Joining me on the tasting panel today was Dunedin wine enthusiast Ricky Collins.
On the bench was a selection of sauvignon blanc from across New Zealand, many at the value end of the price spectrum.
I was taken back to my early years of wine tasting when the sauvs were invariably grassy and bracingly acidic.
Across the board these showed much softer acidities that make them far easier drinking, with a whisper of sweetness often providing balance.
Price: RRP $23-24 (around $20 on special)
Rating: Good
Ripe nose with apple and a honeyed character. Softer, non-herbaceous style with lemony citrus and hints of gooseberry on the palate leading into a minerally note. Supple, easy drinking style: a second glass would be easy.
Price: RRP $25
Rating: Very good
A combination of cut grass, feijoa and sweat on the nose. A sweet fruit entry leads on to guava, passionfruit and tropical fruits, with grapefruit poking its head up. The acidity is there but not aggressive. Quite a bit of complexity and interest here. Finish is not long but supple and well rounded.
Price: RRP $19.99 (around $15 on special)
Rating: Good
Gunflint on the nose with grassiness and a honeyed ripeness. Very rounded, supple mouthfeel. The palate opens with nashi pear with grapefruit and citrus pith following. Medium concentration with apricot kernel on the finish.
Price: RRP $16.99
Rating: Good
Delicate nose of capsicum and gooseberry. Nicely weighted palate with appealing texture offering gooseberry and grapefruit. The acidity gives freshness to the finish without dominating. Gentle wine with good appeal.
Price: $17.50 (may be less on promo)
Rating: Very good
Fruit at the riper end of the spectrum here: passionfruit and tropical fruits lead the way with gooseberry underpinning them. Ripe entry on the palate with gunflint and gooseberry. Quite weighty palate with some textural interest. Crisp acidity, just a little grippy on the finish. A nice package here.
Price: RRP $11.99 (around $10 on promo)
Rating: Very good
Typical Marlborough nose with bramble and grassiness. Ripe and textural entry with red capsicum, gooseberry and grapefruit. Finely balanced with a good counterpoint of acidity. Nice finish and length; very appealing style. Excellent bang for your buck here.
Price: RRP $12.99 (around $10 on promo)
Rating: Good
A game of two halves wine. The team didn't turn up on the nose, being quite closed with hints of citrus. The palate leaps into action with apple, lemon and grapefruit. Reasonable weight and texture here with the acid balanced by some noticeable sweetness on the finish.
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