Happy endings

An unfortunate side effect of branded wines is it’s really rather easy to buy the wrong one. Whilst this could be an exciting new adventure in wines you’ve never gotten around to tasting, introducing you to new favourites, it can also be a pain the bum if you’ve accidentally opened a bottle of sauvignon blanc, when you’d expected a big oaky chardonnay.

That’s how we came to be drinking McGuigan Signature Sauvignon Blanc 2006 after the dinner that I’d planned on having the chardonnay with. I hadn’t even been drinking sherry as I cooked so I had no excuse.

The wine is pale and a lemon green colour. It smells fresh with herby, grassy aromas and a touch of minerality. It’s bone dry and very crisp. It tastes lemony with some gooseberry and a slightly floral fruitiness, and lots of mineral acidity. It’s 12.5% alcohol which balances well. The flavour lasts well.

At around £6-7 this is perfectly good Sauvignon Blanc, I’m sure it would go well with food, but perhaps not with the buttery shrimp spaghettini.