Peregrine, Central Otago (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Even at the higher end of Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand these days, the issue is balance.  The famously energetic acidity that vintners can conjure from the cool Kiwi climate on the south island always raises a winemaking question:  Do I let the fermentation run all the way to dryness, producing a Sauvignon that will be zesty enough to awaken the dead, or do I leave enough residual sugar to buffer that acidity and make a rendition that will appeal more to the masses than connoisseurs?  This wine shows that a happy medium is possible, as it shows brilliant balance between bright citrus fruit and softer melon notes that really wear well after the first glass (and the second, too).  Indeed, the balance here is so precise and the wine so complete that it could serve very well as a sipper, or as a partner for freshly shucked oysters, or for pairing with finfish or lighter preparations of chicken.