Ideal summer drinking, the best Marlborough sauvignon blanc is intensely flavoured, but even styles lighter in flavour or alcohol can be attractive refreshers if well balanced and not too aggressively acidic.
BEST VALUE
$24
Four and a half stars
Good value
Fragrant with hints of herbs, mineral, fresh guava, and an almost smoky pungency, this is mouth-filling with rich, funky fruit and a long well-balanced finish. Give it a few more months to develop.
$27
Four stars
Average value
Oozing pungent green capsicum, tomato leaf and gooseberries, this is powerful and zesty with oodles of ripe exotic fruit - guava, green and yellow kiwifruit and currant leaf - with a hint of fresh sweat and a long, intense but crisp, firm finish.
Rich and full-on, it's the best yet from Triplebank.
$15
Three stars
Average value
Hints of mineral, herbs, and green fruits - kiwifruit and gooseberry - this is light in flavour but with some charm and a lively acidity on the finish.
$19
Three and a half stars
Average value
A lower-alcohol wine (9.5%) with hints of mineral and herbs, ripe apples, gooseberries and currant leaf, this is fresh and zesty with a little sweetness to balance the crisp acidity.
$17
Three and a half stars
Average value
With attractive fruit - passionfruit, crisp gooseberries and green apple - and a hint of mineral, this lower-alcohol wine is light in the mouth and very crisp.
$21
Four stars
Good value
A pungent, floral wine, mouth-filling with oodles of ripe fruit - guava, citrus and stone fruit - with a hint of toasted nuts, a crisp intensity and lingering aftertaste.
ANOTHER GLASS
Little Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013
$20
Three stars
Below average value
A lighter, lower alcohol (9%) wine with hints of herbs, gooseberries and muscat, zesty fruit and a crisp, dry finish.
Aronui Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2013
$22
Three and a half stars
Average value
A floral, minerally style of sauvignon, hinting of raindrops on hot stones, green fruits and citrus, with a little complexity from lees contact and a fresh, crisp, dry finish.
