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New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc<br />
need to know the inner workings of a<br />
Lexus to appreciate how it drives, you<br />
don’t need to understand the terroir,<br />
viticulture and vinification of this or<br />
any wine to appreciate it.<br />
Thankfully, Marlborough’s best<br />
bottles will only get better because,<br />
vinously speaking, it is still a relatively<br />
young region. The first Sauvignon<br />
Blanc was planted there less than 40<br />
years ago, which is not long considering<br />
Chardonnay has been growing in<br />
Chablis for about 900 years. But since<br />
the 1970s, Marlborough producers<br />
have been fine-tuning their grape<br />
growing and winemaking practices to<br />
improve quality, often blending cuvées<br />
of Sauvignon Blanc from different subregions<br />
to achieve the perfect balance of<br />
herbaceous and tropical flavours. Some<br />
are even experimenting with judicious<br />
use of oak. The bottom line is the best<br />
Sauvignon Blancs of Marlborough<br />
today are complex and concentrated<br />
without compromising the hallmark zip<br />
and purity of fruit that everyone loves.<br />
At a time when every wine region<br />
in the world is trying to convince<br />
consumers its wines are unique,<br />
Marlborough has actually done it. It<br />
presented wine lovers with a brand new<br />
flavour. But with little room for new<br />
plantings and demand skyrocketing,<br />
prices probably won’t get any lower.<br />
And sadly, you can’t really stock up the<br />
cellar for mid- and long-term drinking<br />
because these wines don’t age well –<br />
they’re best within a year or two of<br />
vintage. So stock up for spring. There’s<br />
no better sipper for the season.<br />
oyStEr Bay<br />
Sauvignon BlanC<br />
New Zealand $19.99 316570<br />
A tease of ruby grapefruit and<br />
orange on the nose moves<br />
toward gentle lemon and<br />
passion fruit flavours with<br />
herbaceous underpinnings.<br />
it’s a crisp, well-balanced and<br />
satisfying Sauvignon Blanc<br />
with a long orange-oil finish.<br />
SaCrEd Hill<br />
villa Maria EStatE<br />
New Zealand $18.99 207662<br />
This wine tickles the nose<br />
and palate with zingy<br />
grapefruit and lime laced<br />
with rosemary, thyme and<br />
oregano. it’s a relatively<br />
delicate, savoury version<br />
of marlborough Sauvignon<br />
Blanc and an impeccable<br />
food wine.<br />
StarBorougH<br />
villa Maria EStatE<br />
New Zealand $17.99 230680<br />
Starborough’s aromatic<br />
gooseberry nose leads to<br />
a full punch of green apple,<br />
gooseberry and asparagus.<br />
it’s an immediately appealing<br />
wine – silky, seamless and<br />
saturated with flavour.<br />
StonElEigH<br />
Sauvignon BlanC<br />
New Zealand $16.99 293043<br />
This wine hits the palate hard<br />
with a full-throttle lime, cut<br />
grass and asparagus attack,<br />
and the flavours linger for<br />
ages. it’s a concentrated,<br />
quaffable and characterful<br />
wine that’s sure to please.<br />
Cloudy Bay<br />
Sauvignon BlanC<br />
New Zealand $31.50 304469<br />
This wine stunned the<br />
world in the 80s but its<br />
style today is much more<br />
restrained, with flavours and<br />
aromas of white grapefruit,<br />
white pepper and granite<br />
anchored by piercing acidity.<br />
KiM Crawford<br />
Sauvignon BlanC<br />
New Zealand $19.99 100594<br />
A full rush of cut grass on<br />
the nose leads to focused<br />
flavours of key lime and<br />
gooseberry nuanced with<br />
cut green bell pepper. The<br />
texture is polished, the length<br />
impressive and the finish<br />
reveals an enticing twist of<br />
grapefruit. This is a reliable<br />
wine in the style that put<br />
New Zealand on the map.<br />
TASTE 69
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