Christie Kiley on July 4, 2014 0 Comments It is Fourth of July weekend. What are you drinking? Are you having all the good stuff? Hamburgers, ribs and barbeque sauce, steaks, maybe some brats? It is too hot and I hope you have got some beers in the chiller, save the red wine for another weekend, that is, unless you plan on staying in with the air conditioning. But in case there are a few of you out there who still want a wine, put this in the chiller alongside the beer, the Robert Oatley Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc. It may be Independence Day in the United States, but the Aussies get the American palate, and what they make is something just really good to drink. The Margaret River is located in the southern part of Western Australia, and just like some of the popular Sauvignon Blanc regions of France, the region enjoys a nice cool Mediterranean climate. There are a over five thousand hectares of vine here with about two-hundred and fifteen wineries counted in 2012, with many of them considered ‘boutique’. The Margaret River region is the wine making region with the most maritime influence than any other. It only produces a humble three percent of the overall grape production in Australia, however, to our surprise, the wines made here make up over twenty percent of the premium wine market in Australia! Robert Oatley wines are one of the wineries who pride themselves as making up a part of that twenty percent of Australian premium wines. Founded by Robert Oakley, the wineries namesake, he has over forty years of experience in the wine making business, but he knows it all has to start with the land. Once you have the quality land, and know the potential of the soils and you are familiar with the climate, then the next obvious step is to figure out which grapes can be grown the best. There are many grapes grown in the Margaret River region from Cabernets to Chardonnay, Shiraz and of course our star grape for this wine, Sauvignon Blanc. Alongside the Mediterranean climate, the Sauvignon Blanc thrives here making for light white wines of delicate but beautifully elegant structure. This Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect example of what Margaret River has to offer. Many fans of Sauvignon Blanc, at least in my experience, those who tend to go into the international side of Sauvignon Blanc go straight to New Zealand. Those are great wines, and rarely they disappoint, however for this time, particularly for the Fourth of July weekend, give this Aussie Sauvignon Blanc a try. Maybe make some special snacks to go along with it. Any fish ceviche will do. How about a ceviche with scallops, orange and lime juice with watermelon and a touch of tarragon topped with fresh goat cheese crumbles and some simple tortilla chips. Try a traditional hummus with grilled pita bread. And if you want to elaborate just a little more, how about tamales with flakey white fish or just great filet of fish wrapped with a couple lemon slices and fresh herbs wrapped in banana leaves and finished on the grill! I’ll come over and cook if you would like, that is, I will work for wine! The fruit from this Sauvignon Blanc was harvested from a few different vineyards from a variety of smaller regions of the Margaret River, therefore it is going to showcase some nice layers of the characteristics from these locations. Each batch was brought in with different maturity levels. Some had light herbal notes with hints of citrus, while others were showcasing more tropical notes and everything in between. On the nose it is crisp and full of citrus notes, lime peel and fresh drops of lemon juice. Have a sip and you might never head to the New Zealand section again. It is delicate on the palate, light and refreshing with those citrus notes and lingering perfume of pineapples, maracuya and plenty more of exotic fruits. Have a great weekend! More Wine Reviews: Honig Sauvignon Blanc 2011 2012 Oakville Sauvignon Blanc from Flora Springs Winery 2011 ATS Vineyard Chardonnay from Cuvaison Henry’s Drive 2012 Syrah
