Although some of these tasting notes may be found elsewhere on this site, this page brings together most of my 2010 & 2009 vintage Sauvignon Blanc notes, listed alphabetically by producer. Click here for rating systems and abbreviations.

In my notes 'gooseberry' refers to the South Island green gooseberry unless otherwise specified. Cape gooseberry and Chinese gooseberry (kiwifruit) are different fruits.
Following the wine names, the wine bottle closure is indicated. (sc) = screwcap, (c) = cork, (p) = plastic.

Click here for a historical perpsective of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand.

Alexia Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A bright fruity scent with lime and sweet pea so it's a surprise that it's so subdued on first tasting. Then the flavours explode with zest and zing . There's melon, tropical fruit, grapefruit peel and underlying herbs. Rich and powerful with a long-lasting finish. 13% alc. $17.99 15Apr2011.

Astrolabe Discovery Awatere Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Powerful aromatics are like a tropical fruit medley infused with tangy citrus and the flavours are bracingly fresh and deliciously juicy, crammed with passionfruit and peach with a zesty citrus undercurrent that adds vibrancy and tang to the lasting finish. Tomato stalk notes balance the fruity sweetness. 13.5% alc. $24.00. 18Feb2011.

Astrolabe Discovery Kekerengu Coast Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A powerful aroma of sweet tropical fruit, citrus and concentrated passionfruit promises much, so it's a surprise to find this is an 'alternative' style that has been wild-fermented in French oak and while texturally rich, the flavours initially seem subdued. However it's hard to subdue good Sauvignon Blanc for long and, true to form, the fruit punches through and it finishes vibrant and tangy. 13% alc. $27.00. 6Jun2011.

Astrolabe Voyage Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Powerful and fresh with distinctly varietal aromatics and bright, tangy flavours of grass, lime tangelo, tarragon and passionfruit. A light sense of oiliness imparts roundness to the mouthfeel and there's a zesty kicker to the long lasting finish. Delicious. 13.5% alc. $21.99. 16Feb2011.

Bella by Invivo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) While not overly boisterous, the aromas of gooseberry and capsicum leave no doubt as to what the variety is. It's fresh, bright and juicy to the taste with a lovely seam of lime and mandarin citrus underpinned by classic gooseberry flavours and tangy summer herbs. Most sauv blancs clock in around at around 13.5% alcohol but this only has 9% but on tasting you would have no idea this was a lower alcohol wine. 9% alc. $22. 4Oct2010.

Cable Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A touch of oak in this wine subdues the punchy character of this young Savvy. Picking up some dried hay and apple notes with lingering juicy tangelo and a backbone of summer herbs, it's not too brash at all and drinking nicely now. 13.5 % alc. $24.00. 30Oct2010.

Catalina Sounds Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Plenty of tangy acidity with a bubble-gum oiliness to the texture and bright flavours of citrus, pineapple and summer herb. Fresh and juicy with lots of grassy connotations and a flinty finish. 13% alc. $22.00. 8Apr2011.

Church Road Reserve Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) In a Bordeaux bottle, it certainly seems like an 'alternative style' both in bottle and taste. Creamy scents are infused with passionfruit, vanilla and corn. Plenty of oak. Texturally complex with a long, rich, mouthfilling finish. Fermented in French oak with wild yeast. 14.5% alc. $36.95. 8Apr2011.

Crowded House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) It seems like an 'old-fashioned style' with some development as there are some canned pea characters coming through. On the nose there's herb oil, plasticine, apple and lime and the apple and lime carry through to the palate, which seems quite earthy too. I much prefer this as a food wine – best to match to salads. 13% alc. $18.00. 8Apr2011.

Dusky Sounds Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Light gold coloured with tantalising passionfruit, gooseberry and lime aromas. Powerfully flavoured with loads of juiciness, it's classic sauv with gooseberry, grass and fleshy ripe tropical fruit balanced by racy acidity. Undeniably good. 12.5% alc. $9.99 11May2011.

Esk Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Perfumed, a little musky, perhaps some sweat. In the palate it is initially quite flinty, racy and dry. A citrussy wine with an underpinning of gooseberry, tomato stalk and herbs with a musky nuance to the expanding finish. A blend of Wairau Valley and Awatere Valley fruit, it is a great expression of the leaner style 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.

Hay Maker Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Lots of fresh, grassy flavours accompany juicy citrus and tropical fruit and there's a lovely pungency to the rounded finish. Builds in power and complexity while a touch of succulence gives it all round appeal. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.

Hunter's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Served chilled, as it should be in summer, has such a deliciously fruity aroma that emanates Sauv's characteristic pungency, that pungency so distinctive in the palate too. Juicy and zesty with lime, herb and tropical fruit, roundness to the texture and tangy acidity on the finish, it really hits the spot. Love the tarragon that emerges on the finish. Just delicious. 19.5/20. 13.5% alc. $16.90 . 21Jan2011.

Jackson Estate Marlborough Stich Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Capsicum and tropical fruit aromas and grassy flavours with a steely backbone to the tangy apple and juicy tropical fruit and a touch of oiliness to the texture that adds roundness to the mouthfeel and richness to the finish. 13.5 % alc. $22.50. 30Oct2010.

Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Exotic tropical fruit and dried cut grass aromas, and packed with classic gooseberry, herb and citrus flavours with a hint of BO and tropical fruit surging through on the lasting finish where hints of stonefruit emerges. Dry in style with a flinty backbone to provide tension and a texture that is seamless. 13.5% alc. $19.99. 25Nov2010.

Kate Radburnd Bud Burst Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Bright and fruity, not a leap out of the glass and grab you around the throat type of sauv with acidity that makes your eyes pop while etching your teeth. It's soft and easy with fruity flavours of peach and nectarine with a backbone of green gooseberries and tangy herb flavours that linger. 13.5% alc. $17.00. 6Jun2011.

Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Initially dried hay, then bean apple and passionfruit burst forth on the nose and apples abound in the palate. Quite linear, a little grainy in texture, quite steely on entry with methoxypyrazines characters of green bean and day lily come through. But the finish is brightened with a squeeze of pineapple and a zing of lime 13.5% alc. $22.99. 15Apr2011.

Lawson’s Dry Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Rich and pungent with tropical fruit, herb and bean aromas that carry through to the beautifully balanced palate that has intense citrus, passionfruit and hints of green bean with lovely roundness and length. Lots of tangy appeal. 13.5% alc. $21. 6Sep2010.

Mahi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Fermented in both oak and tank, 100% wild yeast, but it doesn't taste too oaky or leesy at all. The aromas are all grass and green bean and the powerful flavours are stonefruit, citrus, apple and bean. The mouthfeel and texture are rounded and the finish is bright and zingy. 13.5% alc. $19.95. 16Apr2011.

Moncellier Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Gooseberry, capsicum, lime and tropical fruit - grapefruit and green apple. Seems a little green to start but as the afterglow kicks in, it certainly is quite acceptable. 14 % alc. $24.99. 30Oct2010.

Mount Riley Limited Release Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc)Ripe, rich and oily smelling with a touch of sweet and green bean. Dry to the taste with an oily texture, spice and zest and bountiful flavours of citrus, herbs, gooseberry and capsicum and a powerful, concentrated flinty finish. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.

Mt Hillary Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Aromas of pineapple, herbs and flint and followed by tangy, fresh, juicy, tasty flavours. There's a lovely bright tropical fruit infusion of pineapple and passionfruit with a well-balanced citrusy zing and the texture is pleasingly creamy too. The finish is long. A veritable crowd pleaser with its roundness and ease. 13.5% alc. $19.00. 6Jun2011.

Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Flinty with plenty of sweet pea, grass and summer herb flavours and an increasing oily richness that adds to the mouthfeel. Floral nuances too and perhaps even a hint of musk. 13.5% alc. $21. 28Aug2010.
Flinty aromas lead into a palate that seems quite steely and lean at first with capsicum and riverstone, then rich flavours of passionfruit and citrus burst through with a touch of green bean. It's dry in style with loads of tangy summer herbs on the finish. 13.5 alc. 6Sep2010.
This wine is delicious when served very chilled. There's a lovely, almost floral fragrance to the bouquet and a flinty nuance to the flavour with powerful passionfruit and citrus, loads of juicy apple and tangy summer herbs. 13.5% alc. $14.99. 29Sep2010.

Nautilus Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Water pale in hue with fresh, inviting aromas of classic gooseberry, a little cut grass, summer herbs, tomato stalk and lemon. Gooseberry and capsicum fill the fresh, tangy palate together with lime, tangelo, herbs and a zesty finish and a textural softness that will have wide appeal. Delicious and thirst-quenching when chilled, which is how it really should be enjoyed. Accompany with snapper. 19/20. 13.5% alc. $15-$25. 18Feb2011.

Opawa Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Grass, herb, capsicum and lemon scents become more tropical as the cold wine loses it chilly edge. A dry, crisp, style that is steely and flinty at first with a touch of sweet apple and pineapple and softness to the finish where some lovely tarragon notes come through on the expansive finish. 13 % alc. $19.99. 30Oct2010.

Palliser Estate Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Very fresh with salad greens and herb-infused citrus aromas and a lightly oily texture that gives a rounded mouthfeel with a creamy apple flavour and typical grass, tropical and herbs. Powerful yet not overpowering, with lovely balance. 13.5% alc. $25. 18Feb2011.

Pebble Row Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) There's no doubt as to what the variety is here with such aromatic, punchy aromas and the flavours are crisp and fruity with bright acidity underpinning the tropical fruit and nectarine flavours with hallmark summer herb grassy characters and a dry flinty finish. Made by Vavasour. 13% alc. Screwcap. $12.99.

Pencarrow Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Some smoky leesy aromas float away to let the green melon and delicate summer herb scents coming through. A medium-boded wine in the palate, it doesn't assault rather it's more of a gentle caress. The texture is the star of this wine, there's a fume note and leesy hints that you get in the alternative styles. With flavours of lime, passionfruit and delicate 'fines herbes', it gets better and better with every mouthful. Outstanding match to smoked snapper pate. 13.5% alc. $19.72. 15Apr2011.

Ra Nui Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) The scent is grassy and pungent with hints of gooseberry and the taste is mega-citrussy and edgy with juicy tangelo, pineapple, grass, herbs and capsicum. The acidity is racy and just a little drying but the juiciness wins through to give a smooth mouthfeel impression and the bright finish is herbaceous and long. Available off website in NZ. Sold mostly overseas. 13% alc. $17.99. 6Jun2011.

Richmond Plains Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) On the nose there's capsicum, green melon and playdough and there's a slightly smoky (cut grass) nuance coming through too. Quite tropical in its flavour profile with warmth and richness to the texture and some pleasing pineapple notes. A soft style yet with lots of tang. Banana passionfruit lingers on finish. A great match to tomato-based dishes. 12% alc. $19.99. 8Apr2011.

Sacred Hill Halo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A soft smelling wine with scents of apple, passionfruit, herbs and green bean. Apple flavours abound in the palate with bean, capsicum and citrus tending towards grapefruit with a touch of tropical fruit on the finish where sweet citrus abounds. Powerful and long. 13% alc. $24.90. 15Apr2011.

Sacred Hill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) The pretty and lightly floral scent smells of pink bubble gum and juicy red apple that makes me think Pinot Gris rather than Sauvignon Blanc. A soft textured wine with a toasty richness coming through and although there's a typical green herbal edge, the flavour is more subdued apple and pears. 13% alc. $21.99. 8Apr2011.

Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Sporting a black label this year instead of deep royal blue, was my No. 1 pick in a small line-up of Sauvs. It has concentration, power and richness with flavours of passionfruit, sweet pea, summer herbs and tangelo, but is the seductive mouthfeel that gives this wine the x-factor. 13.5% alc. $21. 28Aug2010.
Vibrantly aromatic and full of punchy flavours of passionfruit, sweet pea, summer herbs and tangelo but is the concentration, power and richness and the smooth seductive mouthfeel that gives this wine the x-factor. 13.5% alc. $16.99. 15Sep2010.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Punchy tropical fruit and summer herb aromas and bold, full flavours. Quite oily textured, which adds a pleasing lushness to the mouthfeel and fresh, juicy flavours of grass, passionfruit, pineapple and citrus. Quintessential Marlborough. 13.5% alc. $22.99. 12Jan2011.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Capsicum and flint characterise the bouquet while on first tasting the palate is dry and flinty with underlying citrus. Grapefruit, sweet pea and herbs compound in flavour, richness and mouthfeel. It seems a more richer, more rounded wine than the Block 21 tasted alongside it. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.
Surprisingly, especially for a Saint Clair wine, this is a little more restrained on the nose with hints of capsicum and sweet pea but there is nothing restrained about the delicious flavour. There's passionfruit, lime, a hint of tangelo zest and summer herbs with a nervy edge to the flinty undercurrent and a long juicy finish that compounds in flavour, richness and mouthfeel. 13.5% alc. $22.99. 13Oct2010.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Vibrant and alive with tangelo and tropical fruit scents, this is a full, fruity Sauvignon Blanc exploding with vivacious flavours of gooseberry and passionfruit. It's deliciously pungent with power and length, with racy acidity perfectly in balance. Tasted alongside the Saint Clair Premium as well as Block 18 and Block 21, this was my favourite of this quartet. 13% alc. $22.99. 6Sep2010.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 21 Bell Block Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Vibrant and alive with grass, apple and sweet pea scent, initially tight, restrained and linear in palate, yet typically Saint Clair as it compounds in richness and bursts with flavour. Full of apple, tangelo and bean with a delicately musky nuance to the grassy finish. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.
Cor! The bright zingy aroma and the mouthwatering refreshing taste says it all. When chilled there's a lovely oiliness to the texture with grapefruit, passionfruit, green apple, gooseberry and loads of summer herbs having a raucous party in the mouth. 13.5% alc.. $22.99. 6Oct2010.

Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) There's a flinty undercurrent to the bright focussed flavours of gooseberry, apple and lemonade citrus with exotic tropical guava creeping in too. 13.5% alc. $18.95. 28Aug2010.

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Powerful aromas and tangy flavours with racy acidity that sends shivers down the spine on first tasting but the flavours evolve beautifully with stonefruit, passionfruit and pineapple joining grass and herbs and citrus. Delicious, concentrated and incredibly juicy, like biting into fleshy tropical fruit. Deserves its status as Saint Clair's top wine, just needs that evolution in the glass right now. 13% alc. $31.50. 25Dec2010.

Satellite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Punchy, vibrant, fresh and tangy, with grassy aromas and juicy flavours with apple, pineapple, passionfruit with grapefruit-like acidity and an underpinning of edgy summer herbs. The second label of Spy Valley. 13.5% alc. $12.99 17Nov2010.

Sea Level Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) As pale and as clear as water, this is fresh and fruity though not overpowering on the nose, oily in texture and fresh and fruity in flavour. With ripe apple and lime, the crisp acidity is balanced by the softness of the texture and sweet fruit expands to pineapple on the finish. Tasted on release, it is like burst of flavour you get when biting into a pellet of Juicy Fruit chewing gum. $15.99. 18Jun2010.
Served well chilled, this is crisp, spicy and pungent with tropical fruit, herbs, citrus, apple and a distinctive grassiness. Long and rich with an oily texture and a juicy aftertaste. 13.5% alc. 5Jan2011.

Shingle Peak Reserve Release Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Distinctively varietal, full of juicy fruit and vivacious tangy flavours, a lovely rendition of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Nicely balanced, rounded and not too tart with gooseberry, apple, tropical fruit, herbs, musk and bubble gum. Good. 14% alc. 6Sep2010.

Sisters Ridge North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Grassy citrussy aromas with a subtle suggestion of tarragon. Initially tangy and bright then softness to the mid palate which seems rounded and fat. Rock melon joins zest citrus, there's a nice zingy feel to the finish and honey and orange combine. A good match to smoked snapper pate. 14.5% alc. $14.95. 15Apr2011.

Soho White Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Intense, grassy, green bean and celery aromatics with gooseberry, herbs and citrus oil. Quite lean and linear on entry to palate building in intensity and richness with flavours of grapefruit, orange zest, tangy herbs, bean and gooseberry. A powerful expression in a dry tangy style with a toasty nuance to the finish. 13% alc. 6Sep2010.
Fragrant, slightly floral, a little oily – chilling restrains the aroma and its initially quite restrained in the palate, but not for long as the intensity of the variety comes through with zesty summer herbs, juicy apple, tangy citrus, and an abundance of passionfruit on the long, pungent almost toasty finish. 13% alc. Screwcap. $14.99.

Soljans Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Initially flinty on the nose then a burst of ripe tropical fruit. Fresh ripe fruit and floral, bubble gum musky characters characterise this medium-bodied style. It's juicy and off dry with a zing of refreshing citrus on the finish. A good restaurant style. 13.5% alc. $19.00. 6Jun2011.

Squealing Pig Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A little dull on the nose and grainy textured in the palate. Apple, gooseberry, flint & lime. More of an old-fashioned style. A lightly oily texture adds richness. Tropical fruit and herbs are more pronounced as it lingers. 13.5 % alc. $24.99. 30Oct2010.

Spinyback Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) With aromas of apple and, fruit salad, there's plenty of acidity in this tangy number. And what the apple-like nose didn’t infer was the richness, intensity and pungency in the palate. Creamy textured and rounded with a juicy fruit finish, it lingers nicely with hints of tangelo and vibrant summer herbs. 13.5% alc. $15.95. 6Jun2011.

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Aromas of pineapple, herbs and flint and followed by tangy, fresh, juicy, tasty flavours. There's a lovely bright tropical fruit infusion of pineapple and passionfruit with a well-balanced citrusy zing and the texture is pleasingly creamy too. The finish is long. A veritable crowd pleaser with its roundness and ease. 13.5% alc. $17.30. 6Jun2011.

Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Beautifully perfumed with grassy, cats pee, gooseberry, herbs, citrus and a subtle floral intonation. Rich, full-bodied, and dry with fresh racy acidity perfectly balanced to the to the flavours of grassy herbs, citrus and passionfruit. A powerful wine that delivers a satisfying taste experience. Excellent. 12.5% alc. 6Sep2010.

Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Perfumed and floral with a hint of summer hay, then passionfruit and citrus flavours fill the palate. There’s a hint of musk and the wine finishes with a distinctive herbaceous tang. A more delicate version of the Rapaura Series. 13% alc. 6Sep2010.

Te Awa Hawkes Bay Left Field Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) This is a distinctly different style to the Sauvs I am used to, perhaps because it is made from Hawkes Bay fruit, but perhaps because of something else because it seems a little unbalanced and unripe. Quite a vegetal wine, very much in the green methoxypyrazine spectrum, I get green onions, capsicum and a leafy character with underlying lemon and lime. Not my preferred style. 12v $20.00. 8Apr2011.

Te Mania Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A more flinty, earthy style than stablemate Te Mania but quite rounded in the bright, tangy palate with a lovely herb profile and Thai basil and tarragon - like liquorice staples from my childhood - and a nuance of spearmint too. Very bright, fresh and juicy with a rich, pungent finish. 13.5% alc. $18.99. 8Apr2011.

Te Mata Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (D) This is a rich Sauvignon with a sweet mealy, slightly funky and oak-tinged lemon scent and bright, powerful, zingy flavours of citrus and stonefruit with a creamy undercurrent to the French oak flavours. A serious style with a long full finish. 13.5% alc. $26.99. 9Mar2011.

The People's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A sweeter style but acidity sets a pulsating back beat. The flavours explode with tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and passionfruit on the well-rounded finish that has no sharp edges. 13.5% alc. 28Aug2010.

Tiki Single Vineyard Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Wow – profuse aromas of grapefruit (perhaps this is signature Waipara) carries through to the palate. Intensity and focus are the drivers of the delicious mouthfilling wine with pineapple, cut grass and summer herbs adding to its appeal. Dry in style and very delicious. 13.4% alc. 6Sep2010.

Tiki Single Vineyard Wairau Alpine Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) An intense, rich, pure, tangy vibrant expression with rounded, mouthfilling flavours that hints of stonefruit, melon jam and gooseberry. The finish is long and powerful with tangy tangelo-like citrus on the lingering finish. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.
Smoky and flinty with capsicum and tropical fruit aromas, this is bright and tangy with softness to the texture but lots of oomph and power as the juicy flavours explode on the palate. Rich and long with citrus, pineapple and herbs, and just a suggestion of the controversial BO. 13.5 % alc. $24.99. 30Oct2010.

Tiki Wairau Alpine Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) This is so bright and tangy with punchy aromatics and delicious juicy flavours with plenty of tangelo and summer herbs with gooseberry and tropical fruit and a lovely rose petal muskiness to the finish. White label. 13 % alc. $19.99. 30Oct2010.

Tohu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Powerfully aromatic and deliciously juicy with a lightly oily texture, a zesty vivaciousness and increasing palate richness. The flavours are full of passionfruit and grassy summer herbs and there's a peachy nuance to the finish. 13.5% alc. $15.99. 13Oct2010.

Vavasour Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Powerful, cut grass, herbaceous aromatics with nuances of tropical fruit. Full-bodied and powerful with herbs, grass, gooseberry, lime and tropical fruit. An explosion of flavours and a lasting finish. Builds up beautifully and lasts for ages. Very good. 13% alc. 6Sep2010.

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) A gorgeous fresh sauv with a bright fruity aroma and oily textured flavours brimming with tropical fruit, pineapple, tangelo and tangy summer herbs with a juicy richness and unmistakable pungency as it lingers. Several vineyard sites, both in the Awatere and the Wairau, provide the fruit for the delicious tangy wine. 13.5% alc. $13.99. 19Jun2010.

Villa Maria Reserve Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) There’s a toasty richness that adds complexity to the aroma while exotic tropical fruits, guava, green passionfruit, flint and lime characterise the flavour. Dry, focussed, powerful and long with some very appealing musky notes coming through too. Delicious wine and my favourite of a quartet tasted together from the Villa Maria stable (VM Clifford Bay, VM Wairau Valley, Esk and Thornbury. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.

Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Passionfruit, bean, apple and pineapple fill the bouquet of this dry, lean, focused Sauv. In the palate apple and lemonade citrus build up in concentration and power. A little musky sweaty note comes through on the flinty finish. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.

Waimea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Abundant citrus and green bean on the nose and perhaps a hint of cat's pee. There's a definite pea/bean character to this full-bodied Sauv with a touch of mandarin on the juicy finish. A powerful wine, the flavours last and last but with the peas and beans, it's a bit of an 'old-fashioned' style. 13.5% alc. $18.90. 15Apr2011.

Waipara Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Powerful, flinty aromas with lemon curd, passionfruit and a hint of sweat. Dry on entry, this is fresh and bracing but the acidity is tempered with orange juice, honey and tangy summer herbs. The finish is a little smoky and the whole package is very refreshing. 13.5% alc. 6Sep2010.

Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Fruity aroma with capsicum, guava, a hint of sweat. Very dry, linear, focussed and steely with river stones, flint, hints of lime and tropical fruit adding to its appeal. 13.5% alc. 6Ssep2010.
Aromatic with herbs, gooseberry, guava and muskmelon and flavours of Royal gala apples, herbs and tropical fruit. Not an overtly flamboyant savvy, it is the lovely slippery texture and the rounded mouthfeel that sets it apart. 13.5% alc. $17.99. 30Mar2011.

Wingspan Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (sc) Light straw gold in colour with apple, pear and a floral sweetness to the scent – a little restrained for Sauv but bright and tangy to the taste with capsicum, honey, gooseberry, bean and plenty of juicy citrus-like acidity. With its rounded mouthfeel and long fruity finish, it should have wide appeal. 12.5% alc. $11.99. 19Jan2011.

Amisfield Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A earthy, apple skin aroma. Herbal, pithy, dilute and lemony with a hint of pea shoots to the flavours with a light impression on the palate at first but the flavours evolve and build in power without ever overpowering. A little sweetish, made in a light, easy drinking style. 12.9% alc. $30. 25Feb2009.

Astrolabe Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Lots of greens connotation - tomato stalk., herbs, limes, green melon, green bean, - a very powerful wine with a juicy richness - a hint of greengage plum coming though too. Slightly grainy in texture. Full bodied and rich. Some sweaty notes coming through too. 12/5% alc. $23.95. 27Feb2010.

Astrolabe Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Passionfruit leaps put of the glass when this pale straw coloured wine is poured; there is no doubting the variety. Passionfruit, lime, tomato stalk and basil aromas follow through to the palate that has a definite salty tang, but the most exciting thing about this wine is the balance and texture. 19.5/20. 13.5 % alc. $25.95. 20Dec2009.

Astrolabe Voyage Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Floral with delicate citrus acidity, stonefruit, and pungent tropical fruit. Quite pungent to the taste with sweet ripe fruit, an underlying earthiness, tangy acidity, gooseberry and herb with a full-bodied powerful finish with hints of apricot and peach. Flamboyant Marlborough style with a long tangy aftertaste that lasts and last. 13.5% alc. $21.95. 25Feb2009.

Bouldevines Dogpoint Road Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Grilled pineapple - a little toasty, a little racy, a little sweet but with a linear herbaceous backbone and a flinty undercurrent - building in palate weight to a toasty, pungent, tropical fruit finish. 16/20. 13% alc. $19.95.19Feb2009.

Brightwater Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Bright grapefruit aromas and beautifully balanced flavours - grapefruit, mandarin, passionfruit, and hints of stonefruit with underlying gooseberry and bright summer herbs. Despite the tangy acidity, there's a pleasing roundness to the wine. 17.5/20. 12% alc. $20. 25Feb2009.

Brightwater Lord Rutherford Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Straw gold. Fruity zesty aroma - makes me think of lazy summer days lying on dried grass close to the herb and salad gardens. Soft, almost creamy in the Sauvignon Blanc scheme of things with bright racy mandarin acidity and a finish that is light, fresh and juicy with hints of peach and tropical fruit. 18/20. 13% alc. $25. 19Feb2009.

Cape Campbell Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Fresh fruity, summer herb and lime aromas. Clean, fresh, juicy flavours with a toasty passionfruit richness that comes not from oak, but from very ripe fruit. Classically pungent with a powerful finish and a zesty brightness, this is wine you don't need to write much about because the bright juicy flavours say it all. Excellent. 18.5/20. 13% alc. $18.95. 27Feb2010.

Catalina Sounds Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) There's a softness to this wine that I really like. Served chilled the flavours are beautifully balanced with classic herbaceousness, bright citrus acidity, great length and persistence. The gorgeous texture in no doubt due to fermentation with a variety of yeasts in a range of fermentation vessels, with 3% barrel ferment. 12.5% alc. 10Mar2010.

Clos Marguerite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Slightly earthy, green pea, capsicum, herbaceous aroma. An acid attack in the palate, sour grape and green apple fruit supported by a warm texture with hints of tropical fruit emerging on the finish. Has that earthy character running through the palate . Awatere fruit with some lees aging. 13% alc. $25. 25Feb2009.

Corazon SV Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) This citrine gold coloured wine has a portion of barrel ferment (15%) that deepens the colour and softens the flavours. With hints of tropical fruit and stonefruit together with distinct grassy characters inherent to the variety, it's a full-flavoured wine with a smoky backbone to the bold, rich flavours. Not your typical Marlborough Sauv, it will appeal to lovers of the more European styles. 13.6% alc. $17.99. 18Jul2010.

Distant Land Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Grapefruit, gooseberry and capsicum aromas hint of typical Sauvignon, but the palate lacks pungency and punch. A flavour spectrum of apples, squeezed oranges, stonefruit and even a nuance of honey. Clean, nice, but what makes it stand out from others? 15.5/20. 12.5% alc. $18. 19Feb2009.

Dog Point Marlborough Section 94 2009 (D) Juicy freshly squeezed grapefruit with a smoky nuance coming through. Grapefruit also abounds in the palate of this earthy savoury style that has a sweet toasty oak influence, a hint of tobacco and bright acidity with a pineapple zing – fulsome, satisfying, lots of oak and the creaminess of the yeast lees balancing the zing. Spicy and powerful. Fermented in older French oak barrels with wild yeasts where it remained for 18 months. 13.5% alc. $32.95. 16Apr2011.

Greywacke Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Quite fruity on the nose, subdued for Sauvignon Blanc (no cats pee or sweat at all) but full of bright punchy flavours of gooseberry, tropical fruit, capsicum and lime. An array of flavours across the spectrum with some flinty nuances to the finish and lime and passionfruit lingering around long after the wine has been swallowed. Destined to become a star. A Kevin Judd wine. 13.5% alc. $23.99. 14Oct2009.

Greywacke Wild Sauvignon Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Hints of asparagus and smoky bacon too. Smells a little different to the others but the palate is more in line Smoky and savoury with pineapple, herbs and sweet pea and that intriguing sweetness coming through. Fills the palate and leaves the tastebuds with memories of pleasure. Soft and easy – a delight to drink. Fermented in old oak barrels using wild yeast. 13% alc. $37.00. 16Apr2011.

Hunters Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Grassy, fruity aromas with a bright citrus and summer herb tang. Hot, dry, pungent flavours of citrus, pineapple, summer herbs and gooseberry. One of those wines that creeps up on you then hits you like a freight train with its linearity, length and power. Lovely defined flavours. Very good wine. 13.5% alc. $19. 27Feb2010.

Invivo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Fresh citrus and summer herb aromas and lashings of tasting of citrus, gooseberry and herb flavours with tangy tropical fruit and hints of tomato stalk. Vibrant and fresh yet with an oiliness to the texture that adds softness and roundness to the mouthfeel. 12.5% alc. $17.99. 13Jan2010.

Isabel Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A stylish Sauv with plenty of fruit without being overpowering. While a little subdued on the nose with distinct Capsicum Scents, it's fruity to the taste with zingy citrus, tropical fruit and perhaps some apple and honey too. 13% alc. $22. 7Jun2010.

Jackson Estate Grey Ghost Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Really creamy smelling, tropical, complex, I like this scent. A full-on alternative style with a profound savoury bent. Initially there's a pear-like texture but there are no pear flavours at al. It's earthy, it's funky, sweetness wells up from within and a cherimoya fruitiness and creaminess and a touch of hokey pokey, then the acidity kicks in. Texturally complex with impeccable balance, it has layers and layers of finesse. And then, on the finish, there's a suggestion of spritz and a touch of orange zest. Partially fermented in older French oak barriques with wild yeast and aged for several months on yeasts lees. 13% alc. $30.00. 16Apr2011.

Jackson Estate Stitch Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A tangy, summer herb garden aromas with a fruity pungency infusing the scent. Full-bodied, rounded, well balanced with gooseberry, citrus, capsicum, lime, orange-honey and stonefruit - lots going on with a long, dry finish. Good. 13% alc. $19.95. 25Feb2009.

Johanneshof Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (D) Straw gold. An unusually sweeter style with a slightly oily texture that makes it seems soft in the mouth. Flavour profile is reminiscent of summer herbs, green beans and dried grass with acidity blazing through the finish, then the acidity quietens and the sweet notes round out the lingering aftertaste. 12% alc. $23.50. 25Feb2009.

Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Light straw yellow. Mowed grass and tropical guava scents and crisp, fresh, zesty flavours infused into a lightly oily texture. Packed with gooseberry, fennel, citrus, capsicum and apple with a touch of a salty tang, I when served chilled it's absolutely mouthwatering and refreshing. Juicy passionfruit and pineapple comes forth to linger on the lasting finish. 13.5% alc. $19.99. 6 Jan2010.
A more full-throttle style of Sauv with herbs, grass, capsicum, lime and a touch of tropical fruit with honey edged juicy citrus and a lasting finish. 13.5% alc. $19.99. 16Jun2010.

Kidnapper Cliffs Hawkes Bay Solan Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (c) This is a rich, powerful, barrel-aged, smoky style with a peasy/asparagus nuance to the scent. Acidity hums through the palate with grassy, grainy, herbal inflections. Grapefruit and lime take over, hints of stonefruit and melon push through and the funky character of the wild yeast, detected on the nose lingers on the long, powerful finish. This will really appeal to lovers of this style. 13 % alc. $35.00. 11Oct2010.

Kina Beach Nelson "Estuary Block" Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Dull, earthy, plasticine aromas and dilute, citrussy flavours with a delicate touch of anise-like herbs, a flintiness to the texture and a dry but juicy finish. 13/5% alc. $20. 19Feb2009.

Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Hints of grapefruit on the nose, which is quite restrained for Sauv, but it is distinctly varietal in the palate. A rich, fat, rounded wine with a softness that comes from perhaps the 7% oak and the time on yeast lees, as well as bottle age. Now two years old, it is developing toasty notes together with pea and bean characters and mellow tropical fruit. Drinking nicely now, it has no brashness at all. 13.5% alc. $21.95. 21Jan 2011.

Lawson's Dry Hills The Pioneer Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A whiff of wild yeast joins the distinctive herbaceous and tropical scents. Creamy and rich to the taste, yet crisp, fresh, bright and zingy with initial flavours of fleshy peach and juicy tangelo joined by gooseberry and herbs. 15% barrel fermented with some indigenous yeast and malolactic fermentation that has introduced thet creaminess while there is also a sugestion of savouriness too. Focussed and vital, it's a serious style of deliciously drinkable Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. 12% alc. $29.95. 9Feb2010.

Lobster Reef Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A deliciously juicy wine with tropical fruit aromas and an edgy herbaceousness to the flavour with loads of lime-like citrus and a flinty character to the long dry finish. Made by Cape Campbell. 12% alc. $15.95. 24Dec2009.

Man O' War Waiheke Island Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Showing a little colour, the wine has aroma that hints of subtle use of oak. Its smell a little earthy with a grainy citrus characters and hints of melon. In the palate there's a softness at first with melon and tropical fruit to the fore, cut by apple-like acidity with the apple character lingering on the finish together with a gooseberry pungency that is classic to Sav. A totally different style to the wines from further south and probably very good with seafood caught in the waters below the vineyard. 12/5% alc. $25. 27Feb2010.

Martinborough Vineyard Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Restrained aromatics lead into a palate with softer acidity, a creamy texture and complexity from the 15% barrel ferment. Flavours of tropical fruit, melon and spicy zest have a good long finish. A food wine with suggestions of smoked fish or scallops. 13.5% alc. $21. 26Feb2010.

Matakana Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Warm tropical fruit salad scent with a hint of banana & pineapple and more savoury capsicum lead into a juicy, fruity, full-flavoured palate with rich flavours and a slightly oily texture. Spicy, savoury, fruity, lots going on with the tropical fruit flavours detected on the nose filling out the long lasting finish and well balanced tangy acidity. 13% alc. $22. 25Feb2009.

Matawhero Gisborne Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Straw gold. Slightly restrained melon, mandarin and herbal scents, those herbs having a slight anise flavour in the palate, like chervil and tarragon. It's a soft and slightly sweetish sauvignon blanc to the taste with fruit reminiscent of mandarin, green melon and yellow plums joining the herbs, a little bit of grip to the texture and warmth to the finish. Not a Marlborough style but very good as a food accompaniment because it doesn't over power the food.11.5% alc. $24. 27Nov2009.

Matua Valley Estate Series Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Banana passionfruit on the nose at first them more exotic sub-tropical fruits, like guava and feijoa emerge. A cat-free zone, this fresh, cool, juicy wine is dry in style with a fine texture. Summer herbs come through to join the tropical fruit and there's a twist of lime on the persistent finish. 13.5% alc. $24.99. 21Oct2009.
Such a contrast to the previous tasting of this wine, it seems to have garnered some canned pea characters already. Then grapefruit on both the nose and in the palate emerges together with summer herbs. 13.5% alc. $24.99. 13Jan2010.

Mills Reef Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Quite floral on the nose with a 'queen of the night' headiness, it is full of tropical fruit with lime and mango, with a creaminess to the texture and a brightness to the flavour. There's a tobacco-like heat coming through, plenty of bright tingling tangy acidity and flower musk - as it has a splash or Riesling and a splash of Gewurz - while underlying gooseberry builds on the more typically pungent finish. Interesting wine. Not what you expect. Long sweetish finish. 14% alc. $17.95. 25Feb2009.

Momo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Made from 100% organically grown grapes, this seems quite a savoury style of Sauvignon Blanc, the savouriness probably accentuated by the wild yeast ferment that seems to add a funky veneer to the bright fresh fruity flavours. But there's loads of passionfruit and underlying gooseberry and a spicy zestinesss that is just so, so Marlborough. 13.5% alc. $19. 21Sep2009.

Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Reasonably typical gooseberry, capsicum, herb and citrus aromas. Quite tropical in the palate with pineapple fruit joining gooseberry and lime with a juicy undercurrent, well balanced acidity and a long, pungent tangy finish with lots of tangelo. Nice softness and roundness to the texture and excellent length. An excellent example of fresh, bright, flavoursome Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. 18.5/20. 12.5% alc. $10 - $15. 25Feb2009.

Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) An unusually dry-styled, tropical scented and brightly flavoured sauv. The mouth is filled with juicy passionfruit and mango-like fruit with the zesty aura of tangelo and fru-ju ice blocks, a nervy herbaceous backbone and a long-lasting pungent finish. "Juicy" is the key word for this cool, refreshing, tasty wine. If you like sauv blanc, you'll love this. I rate it 5 stars. 14% alc. $21.95. 6May2010.

Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Undoubtably and distinctively Marlborough savvie, this straw gold wine has 'leap out of the glass' summer herb and tropical fruit aromas and exuberantly juicy favours full of passionfruit and lime with an underpinning of stonefruit and bean. Chilling adds a delicious crispness and the flavours last for ages. 13.5% alc. $13.99. 28Oct2009.

Ohau Gravels Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) An earthy, flinty, gravelly style with an edgy point of difference to the masses of Sauvignon that come out of the South Island - dare I say it even has a Sancerre-ish quality. Lots of herbaceous nuances, nettles, dandelion, feijoa and apples - apple flavours reminiscent of some of the lovely Sauvignon Blancs that come out of Martinborough. This is a cat-free, sweat-free zone - a beautiful Sauvignon - one that I can (and did) drink more than one glass of. I am very impressed. The notes say there's 5% wild ferment in barrels - I can't taste any oak but perhaps this is what is adding the textural qualities. 14% alc. $20.95. 16Oct2009.

Palliser Estate Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Bright tangy aromatics and crisp, fresh, crunchy flavours that make you think you are biting into fruit that's reminiscent of cape gooseberry, passionfruit and lime. A gorgeous array of fruit flavours with a softness to the texture and a long lasting finish. 18.5/20. 13% alc. $19. 23Feb2009.

Pencarrow Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Lot of pungent herbaceousness to the aromatics and the flavours with green connotations galore. Rich, tangy and tasty with a lightly oily texture, bright acidity and a strong finish. 13.5% alc. $15. 23Feb2009.

Richmond Plains Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Gooseberry and apple on the nose - lots of apple skin phenolics, it seems. Light, fresh, juicy but lacks some impact and has that earthy note found in some of the other wines. Perhaps slightly reduced too. 12% alc. $20. 27Feb2010.

River Farm Ben Morven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) There's a richness to the aroma - perhaps a hint of oak that restrains the gooseberry, tropical fruit and capsicum scents. A soft, creamy Sauvignon Blanc - textural with fruit sweetness with a round mouthfeel with soft acidity and the sweetness of juicy acidity then becoming quite pungent on the finish with a touch of nectarine. I like this and as the flavours linger it gets more intense and more delicious as the exotic fruit lingers for ages. 18.5/20. 13.5% alc. $19.90. 19Feb2009.

Rockburn Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A zesty, lightly herbaceous, grape and feijoa skin aromas to this full-bodied style of savvy that has an exotic tang. Slightly grainy textured with moderate to high acidity and flavours of apple, tomato leaf and feijoa. An intriguing, fascinating 'alternative' style with a long toasty finish and a long, persistent aftertaste. 62% fermented in French oak. 17.5/20. 14% alc. $22. 19Feb2009.

Rockburn Central Otago Three Barrels Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) The label says Sauvignon Blanc, but it's not as we know it. A savoury wine, a smoky wine, a departure from the norm. Wood-smoked asparagus with a kick of acidity to the finish.. Some herb nuances come through on the aroma too. Oak-fermented with maturation in barrel on gross lees. 14% alc. $35.00. 1Apr2011.

Sacred Hill Halo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Pale straw gold. Typically what we think of as Marlborough with passionfruit, gooseberry and lime aromas, this is a vibrant, punchy sauv blanc with lots of delicious tropical fruit, gooseberry and lime flavours with an infusion of rocket and basil and an explosion of passionfruit that lingers in the mouth for ages. Fresh and vibrant with a kind of fume/sweaty character to the finish. Fruit is sweet and ripe but the wine finishes dry. 12.5% alc. $27.90. 27Nov2009.

Sacred Hill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) This wine really holds its ground in a bind tasting of Sauvignon Blanc. A rich, full-flavoured Sauv with sweet basil, gooseberry, citrus, apple and even a hint of pineapple. A little tug of acidity then the viscosity of the wine kicks in. Juicy, flavoursome and long. V. Good. 18/20. 12.5% alc. $20.90. 19Feb2009.

Saint Clair Premium Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Typically Marlborough with a capsicum and orange blossom aroma and lashings of juicy tangelo-like citrus with a light honeyed/glycerol feel to the texture, bright summer herbs flavour and pungency to the finish. Delicious with the chicken cooked in tangelo, lime, coriander and coconut. 13% alc. $18. 8Dec2009.
Pungent aromatics of tropical fruit, green bean and capsicum and crisp, fresh, vibrant flavours of green apple, bean, pea shoots and summer herbs that give way to tropical fruit with hints of pineapple and orange zest and a pleasing touch of oiliness to the texture. A world class wine at give away price. 13% alc. $13.99 . 10Mar2010.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 1 Foundation Block Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Vivacious sweet pea and powerful passionfruit aromatics, even a hint of sweat and tangy to the taste with excellent balance of tropical fruit to the more gooseberry / vegetal side of SB. It's deep, pungent and zesty with passionfruit dominating the bright, juicy finish. 13% alc. $25.99. 23Sep2009.
Light yellow gold with distinctive aromas of aromas of sweet tropical fruit, lime and gooseberry joined by apple and an amalgam of flavours in the palate. Flat, fleshy, juicy with passionfruit, pineapple, lots of summer herbs and even a hint of sweat. The style of Sauv that makes you go 'Wow' if you've never had Sauv like this before. 13% alc. $25.99. 9Dec2009.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 2 Swamp Block Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Perfumed, almost bath salts-like aroma and a little grainy/spritzy in texture but light and delicate in attack with tangelo-like citrus, summer herbs, underlying gooseberry and a nectarine sweetness coming through. Not as pungent as some of the Saint Clair Sauvs can be, which makes it very appealing. 13% alc. Screwcap. $27.99. 13Jan2010.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 6 Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – Marlborough (sc) Straw gold coloured. Lively, inviting tropical fruit and summer herb aromas and rounded fruity, citrussy-toned flavours with tangy zest, grapefruit, feijoa and underlying herbaceousness. A powerful wine with a smooth mouthfeel. 12.5% alc. $25.99. 5May2010.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Very pale coloured in appearance with a slight hint of musk to the juicy, tangy aroma and smooth, almost creamy flavours with green bean, passionfruit, honey, orange and hints of fresh coriander. Bright, flavoursome and juicy and while not as intense as some of the other 'Pioneer Block numbers, the touch of sweetness with have lots of appeal. 13% alc. $25.99. 16Sep2009.

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A vivacious wine with bright, tangy aromas and deliciously fresh juicy flavours. There's passionfruit, apple and pineapple with a nervy herbaceous undercurrent. A fantastic example of Marlborough Sauv and my personal favourite. Simply excellent. 13% alc. $32.99. 14Apr2010.

Sea Level Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A bright punchy number with tropical island scents of coconut and lime and loads of pungent coriander. The taste is a full throttle attack of vibrant yellow fruits with classic herbaceousness, a touch of honey and lime, and loads of green apple coming through on the finish. Just a little hard on the back palate but should settle with just a little more time. 13 % alc. $14.99. 3Jul2009.
Light gold. Bright aromatics of lime and passionfruit. Crisp and fresh, like biting into a crunchy piece of melon with passionfruit and pineapple with underlying herbaceousness and a nice twist of citrus. A vibrant, tasty, well-made wine with a long flavoursome finish. Made by Sam Smail with Awatere fruit, this could become one of the stars of the vintage. 13% alc. $15.99. 29Jul2009.

Seresin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Although a little subdued on the nose with only hints of grass and tropical fruit, this is a rich, fat wine in the palate with fleshy peach, juicy tropical fruit and loads of zesty pineapple. It's warm textured and creamy with lively acidity ensuring a bright finish. 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon. 80% wild ferment. The Semillon and 10% of the Sauvignon were fermented in old oak. Certified organic. 14% alc. $27.00. 16Apr2011.

Seresin Estate Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) One of the most interesting wines of the tasting. It seduces from the outset with its smoky, creamy, mealy perfume and an underpinning of freshly cut grass but when first tasted it seems quite lean. It walks a straight line down a flinty gravelly path but then it sticks a hand out here and a hand out there, it swings its hips and suddenly there's life and laughter all around, Sweet stonefruit, honeyed citrus and distinct wild yeast traits build to a bright zesty finish with citrus, tarragon and subtle creamy lees the lasting impression. All ferments with wild yeast – 30% in barrel. 14% alc. $55.00. 16Apr2011.

Sileni Benchmark Block Trinity Vines Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Pungent with a smoky aura. A little grainy in texture - quite restrained compared to the other Sileni's tasted alongside it - perhaps some oak and lees action going on here - the pineapple character present in all the wines comes through on the herbaceous-scored fruity finish and the aftertaste is long, rich and even a little creamy. This wine really grew on me in the tasting. 12.5% alc. $24.95. 12Mar2010.

Sileni Benchmark Block Woolshed Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Fruity aromatics, though quite restrained in its scent. In the palate this is more classic gooseberry supported by rich, powerful tropical fruit with pineapple Fruju flavours on the lingering finish. Rounded, a little creamy, with soft acidity. 13.5% alc. $24.95. 12Mar2010.

Sileni The Cape Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A little funky on the nose, perhaps some oak / wild yeast stuff going on, then classic gooseberry / capsicum underpinning the scent. Abundant tropical fruit, heading towards pineapple, with a slightly oily character, perhaps a hint of oak and a spicy, zesty finish. 13% alc. $24.95. 12Mar2010.

Sileni The Straits Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Fruity aromatics with a hint of snowpea. A gooseberry, fresh cut grass, herbaceous style with mango and hints of stonefruit. Bright, fresh and vivacious with lots of appeal. My favourite for simply drinking of the Sileni four. 13% alc. $23.50. 12Mar2010.

Spinyback Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Clean inviting, passionfruit, honey and citrus aromas introduce this powerful exuberant mouth awakening style and when chilled it has a fine citrussy zing. 12.5% alc. $10.99. 2Jun2010.

Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Tangy and bright with a gooseberry infusion to the tropical fruit flavours. There' a softness to the wine and the juices are fleshy. Showing a grainy earthy mealy complexity from the yeast lees aging. 13% alc. $16.90. 7Sep2009.
Fruity, juicy, loads of tropical fruit even a hint of strawberry to add intrigue with a touch of tarragon coming through. Served lightly chilled on this occasion - and simply delicious. 13% alc. $16.90. 31Oct2009.
There's a greenish hint to the light gold colour and while somewhat restrained for Sauv on the nose, it's full of juicy sweet fruit in the palate - tangelo, coriander, snow pea in particular with a deliciously long finish and a flinty undercurrent. 13% alc. $14.99. 9Dec2009.

Starborough Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A little more subdued on the nose but refreshingly fruity to the taste. Tropical guava, passionfruit, babaco and tangelo abound and the finish is zesty and dry. 13% alc. $16.99. 14Apr2010.

Te Awa Hawkes Bay sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) There's a hint of light yellow to the colour and the aromas are quite apple-like - orchard apples with some windfalls adding to the complex apple scents. An unusual wine, probably because of the addition of Semillon, there's something reminiscent of custard powder in the palate with tropical fruit that is quickly cut by apple-like acidity with a bright citrussy zest that tempers the more earthy-like flavours. Overall the wine has a softness with Semillon, the array of fermentation yeasts and a portion (15%) of oak aging providing depth and complexity and a the finish is mouthfilling and long. A Sauv for those who don't like the typically brash style. 17/20. 12.5% alc. $27. 27Feb2010.

Te Mania Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A salad bowl on the nose - cucumber, summer herbs, tomato. bright and fresh to the taste, well defined acidity and a hot fumé character. A very juicy wine with grapefruit joining gooseberry and tropical fruit with a suggestion of oiliness to the texture. It's like a garden of herbs at the end of summer - when they are all in flower. Nice. 17.5/20. 12% alc. $18.99. 19Feb2009.

Te Mata Cape Crest Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (D)A youthful expression of the 2008, this even has a suggestion of grass on the nose along with bread and fruit salad scents. Quite juicy with a citrussy zing when served lightly chilled, it has a characteristic softness to the texture with fleshy stonefruit, tropical fruit and rich, mealy, buttery, woody, barrel ferment flavours. A blend of 86% Sauvignon Blanc, 9% Semillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris. Nick points out that Te Mata were the pioneers of Sauvignon Gris in New Zealand and they have used it in the Cape Crest since the early noughties. 13.5% alc. $24.99. 17Mar2010.
Showing a little less of those 'leap out of the glass' scents, but more richer, rounder and spicier flavours with salted lemon, stonefruit and a mealy, honeyed richness. The oak seems more integrated; the wine seems more complete. It has a creamy buttery edge and fragrant citrus-infused herbs linger on the finish. 13.5% alc. $26.99. 9Mar2011.

The Crossings Awatere Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) A fresh, grassy style of Sauv - vibrantly aromatic and full of flavour. It's slightly oily in texture with racy acidity and crisp citrus and tropical fruit. Like biting into a slightly underripe pinapple, it sends tingles down the spine then an onsluaght of juicy tangelo adds sweetness and summer herbs linger with a touch of apple on the pungent and seemingly dry finish. Can't imagine anything better than this thirst-quencher served well-chilled on a sun-soaked day. 13% alc. $18.99. 8May2010.

The Ned Waihopai River Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Spicy, a little earthy, apple and gooseberry on the nose, a hint of celery too. Dry in style, with sweet zesty citrus acidity, bright tropical fruit, summer herbs and a hint of melon. A light impression on the palate but full of flavour with some 'sweaty' notes emerging with time. 13% alc. $19. 25Feb2009.

Tohu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) With its gorgeous packaging reflecting the indigenous culture of New Zealand, this is a zesty, tangy number with herbs and citrus on the nose and a sweaty undercurrent to the tropical fruit flavours that hint of passionfruit and pineapple. It has that 'afterkick' and 30 seconds after you swallow it there's another explosion of tangelo, honey and coriander. A powerful, pungent style. 13% alc. $19. 8Dec2009.

Tohu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Deliciously fresh and juicy, full of tropical fruit and pineapple with lots of yummy summer herbs and tangy citrus and a good long finish. A very appealing and likeable, well rounded Sauv. 13% alc. $15.99. 16Jun2010.

Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Light gold in colour with a glassy lustre. Passionfruit, tarragon and green bean on the nose - a nuance of white pepper too - and a softness to the texture that has an oily veneer. Flavours in the palate emulate the aromas with passionfruit, tarragon and bean. There's a flinty backbone to the wine and despite the 3.5grams per litre of residual sugar, the high acidity (7.5g/l) expressed as zesty citrus, makes the finish seem quite dry. 13% alc. $17.99. 20May2009.
Very pale lemon, oily in appearance. Grape aroma to start with a hand cream-like scent then apple, lime and passionfruit becoming more toasty with time. Bright flavours - lots of lime and mandarin zest and a rich powerful almost spicy finish with classic varietal herbaceous and passionfruit pungency. The label states 'First bottling May 2009'. 13% alc. $13.99. 1Jul2009.

Te Mata Woodthorpe Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – Hawkes Bay (sc) Pale straw coloured with a powerful perfumed youthful herbaceous savyy aromas and full on, fresh zingy flavours - primarily spiced apple then becoming quite tropical with passionfruit, mango, a tangy citrussy backbone and lots of tarragon, chervil and other delicious anise-like herbs. Fresh, bright, dry and juicy - sunshine in a glass. 13% alc. $17.99. 5Aug2009.

Waimea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Pale straw coloured with a bright tropical fruit and passionfruit aroma and a vivaciously fresh grassy taste with an increasing pungency. Snow pea, pineapple, grapefruit, herbs and passionfruit surge in waves of flavour cresting with some of that exciting 'BO' (it can only be exciting in Sauv Blanc) and the finish is long and juicy. 12.5% alc. $11.99. 19May2010.

Wild South Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (sc) Juicy citrus and pineapple aromas introduced the fresh, tangy flavours of green apple, tropical fruit and lime with richness accrued from bottle age and a touch of sweet pea on the spicy and pungent, but not overly pungent finish. It was so deliciously refreshing when served icy cold. 17.5/20. 13% alc. $18.90. 16Jan 2011.