Highfield Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Marlborough, New Zealand

I've been on the road this week, not wanting to drink too much but wanting to have something cool and tasty to wet the whistle at the end of the journey. What better than a bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, screwcapped of course, to wake up the mouth once the car is parked and the bags unpacked, to sip on while I'm checking the email and deleting hundreds of messages of spam.

Highfield Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005 is the wine I chose to take on the journey, and it was an excellent choice. It's pale straw in colour with touches of citrine where it catches the light and dazzles the eye. The aromas are intensely fruity with an underpinning of lime-like citrus and summer herbs, and in the mouth the exuberantly fruity flavours are reminiscent of tropical fruit, kiwi and mango with an herbaceous, grassy backbone and a long, pungent finish. Gorgeous citrus-like acidity makes the wine fresh and punchy and leaves the mouth feeling refreshed with a tickling, vibrant aftertaste. Of course everyone knows you've been drinking because the pungent flavours last in the mouth for ages.

It carries 12.5% alcohol by volume, it's naturally sealed with a screwcap and costs about $24 a bottle.

If you like Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, you will love this. Judges love it too 'cos it was awarded the Export trophy as the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards presented last month.

Dial up the Highfield Estate website to find out where to buy it.

© Sue Courtney
9 April 2006