Day 1 – 12 days of Wine – New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand 2021
New Zealand
We have only visited the airport in New Zealand, but I long to have an opportunity to explore. At some point, we will make the trip. I have a cousin who lives there, whom I have never met. I grew up snuggling on sheepskin rugs that my aunt brought back after visiting my cousin when I was a child. Then, of course, there was “Lord of the Rings.” How could you not fall in love with that scenery?
While we all know the country as New Zealand, the name given to this island nation by the Maori people is “Aotearoa,” which translates to “long white cloud.”
When it comes to wine from this beautiful country, there is much more than Sauvignon Blanc, but the Sav Blanc here is delicious and well-known, so it seemed a good place to start.
Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
This grape has a personality in this Southern Hemisphere country that is unlike what it becomes in other regions.
In France, Sauvignon Blanc leans toward earthy and flinty, with lots of minerality. In California, it becomes more tropical and citrusy. When you get to New Zealand, you get grassy notes, grapefruit, kiwi, lime leaf, and gooseberry. After you have tried one, you will always be able to pick out a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
McBride Sisters
We start our trip around the world with New Zealand, and we are highlighting the McBride Sisters. Here is a bit of their story from their back label.
“Unaware the other existed, we were raised in wine regions of California and New Zealand; independently developing an appreciation for the craft of winemaking.
Despite the 7,000 miles between us, we eventually found each other. The collection, which unites our parallel lives and passion for wines, represents a true sense of place. Our story is proof of the bond that can form over a bottle of wine, a truth that comes to life with every McBride Sisters wine.
Vintners & Sisters, Robin & Andrea”
They have grown to be the largest Black-owned wine company in the US. Their wine company is designed to be accessible. That is one reason we have included it here. You can find their wines easily, be it this wine from Marlborough or their empowering “Black Girl Magic” line of wines. In fact, you are likely to be able to pick up a bottle of Black Girl Magic at your local grocery store.
They also want to be inclusive and socially aware. Their canned wine collection “SHE CAN” has the associated She Can Fund. This year their investment focuses on WSET or Somm certifications for women in the wine, spirits, and culinary fields. They noted that women are less present in leadership roles in the hospitality industry in the US. And African American Women? Well, they are currently the lowest on the restaurant worker pay scale.
Each year they adjust their focus to where they feel they can do the most good. Started in 2019, they began focusing on helping to advance women in the wine & spirits industry. In 2020 with COVID shuttering black-owned businesses at a faster rate than any other, their focus turned to grants and support services for those small businesses.
So enjoy the wine and feel good about supporting the people who made it.
The wine
McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand 2021
On the label they note that ‘This stunning Sauvignon Blanc has aromas and flavors of nectarine, grapefruit, passionfruit, and kiwi.’ We also found notes of gooseberry and lime leaf. It is bright and high intensity without being sharp and has a fullness in your mouth.
Their McBride Sisters Collection is where they combine Old and New World Styles of wines creating wines with elegance and balance that are perfect for the table.
The grapes for this wine come from Marlborough, which sits at the Northern end of the Southern Island in New Zealand. This region is known throughout the world for its Sauvignon Blanc.
13% abv $15.99 Total Wine $17.99 Wine.com
The Pairing
Cucumber goat cheese wraps
These little wraps make a beautiful bite, the zesty goat cheese and dill contrasting the wine, the tart apple and green notes from the parsley and cucumber matching the aromas in the wine.
The bite is crisp, fresh, and bright, just like a Sauvignon Blanc.
(Find the full recipe in our new book “Tempting Spoonfuls – small bites paired with wines from around the Globe.” There is a link below!)
Check out our book series “Tempting Spoonfuls” available through Amazon!
Inspired by the flavors and aromas in wines, this book creates “tempting spoonfuls” of flavors to pair with wines.
Robin has always had a love for spoons, with a drawer full of them in all different shapes and sizes. There is comfort in eating something from a spoon and something very sensual also.
Creating a spoon filled with flavors and aromas that will be eaten in a single bite, allowing the flavors to meld and pop in your mouth, is a joyful endeavor, and you are encouraged to make these your own.
The spoons range from savory to sweet, with something for everyone, and while they are paired with wines, they are delicious on their own.
These recipes are wonderful for appetizers and hors d’oeuvres or simple to create something delicious to spoil yourself, much like a pint of ice cream.
Each of these spoons is paired with a specific wine, and you get a bit of background on the wine, its flavors, aromas, and a bit of its story. She also includes other suggestions for wines to pair with the spoon.
The book is a feast for your eyes, with photos of each layered spoonful.
There are also photos of the wines with the elements of their flavor profile surrounding them. Those elements often inspire the pairing.
The goal is to make your mouth water and encourage you to create your own “Tempting Spoonfuls.”
“Tempting Spoonfuls – Pairing single bites with glorious wines” – Our first book paired wines from boutique wineries on the west coast, in California, Oregon, and Washington, with delicious spoonfuls.
This book is 60 pages, 18 recipes, lots of beautiful photos, and insights into some wonderful small wineries!
“Tempting Spoonfuls – small bites paired with wines from around the Globe” – This book takes us around the globe to explore 12 wine regions, a wine from the region, and then gives you a recipe for a pairing!
A slightly larger book at 104 pages, this time you learn about pairing with a type of wine from a region. Rather than a specific bottle, you can look for a style of wine from a region and feel confident that it will go well with the recipe pairing we provide. We give you 12 recipes, each to pair with a wine.
Either of these books gives you wonderful recipes to create appetizer spoons to pair with wines for a party!
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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