Peregrine Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $27 ★★★½
Anyone thinking central otago was simply pinot noir country clearly hasn’t had the pleasure of sipping their sauvignon. Softer in style, with basil, peach and lemongrass characters that wash across the palate with the most subtle hit of white pepper and fresh passionfruit. Softly fruited and refreshing, this little gem from Gibbston will leave a […]
Crafter’s Union Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $21 ★★★★½
I love the fact that on the outside the packaging is so whimsical, so extravagant, so wild, yet when you slip the bottle out, the labelling on the bottle is a simple white and silver crest. But it’s what’s inside that bottle that counts, and if you’re craving a hit of nettles, lime, passionfruit, pinprick […]
Soho Stella Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $25 ★★★★★
Wow! How’s this for a passionfruity punch in the face. Lemongrass, basil, and lashings of lime just tornado themselves across the palate, leaving a zingy, perfectly prickly texture in their wake. Winemaker Dave Clouston is an absolute guru when it comes to sourcing and saucing the best sauvignon blanc Marlborough has to offer – so […]
Allan Scott Generations Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 ★★★★
Softer and much creamier than most squint-inducing Marlborough sauvignon blancs, this wine has a hint of toast and watercress on the nose, marzipan and just a sneaky squeak of lemongrass, lime zest and dried herbs. It’s Marlborough sauvignon but with an edgy, slightly smoky side. Allan Scott’s son Josh heads the winemaking team and he’s […]
Cloudy Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $36 ★★★★½
This new vintage of what’s become an Antipodean icon, has all the hallmarks of becoming another stunner. I say ‘becoming’ because despite this wine already boasting punchy basil, sweet pea, passionfruit and crunchy-fresh citrus and floral characters – I personally really love drinking this wine in the height of summer, a few months on from […]
Greystone Waipara Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $22 (4.5stars)
100% of the sauvignon blanc juice was fermented in French oak before a smidge (10%) was put through a malolactic ferment to add a creamy, textural layer. After maturation in barrel for another months before being bottled back in December, you’d expect this sauvignon to be seriously toasty. However it’s remarkably herbaceous, floral and fresh, […]
The Boneline Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $23 (4 stars)
The Tutton family are deeply connected to the Waipara River which runs through their property and has, over the years, offered up a smorgasbord of fossils. The Riverbone has a Megalodon tooth on the label, a tooth as big as owner Vic Tutton’s hand “It’s so lovely with perfect striations down each side of the […]
Seresin OSIP Organic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $24 (3.5 stars)
Named after an ‘extraordinary’ family relative of Seresin’s founder Michael Seresin, the OSIP wines are the result of a decade-long project to remove additions in the winery. Winemaker Clive Dougall has used wild yeasts, and absolutely no sulphur or other non-naturals have been added. Seresin have been producing certified organic and biodynamically grown wines since […]
Clos Marguerite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015
This tiny, tinsel-tastic little vineyard in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley is one of the regions’ best kept secrets. Marguerite and her husband, winemaker Jean Charles van Hove, have quietly been crafting exceptional sauvignon blanc on their tiny 8ha vineyard since arriving from France in 1996. You’ll be forgiven for not having heard of them, they fly […]
Domaine Paul Buisse Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $29 (4 stars)
Grown in the heart of France’s Loire region, this is a typically soft, fleshy sauvignon that’s stitched together with basil, hints of baked green capsicum and lime. Naturally concentrated and juicy, with tongue-prickling textural loveliness and a long, freshly floral finish. It’s so unlike what we in New Zealand are used to with sauvignon blanc […]
