Peter Yealands, who promotes the sustainability and carbon zero barrel, has bottled his sauvignon blanc in plastic - it's certainly a great deal lighter and takes up less space than a glass-bottled wine, and they claim it is more environmentally friendly and costs less to transport.
This may be open to discussion, but the wine inside is decent, minerally and assertive - just the bottle to take tramping or on a picnic.
Another producer doing something different is &Co, from Hawkes Bay, which uses a crown cap on its clear bottle.
It may be a high-tech crown cap with a plastic liner instead of the original cork invented by William Painter in 1892, but you have to find a beer-bottle opener - something not so easy these days when even beer bottles have screw-off caps.
The wine hints of sweet apricots, stonefruit and honey - not a typical New Zealand sauvignon.
IF you come across a rare bottle of Montana's sauvignon gris, don't be misled into thinking it's a blend of sauvignon blanc and pinot gris.
It's actually a grape variety in its own right, one of the many sauvignon variants originally from the French wine regions of Bordeaux and the Loire.
Sauvignon blanc (white) is the best known but there are also sauvignon vert (green), jaune (yellow), noir (black), rosé or gris (pink or grey) and violet, named according to the colour of their berries, according to Jancis Robinson in her magisterial The Oxford Companion to Wine.
Montana Showcase Series Marlborough Sauvignon Gris 2009 (about $24) will have your guests guessing, because it's has something of the herbal crispness of sauvignon blanc, but with more hints of ripe apples, stone and tropical fruit.
It's less pungent and assertive, making it more attractive to people who prefer a more restrained wine than its assertive cousin.
WINE REVIEWS
Sauvignon blanc may be bright, assertive and fruity, but within this it comes in many styles, from overt and in-your-face to more restrained. Flavours range from tropical fruits to leaner, green fruits and mineral, and some are made more complex and mouthfilling with less contact
or barrel fermentation.
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations. charmian.smith@odt.co.nz
Two stars - simple, clean, enjoyable wine; three stars - good wine with varietal characteristics; four stars - very good wine with some outstanding characteristics; five stars - outstanding wine with balance and harmony that leaves you with a sense of wonder.
BEST UNDER $20
Yealands Full Circle Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 
$17.
Aromas of mineral and raindrops on hot river stones meld with sweet fruit and a bright, crisp intensity in this lively, in-your-face sauvignon.
It comes in a lightweight plastic bottle.
4 stars (out of 5)
Good value
$22
Pungent and zesty, this is typical Marlborough sauvignon blanc oozing blackcurrant leaves, gooseberries and a suggestion of fresh sweat - the first sip will blow you away although you may not want more than a glass.
A full-on, assertive style from a reliable producer.
4 stars (out of 5)
Good value
$21
Suggestions of tropical and stone fruit with a zingy, mineral backbone, hints of herbs, peas, melons and gooseberries with a taut, crisp finish, this wine is only just getting into its stride at a year old.
Nicely balanced, it is just the thing to go with chicken flavoured with a hint of ginger.
4 stars (out of 5)
Good value
$24
An assertive young wine oozing green fruit and blackcurrant leaf with a hint of schisty mineral and a taut, very dry finish.
Give it a few more months in the bottle to come together.
4 stars (out of 5)
Average value
$25
Fragrant with hints of gooseberry, elderflower and green capsicum, this is a lively, assertive wine with a mineral backbone and a funky hint of fresh sweat.
The crisp, dry finish balances the sweetness of the fruit.
4 stars (out of 5)
Average value
$29
A complex wine, with hints of smoky oak from barrel fermentation, rich and mouth-filling with hints of char-grilled vegetables and nuts, a crisp finish and a lingering aftertaste.
A good food wine, balanced and friendly. Delicious.
4 stars (out of 5)
Average value
charmian.smith@odt.co.nz
ANOTHER GLASS
Balancing Act Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009
$14
two stars (out of five)
average value VV
A simple wine with hints of mineral and sweet fruit, with a crisp finish. Less assertive than many Marlborough sauvignons.
Fox Junior Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
$20
A more affordable label from Foxes Island, this is broad with hints lime and citrus, a suggestion of mineral and a satisfying aftertaste.
Ata Rangi Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009
$24
four stars (out of five)
average value VV
A wine for those who prefer a less assertive wine than most Marlborough sauvignons, this hints of lime, lemon and stone fruit, is nicely balanced and has a long, dryish finish.
www.atarangi.co.nz
Sacred Hill Halo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009
$26
three stars (out of five)
below average value V
Attractive aromas, hints of gooseberries, grass and mineral, with a bright, clean finish and lingering aftertaste.
www.sacredhill.com
Mt Rosa Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2009
$22
three stars (out of five)
average value VV
Hints of passionfruit, apples and herbs, with a mineral backbone, this is an easy-to drink wine with a crisp finish.
www.mtrosa.co.nz
Olssens Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2009
$22.50
three stars (out of five)
average value VV
A small proportion of barrel fermentation gives this wine a mouthfilling texture and weight to the hints of tropical fruit juice and tinned peas. There's a mineral backbone and a tight, tingly finish.
www.olssens.co.nz
