Blended with about 6% Riesling and 4% Viognier, this 2009 Wild Rock Elevation Sauvignon Blanc has a potent gooseberry and peach-scented bouquet with fine definition and chutzpah. The palate has a sharp lime and gooseberry entry with a touch of Tropicana fruit courtesy of the Viognier, just a little short on the finish, but serves well as an entry-level Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now-2012. The wines from Craggy Range were tasted both in Hawkes Bay in January 2010 and then in London six months later. Steve Smith, Rod Easthope and the team continue to furnish consumers with a wide portfolio of terroir-based wines that satisfy both the value and prestige end of the market. Having tasted many of their wines, there is no doubt that they have ‘toned down’ their style, the initial releases being rather hubristic and a tad top-heavy with oak. This sense of refinement has lent the wines greater poise and breeding. Their reds are still their strongest suit, in particular their flagship labels such as ‘Le Sol’ and ‘Sophia’, but do not overlook their Chardonnays that exude great purity and Burgundian poise. Meanwhile their ‘Wild Rock’ entry-level range, which is treated as a completely separate entity to Craggy Range, contains some delightful varietals that form a neat introduction to the delights of Hawkes Bay’s wines.Importer: Kobrand Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300.

This is a food-friendly Sauvignon blended with hints of Riesling (for acidity) and Viognier (for fragrance). Citrus and grassy notes strike just the right balance, and there’s a pleasant creaminess to the wine’s texture. Drink it over the next six months. ——J.C.(12/15/2010)—— 89