The perfect warm weather party wine?

As we come into warmer weather, I'm enjoying firing up the gas grill and enjoying some time outside. I tend to choose wines seasonally rather than pairing them specifically with the food we're eating, and this spring in particular, two varieties that really seem to have a lot of buzz are Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

When I think of Sauvignon Blanc, quite a few good regions come to mind. France (Sancerre- read more here from RJ's Wine Blog), California, and New Zealand all produce strong wines from the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

The 2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough is a fantastic example of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. It is also:

• Readily available thanks to massive 175,000 case production
• Consistent across vintages- 92, 91, and 91 point ratings for the last 3 vintages according to Spectator
  
• Quite affordable if you shop around
  

Here are my tasting notes:

2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough - New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough (4/18/2009)
For me, this is the definitive benchmark Sauvignon Blanc. Lemon zest and fresh cut grass on the nose. Tons of flavor on the palate along with some nice minerality. Crisp without being tangy. A *great* summer wine. So consistent over the last few vintages. Distinctive and recognizable. Back up the truck. (90 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Where to buy:

• BJ's Danvers, MA $12.99
• Costco Waltham, MA $12.99
• Blanchards West Roxbury, MA $13.97
  
• Wine.com $15.99 (this is an affiliate link)
  

Keep in mind- there is no additional tax on wine in MA.

Fun facts:

• Kim Crawford is a man, not a woman.
• Kim Crawford Wines was acquired by Canadian conglomerate Vincor International in 2003, and in 2006 Constellation acquired Vincor. Kim Crawford himself no longer works for Kim Crawford Wines. Since 2008, Matt Large (who worked with Kim for several years) has been the winemaker.
  
• You can follow @KimCrawfordWine on Twitter. They're nice, helpful folks (thanks for the label and the information about the brand!) but just so you're aware, the Twitter account is for the brand and not Kim Crawford himself.
  

If you like this one, you might also enjoy this outstanding 96 point/$29 California Sauvignon Blanc.

Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite summer party wines?