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I found the Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc Release #12 selling for $16.99. Dave Phinney created the Locations line of wines; if anyone is a “Rock Star” winemaker, it’s Dave.
The Story
Dave Phinney is the man behind the massively successful The Prisoner line of wines. The Prisoner sold for about $50, and those wines flew off the shelves. He sold the wine company for 100s of millions of dollars.
He then started Orin Swift wines, which are excellent but pricey. My local Target has a Kiosk selling Orin Swift wines, expensive wines for the Target crowd. He sold that company to E & J Gallo, again for a bag of money. He is still involved with the winemaking.
The Locations brand his take on winemaking but with the great wine regions of the world. He does follow the wine rules of these countries and produces the wines as he sees fit.
The Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc Release #12 is a non-vintage wine. The vineyards used were mainly located in the lower Wairau Valley, with the second largest portion coming from the upper Wairau, which gives this Sauv Blanc grapes from the valley and the heights. Both of these growing regions are inside of Marlborough on the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island.
The tasting notes mentioned that this Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in stainless steel and had minimal aging. Since this wine is comprised of grapes from different regions, some of the wine had to be older than others. The alcohol content is 12.66%.
The Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc Release #12
The color is a pale wheat yellow. The nose is bright, juicy, and interesting. There are notes of melon, lemon, apple, a grassy fragrance, peach, pear, and tropical fruit. The Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc Release #12 is very balanced, New Zealand Sauv Blanc can get spikey, with bright, delicious flavor.
This Sauvignon Blanc tastes like pineapple, peach, lemon curd, melon, tart apple, guava, coconut milk, nectarine, in other words it has plenty of flavor.
The acidity is seamless and allows the flavors to roll on and on.
The Summary
- The Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc Release #12 is a banger!
- Dave Phinney has a way of making people-pleasing, first-rate wine.
- I am impressed with the Locations NZ Sauvignon Blanc Release #12, I think i will revisit some of the other Locations wines.
