Sunday, June 20, 2010

WCOW: Italy VS. New Zealand

To celebrate the 2010 World Cup of Soccer in South Africa we are hosting a few nation VS. nation competitions of our own whenever two major wine producing countries meet.

Match 2 has a battle of refreshing white wines from Italy and New Zealand square off. I can guarantee that NZ won't be satisfied with a draw in this match.

Italy's Wine: Pieropan 2009 Soave Classico
Region: Soave Classico
Alcohol: 14%
Cost: $24.99
Notes: Dry, high-minus acidity with good fruit concentration. Light, refreshing flavours of tangy lemon with floral and citrus aromas.
Full Review

New Zealand's Wine: Stone Paddock 2008 Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Hawkes Bay
Cost: $19-21
Alcohol: 12.5%
Notes: Dry, high acidity, medium-plus bodied.  Gooseberries and minerality galore. Stonefruit and juniper berry flavours with grapefruit and slate aromas.
Full Review

The Conclusion:

Complexity (Nose): Pieropan
Complexity (Palate): Stone Paddock
Food Friendly: Pieropan
Concentration: Stone Paddock
Expression of Terroir: Stone Paddock
Value: Stone Paddock
Winner: Stone Paddock

The New Zealand "All Whites", as the soccer commentators were calling them, takes this match, avoiding a draw with the Azzuri. The Pieropan has a lovely nose and offers a light-ish bodied, acidic, refreshing white wine but the Stone Paddock does all that and more. Offering more complexity and concentration of flavours while staying fairly light and refreshing.
 - Liam Carrier
 
Next Match: Host nation South Africa takes on the struggling French in a battle of warm climate Syrah on Tuesday, June 22nd.

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