2006 Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Reserve Marlborough

Pale, bright yellow. Pungent if tightly wound nose offers grapefruit pith, fresh pineapple, gooseberry and a light resiny quality. The grapefruit and pineapple fruit flavors are strong and high-pitched, giving this very intense wine a penetrating character rare for New Zealand sauvignon. Perhaps most impressive today on the intense, palate-cleansing finish, which features a superb whiplash of quince and pear skin flavor and a piquant peppery element. This may well reward a year of patience, but I would not hesitate to enjoy a bottle right now.