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Thomas · 01-31-2002, 11:02 AM,

Yesterday a wine salesman comes to me and says, "your sign says 'is-wine: innovative wine merchants,' so I have something for you."

He went on to tell me that he had tried and tried to sell this product to retailers throughout Manhattan but not one wants it. I was his last hope. The product: a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc packaged with a screwcap.

My rhetoric was being tested; I rose to the occasion. I told him I would taste the wine, and if it passes muster, I would buy some for the store and do an in-store tasting to introduce it.

My real hesitation is not with the screwcap but with the price of the wine. Granted, it is a Marlborough SB, but at $17 or $18 a bottle, it is a high-priced version of SB that must compete in the store with a marvelous $12 Quincy and a stable $9 Hungarian SB.

After tasting it, I will post its name and its attributes, should it have any...

~~Bucko~~ · 01-31-2002, 03:21 PM,

I have turned into a real NZ SB hound of late. I have purchased several cases in the past two months to include Cloudy Bay, Konrad and Konrad, Isabel, Lawson's Dry Hill's (screw cap), St. Clair, Omaka Springs and Kim Crawford (the last two in transit). I have liked them all quite well, and the Cloudy Bay was not worth the extra tariff compared to its cheaper comrades in the group.

Kcwhippet · 02-01-2002, 03:06 PM,

I think you'll like the Omaka Springs.

Thomas · 02-02-2002, 11:08 AM,

Well, the wine was Lawson's Dry Hills, 2001 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough. Unfortunately, the only thing going for this wine is the screwcap.

The nose identifies Sauvignon Blanc via vegetal/kitty litter, and then it is down hill from there. If there is any SB character in the thin-bodied wine, it is obliterated by the hotness of the stated 13% alcohol (with 1.5% leeway up or down in alcohol reporting, I have to believe this one is on the 1.5% upside).

According to the distributor's price, I would have to retail it at $17 or $18. The wine isn't worth half that to me. If they are not careful, this wine might give the Lawson's screwcap experiment a bad name.

When I pointed all this out to the distributor sales rep he gave me the standard reply: "you must have gotten a bad bottle." Indeed I did.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 02-02-2002).]

~~Bucko~~ · 02-02-2002, 11:25 AM,

Well either your bottle was bad or we have vastly different palates. I found the Lawson's delightful. Fruity, crisp, with cat pee and grassy aromas and flavors, the alcohol was not noticeable at all. I liked it so much that I bought a case, at $13.

hotwine · 02-02-2002, 01:02 PM,

At $17-$18, it would go head-to-head with Sancerres in my decision logic. If it can't beat 'em, I'll defer to the French.

Duane Meissner · 02-02-2002, 03:16 PM,

I dunno.... Don't think I'd pay more than 2 or 3 dollars for the best bottle of cat pee in the world!

DM

~~Bucko~~ · 02-02-2002, 03:32 PM,

Sancerre is certainly a wonderful option but they have not had a great vintage since the back to back 96-97 vintages.

winoweenie · 02-03-2002, 09:08 AM,

What the devil are you'ns talking 'bout? WW

Thomas · 02-03-2002, 03:56 PM,

Bucko, four of us tasted and vastly disliked the wine. This was not just a bad bottle. I truly believe it is an inferior product. I tasted the 2001, and based on my wholesale cost it would retail between $17-$18. Are we talking about the same wine?

~~Bucko~~ · 02-03-2002, 05:00 PM,

Same vintage. It has received a lot of good press. Here is one note that parallels my findings:

Lawsons Dry Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2001 Amazingly pungent aromas leap out of the bottle even before the wine has been poured into the glass. Gooseberries, grass and a touch of apocrine. Classic Marlborough. Oily, soft round texture, well balanced acidity, sweet fruits emerging, hints of passionfruit and other tropical fruits. Long lingering qrassy flavours. Tasted 11/8/2001. To be released September 1.

hotwine · 02-03-2002, 06:10 PM,

Duane, if I can get my two lil snake-killin' ranch fugitives to stand still and hit a target, I'll be glad to send you a few pints.

Duane Meissner · 02-03-2002, 09:29 PM,

Hotwine-

Just be sure to use screwcaps.

DM

Thomas · 02-04-2002, 05:57 PM,

Bucko, is that a magazine rating or a marketing note?

I swear, with the exception of the nose, which is almost classic SB, the wine we tasted is nothing like that description. We find it thin, fruitless and dominated by alcohol, which also inhabits the finish far too much.

I have a Quincy on the shelf that makes the Lawson Hills seem like winemaking 101-minus.

chittychattykathy · 02-22-2002, 10:16 PM,

Hated the wine, loved the screw cap.

Thomas · 02-23-2002, 03:53 PM,

cck, why did you hate it? Did you find the same flaws I talk about?

Yes, I love the screwcap, but passed on the wine because at my shop we buy only what the consensus likes--and none of us liked it. That was a consensus if ever there was one...

~~Bucko~~ · 02-23-2002, 06:58 PM,

All that I can say is that we have sucked down a case and loved it, as have those served the wine. Our palates are definitely 180 out.

chittychattykathy · 02-24-2002, 12:37 AM,

Well maybe I should high-tail it to Buckos and try some more with him! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
Foodie, What bothered me more then the aromas/flavors is that someone buying that wine, seeing that it was from New Zealand, would not know what hit them (I found it to be simalar to what you found) and It's hard to always be around to hand sell it.

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