Marlborough lights
New Zealand is bringing in the Sauvignon Blanc, but there are still some good deals on the shelves from the 2021 harvest.
As we are just starting to see signs of spring in the UK, down in New Zealand it is autumn and the harvesters are out, picking the grapes that will soon be on our shelves bearing those magical words, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2022.
Last year’s harvest was excellent in quality, but small in quantity. Spring frosts and cool weather meant that yields were down by around 20 per cent. In a market that is still expanding, it meant anticipated sales were more than was in the tanks. Prices edged up and wines were re-allocated around the world to supply the UK, which is New Zealand’s second largest export market.
This year the growers are holding their breath. Both quality and quantity are looking good, but no winemaker will predict the outcome of a harvest until the grapes are safely in the tanks.
Just like the rest of the world, New Zealand has been hit hard by Covid. The usual itinerant workers who arrive to work around the wine industry have not been allowed to travel so vineyards have been reliant on local people. And the lack of international tourism in the last two years has meant that many wineries have struggled to keep going.
While the rest of the world, in particular South Africa and Chile, have stocks of Sauvignon Blanc, the appeal of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is clear to see. With defined, fresh, lively flavours, and distinctive brands that start at the great value end of the price range and work right up to serious investment, there is a continuous ladder of excellence for drinkers to enjoy.
While we wait for the 2022 harvest to make its way into bottle and onto our shelves, there is still just enough Sauvignon Blanc in the supply pipeline to keep up with demand without prices going skyhigh.
Here are some of the best choices on the shelves right now. If you look carefully, there are still some deals out there. bottles: Terrific value in this own-label wine that is made by Yealands. It stood out at the tasting for vibrant, lively citrus fruit with enough weight to accompany fishy starters.
Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Tesco, £8.50, down to £7.50 until Monday for Clubcard holders: If you shop at Tesco, then it is well worth picking up one of its Clubcards. It has some terrific deals that are exclusive to members. This is a fresh-tasting, lean, zippy, grassy style of Sauvignon, guaranteed to wake up your taste buds. Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Awatere, Marlborough,
Sainsbury’s, down from £9 to £7.50 until March 27: I have liked Yealands ever since my last visit to New Zealand when I realised that its whole, huge estate is zero carbon. The vineyards are eco and animal-friendly, with chickens and guinea fowl wandering around, beehives located at several spots and several wildlife lakes. This is the first step on the Yealands Sauvignon ladder, and it is terrific with lively citrus aromas, pink grapefruit and pineapple on the palate, laced with crushed blackcurrant leaves and lime.
The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc, 2021, Marlborough, Waitrose, £8.99: With just 9.5 per cent alcohol, this is a loweralcohol product made without any clever winery tricks. Established winemaker Dr John Forrest has developed a way of reducing the alcohol level in his wines by shading the grapes, early picking and careful fermentation. It means that you can sip for longer while consuming less alcohol than from a regular wine. Unlike many lower-alcohol wines, this one has kept all its zippy fresh tropical fruit flavours.
Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Awatere, Marlborough, Waitrose, down from £11.49 to
£9.49 until March 15: A definite step up in quality from the non-reserve Yealands version with greater depth and concentration. Perfect for teaming with grilled salmon.
Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Marlborough, Asda, £9.75: Fairly new on
the shelves, this is a sustainably produced wine from a 100 per cent renewable energy winery, and it is packed in lightweight glass, which saves a massive 30 per cent of carbon emissions. Apart from its eco credentials, this is a bright, breezy wine, with lifted aromatics and a distinct pink grapefruit and gooseberry style. It makes a terrific aperitif.
Jackson Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough, Booths, down from £14.50 to £10.50 on a three-bottle multi-buy until March 15: Another great multi-buy deal that really makes it worthwhile to trade up. Jackson Estate has always produced linear, fresh-tasting wines, with passionfruit and grapefruit at the core and a crunchy, sea-pebble almost salty finish.
Smith and Sheth 2019, Marlborough, Tesco, down from £17 to £14, Clubcard holders only: Go flex your Clubcard and try a bottle of this seriously good Sauvignon. It comes from Master of Wine Steve Smith who uses old vines, ecological viticulture and expert winemaking to produce a wine full of juicy, gooseberryedged, lime and nectarine flavours.
Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough, Latitude Wines, Leeds, £17.50: Set up 20 years ago by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, this estate is now 100 per cent organic. Low yields give great flavours of zesty, crisp, lemongrass with a linear minerally finish and it ages well for a couple of years developing deeper mid-palate flavours that go wonderfully with oysters, goat’s cheese and grilled fish.
Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Marlborough, Field & Fawcett, £18.85: From Kevin Judd, the winemaker who made Cloudy Bay famous, this is a complex, elegant, citrus-driven wine, with apple blossom, mango fruit, pears and fennel. Don’t rush to open this one. The 2021 vintage was small in quantity but high in quality, so I suggest you buy several bottles and try one now if you must but tuck the rest away for at least six months and longer of you can. Greywacke takes time to emerge, but when it does, it is fabulous. Step up to Greywacke Wild Sauvignon
2019 (Field & Fawcett, £28.45), fermented with wild yeast in well-used French oak barriques. This is Sauvignon like you have never tasted it before. Complex notes of herb-dusted mango, pineapple and peach, shot through with lime freshness. Delicious.