Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
This little wine blog has opened several doors to us, for which we’re very grateful. The latest door opened up the tropical, zesty and herbaceous world of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and needless to say we were thrilled to step on through!
Teaming up with New Zealand wine producer Yealands has been a pleasure, and we’ve created three delicious and easy to make vegan recipes to pair with their three different styles of Sauvignon Blanc. A couple of these recipes are featured below.
Yealands are global leaders in sustainable wine production and make world class vegan friendly wines from their home in the stunning Awatere Valley in Marlborough, New Zealand. Here’s a little more info on the definitive expression of this aromatic grape.
5 facts on Sauvignon Blanc:
It has a world-famous and much copied style; it can be characterised by flavours of elderflower and passion fruit with searing acidity.
Marlborough (on the South Island) is perhaps the most famous Sauvignon Blanc region in the world. (In the ‘old world’ it has to be the Loire).
There are subtle differences between the styles produced on New Zealand’s two islands. The warmer North Island offers wines with richer, more tropical flavours; while wines from the South Island tend to be leaner and grassier, with notes of gooseberry and grass.
It’s great both with and without food. With its pronounced bouquet and refreshing flavour profile New Zealand Sauvignon is perhaps the aperitif wine; a glass or two will always slip down a treat, even without food.
If you’re pairing it with food it’s fabulous with anything herb-driven, the greener in flavour the better.
3 pairings for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc:
Our Persian-inspired za’atar, lemon & chickpea stew
We had the pleasure of creating this vegan recipe for New Zealand wine producer Yealands. Lemon zest and heaps and heaps of fresh herbs - dill, mint, and parsley - compliment the wine beautifully.
A rice noodle salad with passion-fruit vinaigrette
Find the recipe here. Passion fruit is the quintessential flavour of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Here’s a congruent flavour match if ever we tasted one! Both the wine and the salad are zippy, clean, tropical, and fruity, laced with cut herbs and a saline finish - in the case of the salad this comes in the form of a little crispy seaweed garnish.
Cavolo Nero, garlic & pine nut pasta with a creamy basil sauce.
Again, this recipe pairing offers a pleasing congruence with the wine. Lemon zest and juice ensure the pasta is lively and clean tasting. And if you’ve got a slightly more textured Sauvignon Blanc - perhaps one from a coastal vineyard such as Yealands Estate, Single Vineyard Sauvignon 2021 - this richer texture is echoed by the rich and creamy basil sauce.