Wow! The second you pour this wine, people on the other side of the room will start sniffing the air and rising like the undead to follow where the scent is coming from. Powerful passionfruit, lemongrass, lime juice and bruised basil characters abound on the nose and palate, stitched together by solid acidity and extend … Read More
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Montana Winemakers Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $16.99 (3.5 stars)
Sick of sauvignon that’s all sweet passionfruit, armpit sweat and OTT with the capsicum and cats pee? Fret no longer, this puppy has a lift of white peach, lemongrass, basil and limey loveliness alongside a vein of quartzy minerality in the mouth. It’s lean, clean, tidy and darn tasty. Available in supermarkets.
Te Pa Wines Oke Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $24 (4.5 stars)
Forget the words ‘sauvignon blanc’, because it’s way more like a ‘crazy, complex, smoky, roasty, toasty white wine’ than a sauvignon. Aromas of pine pollen, marzipan and smoked passionfruit are followed by lemongrass, lime leaf and tropical tastiness. Essentially it’s a gloriously complex wine, produced by a family that can trace their roots back to … Read More
Terravin Te Ahu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013 $40 (4.5 stars)
‘‘Te Ahu’’ loosely translates to ‘‘new beginning’’ in Maori and for many sauvignon blanc fans, one sip of this will send them into new realms of possibility. Barrel-fermented, as opposed to the usual stainless-steel treatment, and using wild, indigenous yeasts, this wine offers almond meal, frangipani, freshly baled hay and baked tropical fruits on the … Read More
Pacific Potion Hawke’s Bay Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $25 (4 stars)
Certified organic and oozing personality, this is lemongrassy, limey lusciousness at its best. Produced by the Supernatural Wine kids with organic-specialist winemaker Hayden Penny at the helm, the Pacific Potion is a skilfully produced clean, zesty, tangy and tropical tipple. It’s surprising to see it’s lower in alcohol than most (11.5%) but I love it’s … Read More
Pretty Paddock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $10.99 (3 stars)
Classic punchy passionfruit, crushed herbs, green capsicum and pea pod flavours are all crammed into this bottle alongside gum-numbing acidity and long, prickly-fresh length of flavour. A squeak of white pepper and a lick of lemongrass makes this a good little ‘after work’ quaffer. www.vineonline
Framingham Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $21 (4 stars)
Tangy and seriously grassy, this sauvignon has buckets of basil, tomato leaf and capsicum characters all bouncing out of the glass. Herbaceous and heaving with tangy, lemongrass and lime layers. It’s less sweet and more along the zesty, white fruits spectrum than a lot of Marlborough sauvignon out there. I really like it. www.framingham.co.nz
Beach House Reserve Hawke’s Bay Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $25 (4 stars)
If the thought of oak in your sauvignon blanc sends you into a spin, don’t fret. Chris Harrison at Hawke’s Bay’s Beach House wines has mastered the art of subtlety, so you get a whiff of freshly-baled hay and toast wrapping itself around white peach, lemongrass and lime loveliness. It’s ultra-long on flavour and a … Read More
Starborough Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $18.99
Incredibly juicy and tropical, this is a passionfruit and lime fest if ever I tasted one. But the other thing I love about this wine is that it’s SO textural. Produced from two Awatere Valley vineyards (Starborough + Long Lane) and a Wairau site (O’Dwyers Farm) the result of the blend is a super-concentrated, lemongrass … Read More
Gladstone Vineyard Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $27
Throwing themselves headlong into organic viticulture, Christine Kernohan and her team of sauvignon sensei’s are reaping the rewards right here. Softly, softly is how this super-floral example plays out, with hints of fresh lawn clippings, basil, sweet pea and some plucky, preserved lemon layers give it lusciousness, length and complexity. Sip with: steamed snapper with … Read More