Domaine du Pre Baron (France) Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2000
I often find these Tourraine Sauvignons, from the middle portion of the Loire Valley, to be attractive and good value wines. Though they reflect the dry, mineral style of Sancerre, their neighbour to the east, they also display some of the pungent, no-hold-barred quaffability of New World examples, like New Zealand’s Marlborough Sauvignons. This has a nicely punchy, ripe, gooseberry and herbal nose with vivid aromatics suggesting lychee, ogen melon and nettles. That’s the Kiwi element, whilst on the palate it is quite richly-textured, with elegant, crisp, well-defined citrus fruit, vivacous acidity and a long, sherbetty, minerally finish. Quite stylish, and with good concentration in an easy to drink 12% alcohol format. Delicious stuff. 5.49 Thresher, Wine Rack, Bottoms Up, Victoria Wine
