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Before the 2004 movie Sideways made the world inhospitable for merlot drinkers, no wine in the world was more reviled than sauvignon blanc.

The late Len Evans, Australia's renowned wine educator, is reputed to have said his idea of hell was to be stranded on a desert island with nothing to consume but goat cheese and sauvignon blanc (a classic pairing, by the way).

In the United States, distaste for the bracingly herbal white wine was such in the 1960s that Napa Valley legend Robert Mondavi, in his most notable marketing coup, started calling his sauvignon "fumé blanc," a fabricated term intended to echo the French appellation Pouilly-Fumé, home to some of the world's finest sauvignon blancs.

In fact, merlot's new infamy notwithstanding, I'd argue sauvignon blanc continues to be the favourite whipping boy of today's wine cognoscenti.

In 2004, consumer behaviour researcher Steve Charters, now a professor at the Reims Management School in the Champagne region of France, published a paper entitled, What is the problem with sauvignon blanc? An investigation of expert dislike of an aesthetic product.

Then in a column last year, Slate magazine's gifted wine essayist, Mike Steinberger, was unequivocal in his scorn. "Simply put, the grape is a dud, producing chirpy little wines wholly devoid of complexity and depth, the very qualities that make wine interesting and worth savouring."

I'm surprised he wasn't more critical, actually. Some experts might also have mentioned the grape's high acidity, a fatal quality in the eye of most sweet-toothed Americans in particular, and its tendency to develop vegetal characters when poorly pruned or picked early, a defect (though some say virtue) commonly likened to cat's pee.

Worse, at least as far as serious collectors are concerned, the wine is generally considered incapable of improving with age.

Contrast that with other noble whites, such as chardonnay and riesling, some of which are prized for their honeyed, nutty characters of old age.

But derision toward sauvignon blanc has always seemed to me a tad louder south of the border than here.

Canadians were, after all, among the first foreigners to recognize the greatness of New Zealand's particularly racy style with the grape.

This being summer, it's time to cut poor sauvignon blanc some slack. The wine may not reach the heights of chardonnay or riesling, but it is a great partner for delicate, zesty, summertime favourites, such as grilled shellfish, asparagus and, yes, just about any dish involving goat cheese.

And few wines are as pleasing to sip on their own in the sunshine.

One excellent choice from New Zealand is Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($16.99 in B.C.; $18.95, in Ontario, product No. 981670). Boisterously fresh and grassy on the nose, it's silky and fleshy on the palate, with classic flavours of gooseberry, grapefruit and cut grass, followed by zippy acidity.

Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($18.95, No. 933424; $24.99 in B.C.) is a benchmark for this grape from South Africa, and the 2006 vintage is decidedly grassy and crisp, with vibrant fruit underpinning the clean finish.

Also a good buy from South Africa and available today in Ontario Vintages stores is Agulhas First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($15.95, No. 018705), with a balance between tropical fruit flavour, minerals and acidity.

And from a winery that still produces one of the American classics, there's Robert Mondavi Winery Fumé Blanc 2005 ($24.95, No. 221887), complex and nicely layered with apple, mineral and a whiff of smoky oak.

From elsewhere in the Vintages release, don't miss a terrific, premium pinot grigio from Italy, Attems Pinot Grigio 2006 ($20.95, No. 707950). It's a lot to pay for a grape widely seen as a casual patio beverage, but this one is reminiscent of an Oregon pinot gris (same grape). Relatively weighty and oily in texture, it oozes sweet lemon and tropical fruit. It's a good partner for salmon.

Also decent from northern Italy is Alois Lageder Chardonnay 2005 ($20.95, No. 030312), a medium-bodied, smooth white with nuances of mineral, honey and apple.

Perhaps the best white-wine value in today's Ontario release is Santa Carolina Barrica Selection Chardonnay 2005 ($14.95, No. 928580), medium full-bodied, with ample oak nicely balanced by ripe tropical fruit, spice and acidity.

On the pricey side, there's Château Labouré-Roi Meursault Blanc Clos de la Baronne 2005 ($49.95, No. 041087). This well-structured white Burgundy is medium full-bodied, buttery and silky, with attractive nuttiness and toasty oak peeking through the fruit. Good length.

Among reds, my favourite from the Ontario release is Saint-Benoit Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grande Garde 2004 ($33.95, No. 424226), medium-bodied and juicy, hinting at cherry liqueur, licorice and herbs. It's lively and delicious, and a very good value for the appellation.

From Australia, the standout is Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Shiraz 2002 ($39.95, No. 971705), thick, opaque, exceedingly ripe and brimming with dark fruits, bitter chocolate, peppery spice and mint.

Also good from Australia are the twin reds from a McLaren Vale producer not afraid of screw caps: Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 ($17.95, No. 965830), a full-bodied crowd-pleaser with notes of almost-sweet blackberry jam, chocolate and herbs; and Chapel Hill Shiraz Grenache 2005 ($18.95, No. 037168), velvety and thick, with flavours of vanilla and spice.

And the offbeat choice of the Ontario release is a wine from the Republic of Georgia, Teliani Valley Saperavi 2005 ($19.95, No. 034157). Saperavi is the most important grape of Georgia, often yielding robust wines capable of long-term cellaring.

This one, at 13-per-cent-alcohol, has a slightly gritty texture and firm tannins, with herb and black pepper nuances and a hint of underbrush, reminiscent of a decent cabernet franc. Well done, if not to all tastes.

bcrosariol@globeandmail.com

Pick of the week

Charla Jones The Globe and Mail July 3, 2007 -- Products for Style. Wine_Photo by Charla Jon crosariol07st1 1183420800

Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($16.99 in B.C.; $18.95, in Ontario, No. 981670). Boisterously fresh, with flavours of

gooseberry, grapefruit and

cut grass.