Belmonte Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Where shall we go this evening?  France?  Italy?  Spain?  Sonoma County?  I think I’ll stay in, somewhere comfortable, with a glass of something familiar.  Yet another Kiwi Sauvignon!

Belmonte SB and its siblings…..for some reason

My respect for Rowan Gormley at Virgin wines has grown.  He has a view.  That’s really important on a subjective subject such as supping wine.  Why waste your time listening to people who follow the crowds?

This is an inherent trait I have observed with all Virgin people I have met (senior ones, anyway).  They are prepared to take risks and they have a reputation (inspired by Richard Branson) of looking for reasons to do things, rather than reasons not to.

This risk taking culture is entirely admirable but occasionally results in failure.  This happened when I tried the Belmonte Pinot Noir which was over-priced and under-flavoured.  Non, je ne regrette rien!

So I had low expectations of the Sauvignon Blanc from the same stable and on opening the bottle those expectations were met.  Problem is, as the bottle warmed, they were exceeded.  I really wanted to despise this wine and curse Belmonte as the Scrappy Doo of the wine world.  In other words the lowest common denominator, child-friendly, saccharine sweet, kindergarten cop of a dog, bought in to save an otherwise sinking show that was ripe for cancellation.  Even now I refuse to watch an episode of Scooby Doo involving Scrappy.  I guess I am giving away my age again.

The truth is, this wine developed into an interesting SB (not SoB).  I must have opened the bottle too cold because I found it lacking flavour, nose, colour and intellect.  But after just two centilitres (2 centilitres = 0.676280451 US fluid ounces according to Google) of rapidly warming wine the flavours flowed.

I am not raving about this wine – it is OK, maybe better.  At £8.99 it is also a decent price for a Kiwi SB.  But you know when you go to see a film, let’s say, for example, I am Legend and you have high expectations but they are let down?  And then the very next day you see, for example, the despicable 2003 remake of The Italian Job (1969 Michael Caine classic is in my top three films of all time), and it actually turns out to be OK?  This is how I felt about Belmonte Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

Are you confused?  In summary I was impressed with the SB.  But as I keep saying, hunger is a great sauce.  Is thirst a reason for a good wine review?  I don’t think so – I liked this one anyway……

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