10 Sauvignon Blancs that will go the distance
Dog Point, Section 94, Marlborough, New Zealand 2013
96 £ 19-£ 25 Cambridge Wine, Hennings, James Nicholson, Laithwaite’s, The Wine Society, Vin Cognito, Woodwinters Stunning intensity. Smoky, citrus-infused, spicy and compelling. It’s a full-on oaked style but is also very harmonious and savoury. Tremendous stuff. Drink 2016-2022 Alc 14%
Reyneke Reserve White, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2012
vintage of the barrel-aged, Sauvignonled blend, but it’s true to the beautiful tangerine-scented, tense and pure style of this fast-improving property. Drink 2016-2025 Alc 13.5%
Didier Dagueneau, Silex, Pouilly- Fumé, Loire, France 2012
93 £63-£75 Clos & Cru, Crump Richmond & Shaw, Harrods, In Vino Veritas, Jeroboams, Justerini & Brooks, Roberson Hardly textbook Sauvignon, with its peachy, floral, stoney tones, but this taut, profoundly mineral white ages superbly: the 2002 was dynamic, energising and hugely complex tasted in late 2015. Drink 2018-2027 Alc 13%
Henri Bourgeois, Les Côte des Monts Damnés, Sancerre, Loire, France 2014
was also a revelation: time in the cellar brings out a wonderful lime-scented, toasty, honeycomb complexity. Drink 2016-2025 Alc 13.5%
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc, Pessac- Léognan, Bordeaux, France 2012
92 £ 59-£65 Corkr, Crump Richmond & Shaw, Georges Barbier, Millésima, R&B, Woodwinters It’s gone up a bit in price of late, but this property has a track record for eminently ageworthy Sauvignondominant blends. Engaging if youthful flavours of ripe lemon and buttered toast. Drink 2017-2022 Alc 14%
Bay of Fires, Sauvignon Blanc, Tasmania, Australia 2014
91 £ 12.21 Accolade Wines Has a wonderfully tight, focused style with complex, grassy, lemony flavours. Succulent, with a touch of sweetness, but it’s well balanced by the vivid acidity. Drink 2016-2020 Alc 12.5%
Ravine Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada 2014
91 N/A UK www. ravinevineyard.com Elegantly oak-aged, this is a refreshing wine. Well worth seeking out if you’re in the mood for something different. Drink 2016-2020 Alc 12.5%
For full details of UK stockists, see p103