Don’t let the name frighten you away from delightful Squealing Pig

Wine is fine, despite the urine joke on the label and yellow-looking colour

I was sitting on my porch with fine wine crime writer and critical colleague Tony Aspler when the label of what we were sipping stopped us in our tracks.

It was the latest critter-label New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

Now, everyone knows wineries have had label fun with the fact that gooseberry bushes smell like cat pee or a litterbox. In fact, both the real bushes and the savvies reveal that symbiosis. But here we had Squealing Pig S.B., which toys with The Three Little Pigs storybook. Some foxy person at the winery figured out this was their playground. And there was the line writ large, “this little pig went wee wee wee.”

In the bottle, it is true, the white wine looks yellowish.

But pig pee? Yuck. Thank goodness the wine is fine and reviewed here with four other winners in the Aug. 8 Vintages release including the stunning Bailly Pouilly-Fumé S.B. rating 92.

If you want a cheaper S.B., head for the J. Lohr Flume Crossing 2013 Sauvignon Blanc (#418228, $19.95, 90+) which unveils gooseberry, grapefruit, fresh mown grass, gentle smoke and lime essences. Try it with sushi or sashimi to be edgy.

I seldom review pinot noirs, but three hitting shelves this Saturday are very posh.

My highest rated is Burrowing Owl 2013 Reserve Pinot Noir (#556613, $40.95, 93+), from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley. It shows glorious vanilla-laced cherry, earthy beetroot, scorched earth smokiness and mocha as it breathes in a seductive silky texture.

Dropping south to Oregon is Rainstorm 2012 Pinot Noir (#327924, $24.95, 90+), done in more of a Burgundy style. It deftly weaves cherry pulp, pomegranate, earthy strawberry and gentle beetroot aromas and flavours into a red with panache.

Our third killer pinot is from sunsplashed Santa Barbara County in California, Pali Huntington 2012 Pinot Noir (#417519, $27.95, 91) with full, rich flavours showing violets, spicy black cherry root, cinnamon, cedar and a splash of chocolate.

Our final red is a Rhône style blend of syrah and Grenache from the south of France, Château de Treviac 2012 Corbiéres (#670505, $16.95, 90+) with pert black cherry, blueberry, lavender and spicy components. Excellent value and no wood, for those who get headaches from oak tannins.

Happy wine hunting.