Look out for the Taste Top Wine Award stickers on these bottles at supermarkets and selected liquor retailers.
Under $20
Grove Mill 2016 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $19.80
Flavoursome and very appealing sauvignon blanc with gooseberry, lime/citrus flavours together with a seasoning of nutty lees characters.
Rapaura Springs 2017 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $18.99
Always a high-performer, this pungently fruity wine retains its position with the front-runners even in a difficult vintage like 2017. Passionfruit and guava dominate more herbal flavours.
Esk Valley 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $19.99
Gently luscious sauvignon blanc with juicy tree and tropical fruit flavours that contrast with greener, herbal and capsicum characters.
Summerhouse 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $18.99
Flavoursome sauvignon blanc with grapefruit, guava, passionfruit and subtle herbal characters. Quite a rich wine with a backbone of ripe acidity adding energy and helping to drive a lengthy finish.
$20-$30
Opawa 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $22.50
A riper example of sauvignon blanc from the 2017 vintage with guava, stone fruit, grapefruit and a suggestion of tropical fruit flavours. Attractive wine with great intensity.
Astrolabe 2016 Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $25
Intense, vibrant sauvignon blanc with sea air/mineral, gooseberry, lime and passionfruit flavours.
Villa Maria 2017 Reserve Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $26.99
Concentrated sauvignon blanc with typical Awatere Valley gooseberry, wet stone/mineral, green capsicum, nettle and tomato leaf flavours plus a subtle passionfruit influence.
Clos Marguerite 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $28
A distinctive and appealing Awatere Valley sauvignon blanc with green capsicum, nettle, gooseberry and subtle chalky flavours. Integrated and ethereal wine with power and delicacy.
Over $30
Brancott Estate 2015 Chosen Rows Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $79.99
Brancott’s flagship sauvignon blanc and the country’s most expensive example of the variety. Rich, weighty and quite complex wine with obvious oak and yeast lees influence.
Babich Winemakers 2016 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $30
Richly textural wine with tree fruit, spice, melon and honeysuckle flavours. A pleasure to taste.
Greenhough 2016 Hope Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $32
Delicately aromatic sauvignon blanc with gooseberry, oyster shell/mineral, lemon grass and ginger flavours. Classy sauvignon with power and panache.
Jules Taylor 2016 OTQ Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $34.99
An oak-fermented sauvignon blanc with very little oak character but plenty of nutty yeast lees influence, adding complexity to concentrated ripe tree fruit and red capsicum flavours.
