A new year for me has meant a new winery from an old friend. For the longest time, I’ve had issues with the overly acidic, “cat pee” style of sauvignon blancs coming out of New Zealand. Well, I guess the planets are in alignment because I just found an alternative white from the land Down Under: the stunning Loveblock 2011 pinot gris from Erica and Kim Crawford’s new Loveblock Winery in Marlborough, New Zealand. This $25 dry white is a vision of varietal character and ripeness, while being full, weighty and jam-packed with melons and pears.
This article appears in January 2014.