STELLA’S A STAR
Stella is the Italian word for star, you know, as in stellar. Rachel Carter, owner of New Zealand’s SOHO winery, in a re-branding exercise, decided to give each of their wines a personal name. The inspiration for this wine was “women with classic confidence and sexy femininity.” Hmm, perhaps designer Stella McCartney? This premium expression of Sauvignon Blanc hails from the Carter family’s own Marlborough region vineyards located within the Wairau and Awatere districts. The unrushed growing season, long bright summer days and cool nights preserve the bright fruit character. Zesty fruit meets gorgeous minerality. On the palate we encounter fleshy stone fruits, fresh lime and a tropical lusciousness. It’s a home run of balance with a juicy acidity and a long textural finish. Sam Kim of Wine Orbit, one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent wine journalists, gave it a score of 95. Why not be your household’s half-shell hero, shuck a dozen and pair this wine with oysters with a tiny splash of Worcestershire sauce.