The palate is a lot sweeter than you'd think it would be from the bouquet, but this certainly is (as the region suggests) a dry wine (no residual sugar). It's ripe fruit (passion fruit, largely) that gives the impression of sweetness.

The finish, or after taste, is long, lovely and fades cleanly without giving off any funky flavors or turning overly tart. It does a great job of keeping the wine in the forefront of your mind so that you keep going back for more.

Lawson's must have known they had a good wine here, as they chose not to risk any of it going bad thanks to tainted corks. Thus, there's a picnic-friendly screw-cap closure on this baby.

Bring it to an outdoor rendition of "The Sound of Music" one of these hot summer afternoons*. Just don't get caught slurring along to the songs.

Cheers,
TSW

* - Actually, outdoors in the sun would be perfect, especially if the wine is fresh from the ice-cold refrigerator. You'll want the sun to warm it up a bit to fully appreciate the aromas and flavors.

With wine this good, Lawson's hills won't be dry for very long. In fact, they're much more likely to be alive with the sound of music. Music sung poorly and with a few slurred words.

Most New Zealand sauvignon blanc that I love tastes like an extreme version of the varietal. The gooseberry, bell pepper and grassiness are pungent and the acidity kicks your head back with enough force to give you whiplash. It rules.

This wine has all the great aromas and flavors a guy like me hopes for, but they - and the acidity - have been mellowed just a little. Chalk that up to some malolactic fermentation, the same process that gives chardonnay a buttery quality - but this ain't a buttery sauvignon -- and a little time in oak barrels. Most sauvignon blanc only sees the internal walls of a steel tank.

So, in addition to pleasing the New Zealand sauvignon blanc fan, this wine is also a great buy for people who don't love New Zealand sauvignon blanc, but think you should.

Grass and fresh, crisp green bell pepper dominate the nose, but there's also a bit of fruit there, too - something approaching guava.