Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc '07

Country: New Zealand
Thoughts: I was thinking a few days ago that the only time Grace the cat made an appearance here, the lighting was too low and it was tough to see her. So she's back in a much, much better shot. If she looks pissed, it's because I was getting toward my time limit of how long she was going to put up with me holding a chilled bottle of wine near her head. Anyway, on with it: The Nobilo was a gift from our friend Donna, who popped by last evening for a night of chatting. The bouquet was simply overwhelming; I caught the faintest whiff of the wine while my nose was six inches from the glass - at an angle, no less. It was earthy, as one might expect from a sauv blanc, but no balance and completely overwhelming. The taste was also what you'd expect: spicy, though I definitely caught a hint of some herbs. It really popped on the tongue, almost hot at various points and various places on the palette. The finish was much more subdued. On the whole, I found it to be a fine sipping wine, but one that was done in by such an unwieldy bouquet. It's hard to give a good rating to a wine that bombards you every time you stick your nose in the glass.
Do-over? As long as it's with a set of clothespins
Final Grade: B-