Marlborough sauvignon blanc was once a wine that "shocked, thrilled and entertained the world with its brash, unexpected flavours" according to British writer Oz Clarke. While the flavours may no longer be unexpected they can still sometimes shock and thrill.
This batch of year-old sauvignon blancs showed many different sides to the variety - some were mature, developing hints of tinned asparagus, others remained tight and minerally, some were more assertive and others more user-friendly.
A few stood out because they really were superb, well-made examples as opposed to just another decent, crisp, fruity Marlborough sauvignon blanc.
The recommended retail prices of these wines vary from about $17 to about $25, but no doubt some will be found discounted.
Two Tracks Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
(about $17)
A typical bright, in-your-face Marlborough sauvignon, fragrant with hints of tropical fruit, melon, peach, and passionfruit tempered by a dash of mineral and pepper, but the intensity is nicely balanced with crisp finish. A new label from Wither Hills.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Good value
(about $17)
Another lively Marlborough sauvignon, pungent with hints of lime, herbs and green fruits, with a powerful, dryish finish.
This is a new label from CJ Pask which is based in Hawkes Bay.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Good value
(about $16)
There's a bit more funk in this wine made by the northern winery, Matakana Estate from Marlborough grapes.
It's mature with hints of capsicum and tinned peas, melon and citrus zest, and a suggestion of toffee on the finish.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Good value
(About $21)
A stylish wine with a bit more going on than in many others - fresh grass alongside the passionfruit, honeydew melon and golden kiwi, with texture and a hint of nuttiness from a little barrel age on lees.
It's a taut well made wine with a mineral backbone and a long, very crisp finish.
- Four stars (out of five)
- Good value
www.tworiversofmarlborough.co.nz
(About $26, but look for discounts)
Not everyone likes the assertiveness of Marlborough sauvignon, so this Hawkes Bay version offers a softer style, fragrant and mouth filling with hints of ripe melon and other green fruits, and a lovely persistent finish.
- Four stars (out of five)
- Average value
(About $33)
Pungent with aromas of freshly cut grass, crushed herbs and a tinge of fresh sweat, with zingy hints of passionfruit, blackcurrant leaves and nettles, oodles of mouthfilling flavour and just a little complexity.
It proudly shouts at the top of its voice "I'm Marlborough sauvignon blanc" and indeed, it's one of the best examples of the vibrant style with which the region wows the wine-drinking world.
- Five stars (out of five)
- Average value
ANOTHER GLASS
Otuwhero Estates O:TU Single Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
(About $25)
A stylish, mouthfilling wine with a burst of of tropical fruit, tinned asparagus, greywacke and a suggestion of caramel, and an intense, crisp and lively finish.
A mature sauvignon from the Awatere, this is drinking nicely now - look for it in cafes.
- Four stars (out of five)
- Average value
Starborough Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
(About $20)
Fragrant and floral with hints of melon, passionfruit and ripe kiwifruit, a steely shaft of mineral and an attractive, crisp, dry finish.
Shows the typically attractive side of Marlborough sauvignon blanc.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Average value
Thornbury Marlborough Sauvignon BLanc 2008
(About $20)
Fragrant with suugestions of ripe tropical fruit, broad and textural in the mouth with a bright, tingly finish.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Average value
Tinpot Hut Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
(About $22)
Hinting of passionfruit and white pepper with a suggestion of mineral in the background, this is a zesty, tingly young wine with a bright crisp finish.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Below average value
Akarua Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
(About $17)
A Marlborough sauvignon blanc under a Central Otago label, this hints of dusty gravel a mineral but with sweet fruit (melon and passionfruit) and a crisp tingly finish. A simple lively wine.
- Three stars (out of five)
- Good value
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.
- Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations.
