When I reviewed the 2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, which was my indoctrination into the world of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, Courtney and Mark mentioned that I should try the Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (here is Mark’s review on Wine Life 365). While it’s taken me a couple of months to follow-up on the suggestion, I’m glad I did…and I found the perfect day to try it, too.

Tuesday was one of those days those typical DC summer days—hot and humid—and, for the first time in what feels like weeks, it didn’t rain. After a day of playing the “hurry up and wait” game at work and dealing with the hassles of the Metro commute after Monday’s tragedy, when I walked in the door of our condo, I could hardly wait to open a cold, white wine. Thankfully, the Oyster Bay SB was chilled, so I poured a glass, put my feet up, and spent some time decompressing with Hubby and watching some trashy TV. It was the Oyster Bay SB was the well-suited for a quiet, relaxing evening.

The 2008 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth) was a clear, light-to-medium lemon color and had slow forming legs. On the nose, the wine had nice, classic New Zealand SB aromas—green bell peppers and green apples—followed by some pineapple and a touch of fresh cut grass. In the mouth, the green peppers were the most pronounced, but blended nicely with the granny smith apple and pineapple flavors. There were also very light gooseberry and grass flavors. The wine was had a crisp acidity that was well balanced with the alcohol and body, which made for a refreshing and enjoyable Sauvignon Blanc.

Is this wine worth a glass after work? Definitely! If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $12, this wine is surprisingly good. It drinks very well on its own, but if you’re looking for food to go with it, I think that it would pair well with a salad, chicken stir-fry, or, ironically, oysters. Also, while it still has the classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc bell pepper flavors, it offers more fruity and less vegetal characteristics than the Kim Crawford does. And, for the money-conscious, it was also less expensive.

Overall: 4 Corks