Alt+Wine

2009 Saint Clair Pioneer Block Sauvignon Blanc = SCAMPI!

Apparently there has been much hype of late on New Zealand’s Saint Clair wines. At a tasting yesterday of new NZ releases at LA’s Nobu restaurant, I had the opportunity to taste the 2009 Saint Clair Pioneer Block Sauvignon Blanc.

At first, I couldn’t figure out what all the fuss was about. There were much more innovative, exciting and edgy wines in the room, so why was this one grabbing so much attention?

The nose was kind of exotic and adorable at the same time - it reminded me of the kind of girl that can actually pull off all of the clothes at Anthropologie. Sweet and approachable but with a bit of mystery to her. There was something very specific on the nose that took me a good five minutes to place: lemon sorbet.

It was soft on the palate, didn’t have the saliva-inducing acid that I normally need from a Sauvignon Blanc (I’m an acid girl - full disclosure), but the soft, fruity, feminine feeling carried through. The finish was pleasant, if not mind blowing. In fact, so was the wine itself.

Then I thought about it. This wine is just like SCAMPI! The artist known as SCAMPI! (or as her YouTube name, chipswow) is earnest and uncompromisingly feminine in her own awkward and beautiful way. She is talented, but she’s also so normal that given her little internet podium she’s almost heartbreaking. Her specialty is covering pop songs like UMBRELLA with her ukelele and little-girl voice and all of her seemingly strange or simple parts combine to make her a little jewelbox of happiness.

Saint Clair’s Pioneer Block SB is similar. It’s not blowing any minds. It’s not doing anything groundbreaking. It’s not the most exciting or edgy wine out there. But it does what it does so well, that it’s worth it.