Linear Acidity – a new descriptive I hadn’t heard before in
a wine, but nevertheless, spot on with this week’s Wine Wednesday feature the
2014 Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc.
I love the backstory
for this wine. For years I’ve purchased my share of Kim Crawford Sauvignon
Blanc – it makes a regular rotation in my wine fridge as my "go to" New Zealand
Sauvignon Blanc. When I came across Loveblock in the wine shop I had no idea as
to the connection. I knew upon tasting it that Kim Crawford would soon be
sharing the rotation with Loveblock. Both are delicious wines, though distinctly different.
Now - the backstory. You see, in 2003 Kim Crawford and his
wife Erica sold the brand that bears his name.
In the transaction they lost the commercial use of his name and for a
period of time couldn’t make wine but could grow grapes. Loveblock marks their return
to the industry.
On the nose, Loveblock features notes of tropical fruit
(passion fruit), peach and sweet Ruby Red grapefruit. On the palate, pronounced
peach, subtle minerality and citrus.
The label uses the words “constrained” and
“linear acidity”. To be honest the descriptive made the wine sound a little
lackluster, but after tasting it, it strikes me as a more mature approach to
Sauvignon Blanc.
It’s not as zippy or acidic on the finish as Kim Crawford. The slightly rounder silkier mouthfeel is evidence of malolactic fermention. It's as if it's been reigned in a bit and that's not a bad thing. I
think this wine has broader pairing appeal than Kim Crawford. The wide
availability of Kim Crawford will likely seal it’s place in my rotation, but I
won’t visit AJ’s Fine Foods without grabbing a bottle or two of Loveblock.
We enjoyed this with Steamed Mussels one night and Chicken
Tortilla Soup another. To print or save the recipe pairing suggestions, click
the links below.
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