruit from my wine glass. But that’s what it felt like when I drank Nobilo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008. The extreme flavors made it easy to write a review of a wine that’s so…memorable.

New Zealand has become known for a style of Sauvignon Blanc that smells and tastes like pink grapefruit and lime. It’s the cool climate of these very southerly islands that creates all that crisp acid in the grapes. Sometimes all that acid seems to turn your mouth inside out — not that there’s anything wrong with that! About half the world’s white wine drinkers go for that style, while the others (including me) like some oak and richness. Oh well — “East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet.”

So back to my Nobilo review. This Sauv Blanc is classic, with all the aforementioned citrus and acid. It’s clean, refreshing, and a fabulous summer wine choice.

And here’s the kicker — it’s also a bargain. The classic, established New Zealand brands such as Nautilus and Cloudy Bay offer the same style but for about $10 a bottle more. They may be a little more elegant and get good ratings in the wine press, but many of us wouldn’t pay double the money for that. At around $12, Nobilo is our house Sauv Blanc.

But let us know — would you pay the premium for the extra quality? Are the Cloudy Bay’s of the wine world worth the hype and high price?

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