At a party I went to recently guests had brought almost three times as many sauvignon blancs as othervarieties. It's certainly popular and no wonder, with a fragrance that leaps out of theglass and, in the best, mouth-filling fruit and a crisp, lively finish.
BEST VALUE
$23
Four and a half stars (out of five)
Good value
Fragrant, rich and mouth-filling oozing ripe fruits - melon and kiwi supported by a hint of nuts, with a complex well-balanced, fresh finish and a long aftertaste. Delicious drinking now and over the next couple of years.
$24
Four stars
Good value
Fresh, fragrant, floral and herby, this has everything you expect from a young Marlborough sauvignon - fresh green fruits, a hint of sweat, a lively intensity and a crisp, but not too aggressive finish.
$26
Four stars
Average value
Yealands has produced three single block sauvignons, two from the Awatere vineyard and one from Wairau. This S1 was my pick - fragrant with hints of melon, gooseberry, green capsicum and canned asparagus, mouth-filling and textural with an underlying suggestion of nuts and dusty gravel and a crisp, fresh finish.
$28
Four stars
Average value
Unusually for sauvignon, the fragrance is light, perhaps dampened by the underlying oak which adds weight, spice and even a nuance of coffee to the mouth-filling flavours. Attractive with good balance and long aftertaste, this will integrate with a little maturity.
$28
Five stars
Good value
This is probably one of the most food-friendly whites, with intriguing, pungent aromas - green fruits, mineral and even engine oil, complex flavours, a suggestion of nuts and even wood smoke and a rich, textural, well balanced finish.
$33
Four stars
Below average value
Aromas of dusty gravel, roadside weeds and freshly mown grass overlie fruit - apple and gooseberries - with a undertones of nuts and mineral, an oily texture, and a crisp, dry finish.
ANOTHER GLASS
Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2012
$26
Four stars
Average value
Lively green fruits, hints of canned asparagus, dusty gravel and suggestions of nuts add to the complexity and texture and the finish is crisp and dry.
Yealands Single Block M2 Wairau Sauvignon Blanc 2012
$26
Four stars
Average value
With attractive fruit - passionfruit, lime and elder flower - and a suggestion of mineral, this is a stylish, textural wine with a crisp finish.
www.yealands estate.co.nz
