2004 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc

Lodovico Antinori of the historic Tuscan wine family sold his Tuscan estate Ornellaia to Mondavi in 2002, but he hasn’t retired from the field. He and the Antinori family have a project called Tenuta Campo di Sasso, which bridges the old and new worlds with vineyards in Tuscany and New Zealand.

They’ve zeroed in on the Marlborough area on New Zealand’s South Island, renowned for its Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauvignon they produce there under the Mount Nelson label is juicy and crisp, with a chiseled minerality and a jolt of lime zest. It shows well with roast birds, steamed mussels or clams, anything from the raw bar, seared scallops and grilled shrimp. The price couldn’t be better. Drink up.

Quick swirl

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Price: About $12

Style: Lively and crisp

Food it goes with: Roast birds, steamed shellfish, raw oysters and clams, seared scallops, grilled shrimp

Where you find it: La Bodega Wine & Spirits in Riverside, (951) 683-3307; Morry’s of Naples in Long Beach, (562) 433-0405; Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454 and (800) 76WINEX.

-- S. Irene Virbila