This is a wine that I tried solely on a review I read on the New York Cork Report.  I love reading reviews of wines.  I could care less about the score that the taster gives, but what matters to me are the aroma’s and the flavors that appear on their palate.  If there is an aroma that I have never picked up on in a wine, then you can bet money on it that I will give it a try to see if I can find it in there to.

What was I looking for in this bottle of Vineyard 48 2009 Sauvignon Blanc ($22) — the aroma of cat pee.  This was the quote that made me run out and get a bottle of this from Vineyard 48.  On  Lenn Thompson‘s review of this win on the New York Cork Report he states this line which caught my attention:

The nose shows classic grapefruit and gooseberry fruit aromas layered with fresh-cut grass, sweet herbs and cat pee aromas — and I mean that as a positive.

“Cat pee aromas — and I mean that as a positive” —  How could something that offensive to some be a positive.  Lets see what I found when I tasted, and lets see if those aromas were a positive.   Here are my notes:

On the nose I was picking up tropical fruit like papaya, kiwi and melon rind with hints of gooseberry, lemon, grapefruit and a hint of peach. Musky or some would call it cat pee.  I also showed some fresh herbs like basil, lemon verbena and lemon-grass.  Hints of fresh-cut grass also were showing on the bouquet.

When I tasted the wine, grapefruit jumped out of the glass along with hints of lemon zest, fresh herbs and grass.  In the end a hint of pear with some stone minerality seemed to linger.  Nice acidity with a lush mouth feel.

I recommend you go out and try this wine.  Then educate yourself and explore the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wine region of your wine shop.  I did.  I picked up a few Sauvignon Blanc’s from that region and I noticed the musky cat pee aroma that I found on this Long Island offering.  

I have to say that I was really digging the muskiness of this wine and the wines I tried.  Who knew that something negative sounding — cat pee aroma, can be a positive.  It was for me.

I would love to know what you think.  Have you had Sauvignon Blanc with the musky aroma?  Did you like it?  Pick up this wine and let me know here in the comments.

Sláinte!