Savs lead the charge

 

The term ‘‘essential industry’’ has joined our lexicon in recent weeks with horticulture and viticulture both getting the green light to continue work, providing that social distancing practices are engaged.

With the grape harvest in Marlborough ramping up as the lockdown approached, growers and wineries had the opportunity to make the wines that will be a significant export earner for New Zealand in better times ahead. Sauvignon blanc leads that charge. 

 

 

2017 Mahi
Single Vineyard Boundary Farm

Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc

Price: $29.90
Rating: Excellent

A little smoke and struck match leads, the wine flitting between grassy and ripe passionfruit/tropical fruit. A rush of sweet fruit floods the mouth, tropical fruit toying with tangy grapefruit as richness and creaminess build. Lovely flow as it runs to a long, lemony-citrus accented close. Different but with real appeal.

www.mahiwine.co.nz

2019 Riverby Estate
Single Vineyard
Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc

Price: $20
Rating: Very good to excellent

Hints of gum and perfume meet the ripe fruit aromas of feijoa and passionfruit typical in a modern sav. Fresh, zesty, a hint of grassiness with a lemony undercurrent on the close. Starts off tangy, softening as it opens up and the sweet fruit core grows. Deceptive, this is so easy to drink that you can overlook its qualities.
www.riverbyestate.com

 

2019 Saint Clair
Wairau Reserve
Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc
Price: $32
Rating: Excellent

Powerful nose of gooseberry, sweat, and a ripe nectarine/peach element. Evident richness and creaminess leads the palate, showing hints of creaming soda, tropical fruits and gooseberry before grapefruity citrus and musk frame the long finish. Complexity and interest as it grows nicely with aeration. A lip-smacking almost cleansing feel to this.

www.saintclair.co.nz

2017 Domain Road
Bannockburn
Sauvignon Blanc

Price: $23
Rating: Excellent

Nose shows secondary characters of fresh asparagus and tinned peas, honey on warm baguette. This takes you down a different path. The palate adds zesty grassy and capsicum notes melded with pea, managing to deftly combine freshness and zest with richness. Lovely balance and integration and showing the delights of a little bottle age.

www.domainroad.co.nz

2017 Pegasus Bay
Sauvignon Semillon

Price: $33
Rating: Excellent to outstanding

Powerfully expressive nose of tropical fruit, bonfire smoke, citrus, honey musk and pea pod. Lots going on here. Delightful creaminess to the texture. A bittersweet almond/apricot kernel note, at first pungent, subsumes into the wine adding a counterpoint to the almost honeyed richness. Fascinatingly complex example that shows its raciness with aeration.
www.pegasusbay.com

2019 Misha’s Vineyard
The Starlet
Central Otago
Sauvignon Blanc

Price: $27
Rating: Excellent

Wine gums, aniseed, ripe gooseberry, a little herbal element. Lively and racy palate. Bright, juicy, the gooseberry, grass and citrus elements build as this flows through to the long finish, adding a wisp of fruit pastille with aeration. Great depth of flavour and lots of appeal. This draws you back, demanding another sip.
www.mishasvineyard.com

 
 

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