Tami V., 3 Keys

Jax Y3 Chardonnay

Walnut Ridge Rose’ of Gamay

Painted Fields Sierra Côtes

Jason N., Haw River

“I get tired of Pinot Noir on the holidays, so these are the light red alternatives to go with turkey and stuffing with cranberries.”

2022 Thet Pineau D’Aunis

2022 Overnoy-Crinquand Ploussard

Michael C., Kellogg

Pedro Parra y Familia, Bluepit 2022—96pts Wine Advocate—$33/bt

*Definitely the wildcard pick, Bluepit País comes from a tiny dry-farmed parcel in Ñipas, Chile, made from wines pushing 150 years old. Winemaker Pedro Parra uses indigenous yeast and whole-cluster fermentation in concrete, then ages the wine reductively in neutral oak until geology becomes the star of the show. On the nose the wine seems nearly devoid of typical “fruit bomb” signatures: instead you get fine, airy herbal and mineral aromas, a tapestry of weightless herbs, subtle underbrush, maybe a whisper of wild fennel or mountain mint that linger with haunting persistence.

James C., Orsini

Argyle Nuthouse Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley

Francois Leclerc Corbeaux 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2015, Gevrey-Chambertin

Paloma Merlot 2017, Spring Mountain

Jacob H., Tryon

Mistinguett Rosé Cava

Jean-Louis Mothe Chablis

“The red was going to be the 2023 Marcel Lapierre Morgon, but a few people came down with the flu, so with only three wine drinkers present we never even opened it.”

Brian B., JB Mutual

Deveaux Cuveé D Champagne

Wehlen 2018 Riesling S.A.Prüm

2021 Denner Mother Of Exiles Bordeaux Blend, Paso Robles

Loose Tannin Thxgiving Picks

Gosset Grand Reserve Brut Champagne - courtesy of Carson

Joubert-Tradauw Chardonnay, Klein Karoo - courtesy of JL

Purple Hands Loan Oak Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills- courtesy of the Nanner/Peppers

Cranberry G&Ts - courtesy of the Mercers

Other Prestige Bottles -- perfect for Host Gifts:

• Bregeon Muscadet-Sur-Lie

• Laurent-Perrier Brut (**this one got two shouts!**)

• Château Carbonnieux Blanc, Pessac-Leogan

• Jean Collet & Fils Chbalis Grand Cru, Les Clos

• Trimbach Gewürz

• Robert Sinskey Pinot Blanc (only available in 375mL and 1.5L)

• Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain

• Any vintages and bottlings from Marcel Lapierre

*Find these wines wherever you buy good wine! Loose Tannins is not a wine seller and is not affiliated with any particular licensed wine seller or distributor. But we are happy to help you find some!

Photo from @terroir_matters.

But the interesting thing about NZ Savvy — and I pinky promise I am not judging! - is that for all of the people asking for it, very can tell me why it is they love it. In 2001, Doug Frost, MW, CMS noted “New Zealand wines are generous to a fault and, in the case of the country’s Sauvignon Blanc, some find the flavors of the wine too intense” even “bombastic.” But cool climates give the rip-you-face-off acidity that fans of natural wine love without sacrificing tropical flavors. In short, it tastes a lot like lemonade.

But there’s all kinds of great wine. Sancerre’s Sauvignon Blanc is perfection, and there are other light zippy whites [including…?] So why would this region become such a phenomenon? Economics have a lot to do with it.

Most Sauvignon Blanc is machine harvested, an affordable alternative to the hand-harvesting needed in precarious or temperamental growing conditions. As Margot White wrote for NZ Nat Geo in 2008, “… even if some berries are riper than others at the time of harvesting, they all end up in the same stainless-steel vat. In fact, this mix of ripeness could be partly responsible for those ‘tropical fruit aromas’ and the ‘herbaceous spine’ that a Marlborough sav is so famous for.”

When winemaker Ross Spence first brought clippings to Auckland from UC Davis, in 1969, New Zealand was already experiencing a wine revolution. Like soldiers from so many countries, soldiers from New Zealand came back from World War II having been exposed to new tastes and new ways of drinking and dining. New Zealand slowly turned away from sickly sweet fortified wines, and were eager for something lighter and easier to pair with dinner. After years of Chenin Blanc and the underperforming New Zealand Muller-Thurgau*, (mistakenly planted because growing conditions were believed to be similar to Germany) the hearty Sauvignon Blanc proved a promising replacement.

Spence experienced modest success in early crops, but evidence of root infections and leaf roll virus made it a risky endeavor. When peer viticulturist from Montana Wines recognized the potential of Marlborough’s climate: long, warm days and cool nights, acidity-enhancing maritime influence, minimum rainfall at harvest and free-draining soil. Under their commercial level propagation and foreign investment from Seagram in New York City, the clone took off like a rocket.

The market, however, took a few years to catch up. Sauvignon Blanc gained a small foothold under the name “Fumé Blanc” — so dubbed by Robert Maldovi who was also experimenting dry sauvignon blancs in Sonoma — but by 1980, New Zealand wine lovers faced an onslaught of low-priced, low-quality wines in a tightening economy. The NZ government paid farmers subsidies to pull up their vines and keep wine prices low, and many took the opportunity to replace their vines with hearty Sauvignon Blanc. Determined to do damage control to New Zealand vino’s reputation in the wine world, Ernie Hunter of Hunter Wines took Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to the International Wine Show in the UK, where it won three international awards against France’s Sancerre. Cloudy Bay entered the market as the same time with smart labeling and stellar distribution network in the United Kingdom, and all at once, Sauvignon Blanc was the name whispered round the world.

By the mid-1990s, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay had overtaken the considerably less exciting* Müller-Thurgau in New Zealand as the number one varietal planted. In the United States, Sauvignon Blanc was a refreshing change from the oaky Chardonnay that had the nation in a chokehold, and names like Kim Crawford and Oyster Bay became household names. Holding at under $20/bottle, import of New Zealand wines in the U.S. have steadily grown for 16 consecutive years.

Today, in 2025, the style now accounts for over 86% of wine exported from New Zealand and remains a simple, drinkable grocery store wine. Customers have few complaints, but like too much of any good thing, critics have grown tired it. ‘So much Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc tastes as if it’s come out of the same bottomless tank,’ said critic and Club Oenologique contributor Tim Atkin MW in a 2020 review. But even as Somms snubbed it, casual wine drinkers doubled down on NZ Sauvignon Blanc during a global pandemic. Demand for vibrant, unpretentious, and consistently delicious wines sky-rocketed, and customers were happy to find something they could rely on no matter what.

So why put it on your wine list and on your shelves? In short, because it sells! And it doesn’t look like the nations thirst for this style is going to be quenched any time soon.

*Muller-Thurgau is not disappointing, it’s very cool. Don’t take my word for it, try Covée MT grown in Trentino (Italy).

https://cluboenologique.com/story/marlborough-sauvignon-blanc-evolving-wine-styles/

https://www.nzwine.com/en/media/story/sauvignon-blanc-capital/

https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/wine-grower/wg-general-news/the-history-of-sauvignon-blanc

https://neelburton.com/2024/01/30/the-wines-of-new-zealand/

https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2025/03/14/new-zealand-wine-continues-to-defy-market-trends-growing-for-16th-consecutive-year-in-the-us/

https://macrostiewinery.com/sauvignon-blanc-a-success-story/?srsltid=AfmBOopt2vXaUpZy9s4izH1vnHicCGBk_1GJFA1p_eKZXVjlPtAcnmND

The Cocoon replaces the 2020 Ecobox, a gift box made from FSC paper, treated with their iconic Art Nouveau flower designs, and marks a satisfying reinterpretation of the technology first introduced by the Ruinart Second Skin.

Pierrer-Jouët: Inspired by nature since 1811.

The fully recyclable ‘coffret’, made in France, and 93% lighter than previous gift boxes offered by the Maison, and serves as a symbol of the brand’s high regard beauty and the environment. Additionally, it links the brand more closely than ever with their commitment to a zero-herbicide policy, preservation of biodiversity, and the development of sustainable growing practices.

Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose-Adélaïde Jouët is named for a young couple united by their love of art and nature. Pierre-Nicolas Perrier, and his son Charles were botanists and horticulturists, regularly implementing progressive ideas on natural 
viticulture and vineyard management for their time. 

 *It is unclear if this vine waste is added for additional structure or added texture.

Last week I discussed the importance of heritage in product premiumization. Which poses the question: What, then, is the difference between Volcan and Eminente in the Moët Hennessy portfolio?

Eminente, another beautiful brand with a story rooted in Cuban heritage, faces very different market conditions.

The rum market is much more saturated in Europe than tequila, meaning that while a great story and beautiful packaging matter, they will not be enough to stand apart from other rhum brands.

To emphasize its unique features, quality, and exclusivity, Eminente should be focusing on different selling points than Volcan.

Rather than highlighting a strong, biodiversity strategy or highlighting the makers of their product, Eminente has a targeted strategy for existing rum consumers.

Exceptional experiences, is the name of their game. You will find Eminente enlisting the help of bar tenders elevate the versatility and flavor profile of their product, and offering unique installations, such as the Hotel Monte Carlo exhibit and the newly opened Casa Eminente. should do the trick to build buzz and make already-eager rum aficionados rabid.

In an uncertain market, many brands turn to premiumization, the process of enhancing the features of a brand that make it unique and appealing. This can happen for an existing brand, but it call also happen for an entire product segment, as is the case of Tequila in recent months.

Moët Hennessy has started its first tequila brand, Volcan, and paired this fresh story with an iconic look in the XA bottle. Brand elements feature the farmers and the AOP of Jalisco, acknowledging the historical knowledge, the rich heritage of the region, and offering the same dignity to Mexican spirits as they afford to France’s noble vineyards.

Bold brand identities, strong existing communities, and green credentials are essential for any new brand looking to launch in 2023, and the time is ripe for Tequila and Mezcaleria stories to be told!

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Each November, the annual Beaujolais festivals celebrate the fresh bottling of this unpretentious wine and the rich history of the region. Beaujolais boasting wines that have been around since the reign of Julius Cesar and was bottled by monks. It is also known for sporting many innovations in wine making, including strategies for protecting the vines from phylloxera and new sprays to protect vines from mildew.

Light and abundant, Beaujolais was bottled by the monk-vintners and shipped down the river for restaurants to use. It remains a popular, modest choice for Thanksgiving dinners everywhere.

In honor of COP27, we chose to highlight packaging innovations as a way to tackle decarbonisation of the spirit and beverage industry. The following posts detail various notable innovations:

• Recycling & High Consumer Cooperation in Craft Beer

• Eco-design - Lightweight & Streamlined

• Upcycling & New End of Life Ideas

Two brands are offering eco-friendly champagne options to help you celebrate Champagne Day, the last Friday of October.

• Champagne Telmont, a Rémy Cointreau brand, has announced they will trade the clear bottles for a lighter, recycled bottle alternative and no longer package their bottles in a gift box, reducing packaging waste and lessening shipping weights. The commitment reflects their “In the Name of Mother Nature” commitment to cutting down carbon emissions by 50% before 2030.

• Ruinart, a maison in the LVMH group, announced a different packaging solution this time last year with their “second skin,” a wood fibre material that is recyclable, water resistant and insulating, and fits perfectly to the form of the Ruinart signature bottle. The texture was design to invoke the cuvées of Riems, where the drink is made. The packaging protects the Blanc de Blancs and Rosé de Blancs from purchase all the way until serving.

Both Ruinart and Telmont have committed to shipping by land and sea, rather than by air freight.