Sledgehammer, eh? Sounds divine! I really love this wine, find it refreshing, well balanced and a bargain.
I don't think I have the same reaction to it you do. Sauvignon Blanc often evokes grapefruit but I find it to be more subtle and complex than you did. Cat piss and overly tart grapefruit are, to me, not pleasant aspects of many Sauvignon Blancs. The Whitehaven, though, is just citrus enough and is amazing with many foods, particularly fresh seafood like raw clams or oysters. And as you noted in your PM, it's great for clearing the palate and cutting away even fats and garlic when going from one dish to another. Here is a description I found online and do feel they are remiss in not mentioning grapefruit at all: "A well balanced off dry wine with a mixture of gooseberry, capsicum and some blackberry aromas."
And here, from another site:
Tasting Notes:
Colour / Appearance: Light straw, with lemon-lime tones
Aroma / Bouquet: Vibrant currant-leaf and gooseberry aromas, some pungent herbaceous nuances, and a hint of ripe citrus.
Palate: A full flavoured medium bodied wine, with an abundance of currant and gooseberry flavours, and a clean, lingering finish.
Cellaring: We recommend drinking our 2004 Sauvignon Blanc while it is young and fresh, but the wine is capable of developing nicely over the next three years if carefully cellared.
Serve: Chilled
Suggested Food Match: Summer salads, poultry and shellfish, particularly suited to oysters or green shell mussels, as well as lobster and white fish.
