Sauvignon Blanc

wines

Harvested from a small parcel, less than four acres, this wine is in perfect condition. It is balanced, with white fruit and citrus coming together, led by the acidity. It is developing into a full, ripe wine. Wait until 2019.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Pouilly-Fumé “Clos des Chaudoux”- Domaine Serge Dagueneau et Fille) The 2016 Clos des Chaudoux Domaine Serge and Valerie Dagueneau is an outstanding bottle of Pouilly-Fumé. This is unique in the family’s lineup, as these fifty-five year-old sauvignon blanc vines are actually planted on terres blanches limestone, rather than flint. The wine is quite tropical in its fruit complexion in 2016, offering up notes of pineapple, tangerine, just a touch of damp grass, beautiful chalky minerality and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied, focused and complex, with plenty of secondary development already showing, but coupled to a good girdle of acidity and plenty of cut and grip on the long finish. With the frosts of 2016, this wine may be just a touch idiosyncratically styled in this vintage, but it has depth, beaucoups complexity and impressive backend length. I decanted the wine to let it blossom and consume some of its initial aromatic oddities, and I really liked the wine after that. It is never going to make you forget a great vintage of Didier Dagueneau’s Pur Sang, but it is loaded with personality all the same! (Drink between 2019-2030)John Gilman | 91 JG

The 2017 Pouilly Fumé Prédilection is from several terraces on Muschelkalk soils and located closer to the Loire, so they benefit from cool afternoon breezes and nights. The wine opens pure and crunchy on the nose when young, with stony aromas intermixed with notes of white fruit but gets more and more floral with bottle age. The palate is powerful, dense and complex, showing serious substance, tannins and length but also elegance and terroir expression. The finish is lush but also pure and salty and structured by very fine tannins. It’s a crystalline, refined and elegant style with a very long finish. Tasted in February 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThis wine takes its minerality from the chalk soil in which the vines grow. It has considerable texture as well as perfumed richness and dense white fruits accented by spice. The wine is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEVery pure and smoky, with a peach, apricot and elderflower fragrance and a fabulously expressive mineral acid undercurrent.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2019 Sauvignon Voglar is simply stunning. Peter Dipoli decided to hold this vintage back due to its youthful intensity and bracing acidity. This is remarkably pretty, blending spring flowers with lime zest, crushed stone and traces of petrol. This is expansive and supple, with depths of saline minerals and piercing citrus fruits giving way to inner herbal tones. The 2019 finishes incredibly fresh and long yet on a note of refinement, leaving a tart lemon rind sensation that puckers the cheeks.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Cut grass, dark green herbs and yellow apple aromas show on the nose of this bottling. It’s very lean on the palate with a zippy, energetic acidity that cuts right through the cement, crushed stone and serrano flavors, engaging the palate on all sides.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Au Naturel is laced with hints of pear, mint, chamomile, spice and apricot. Racy and textured in feel, the Au Naturel has plenty of richness to play off the natural vivacity of the year.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAll varietal, the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Au Naturel offers a touch more oomph in its white peach, melon, white flowers, and honeysuckle-like aromas and flavors. It’s rich, medium-bodied, balanced, and certainly an outstanding expression of Sauvignon Blanc.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Quarz is deeply alluring, with a rich mix of savory herbs and grapefruit rinds lifted by a cooling whiff of white smoke. This is potent and supple with medium-bodied weight and a pretty inner sweetness, verging on decadence, yet is balanced by a stimulating core of zesty acidity. Candied lemon and lime resonate throughout as a burst of salty minerality and chalk dust adds perfect contrast. Like most vintages of Quarz, this will cellar beautifully over the medium term. That said, there’s no harm in enjoying it now in this wonderfully primary state.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2021 vintage of Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc includes 9% Semillon in a blend that is commonly found in Margaret River. Vibrant and piercing aromas are on display with impressive complexity including passionfruit, freshly cut grass, lanolin and hay. Exceptional purity follows on a light weight palate with juicy acidity providing energy and tropical fruit flavour impact. The finish is zesty and refreshing with impressive focus from start to finish.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Some buttery notes emerge under the delicate lemony characters, giving depth and seamless balance to the zingy acidity. It should develop additional complexity with more time in bottle. Montée de Bouffant is a parcel on steep slopes at 240m above the village of Chavignol. The grapes are harvested by machine and fermented in a mix of concrete and stainless steel and then aged for six months. The first record of the 35-hectare domaine is from 1510 and Laurent Reverdy, who took over from his father Alain in 2000, is the 14th generation.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Grimm’s Bluff Vineyard brings more depth and richness, with racy citrus, toasted spice, honeyed mineral, and orange blossom notes that develop beautifully with time in the glass. Medium-bodied and balanced, with good concentration and awesome length, it’s a more mineral-driven, spicy, serious expression of Sauvignon Blanc that will evolve for 15+ years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Grimm’s Bluff Vineyard was barrel fermented and matured for 16 months in 21% new French oak. Recently bottled under Diam 30 corks, it’s shy on the nose at this stage yet layered and generous on the palate. It balances weightiness and textural breadth with focused acidity and boasts a deep core of stone fruit and citrus. It has youthful streaks of matchstick, and its generosity and texture help extend the finish. Treat it like a Bordeaux Blanc and allow it 2-3 years in bottle. 140 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Grimm’s Bluff Vineyard is intensely salty and mineral. Those notes lend tons of vibrancy throughout. Crushed rocks, lemon confit, mint, white pepper and slate all build as this vibrant, chiseled Sauvignon shows off its undeniable class. This is a great vintage for the Grimm’s Bluff.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The Menetou-Salon from Kevin and Karine Lauverjat is a fine bottle that really shows the bright, cooler vintage characteristics of 2021. The bouquet offers up a complex blend of limepeel, gooseberry, fresh-cut grass, a lovely base of flinty minerality and a topnote of citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied, complex and nicely grassy in personality, with a lovely core of fruit, fine soil signature, a good spine of acidity and impressive length and grip on the well-balanced finish. Good juice. (Drink between 2023 - 2030)John Gilman | 91 JG

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Vieris opens slowly in the glass, holding back in its youthful state, with hints of lemon oil, rosemary and wet stone accentuated by sweet spice. This is seamlessly silky, almost oily in feel, with sapid yellow citrus and savory herbal tones enriched by vibrant acidity. It finishes potent and spicy, leaving the palate saturated in an intense staining of primary concentration. The potential here is off the charts, but today, the Vieris is one of the most backward wines out of the 2021 portfolio.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is a little sweaty on the nose, with lemongrass and enoki mushroom, cilantro, layers of apple skins and brine. There’s even a hint of kelp. In the mouth, the wine is concentrated and pure, with loads of flavor and structure. Very good. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

There’s a lovely lift of passion fruit, guava, citrus and floral aromas to start, backed by a gunflint and briny note. The palate is a graceful balance of texture, acidity, flavor and length. The long, lifted acidity and chalky bite to the finish make one want to reach for another glass. This is classy and food-friendly. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEOffers lime, pear and lemon zest notes that are elegant, but not shy on power, with accents of matcha, lemon thyme and a touch of crunchy sea salt on the juicy finish. Drink now. 35,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This is the benchmark for (tank fermented, pure) Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc has sweet green pea, green apple skins, juniper, rosemary, a hint of nashi pear and layers of jasmine tea and spice. This is, as usual, very fine and spicy, with purity and textural complexity side by side. Pear skin. Pretty.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPVery fresh nose with a wide spectrum of aromas, ranging from forthrightly grassy and fresh-basil notes to gooseberry, grapefruit and passion fruit, this is a juicy and elegant Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc. Long, racy finish. Drink now. Screw cap.James Suckling | 93 JS

With only a tiny proportion of oak (8% of the volume), the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Batch 111 The House features classic grapefruit and grassy aromas, plus hints of snow pea and pineapple. It’s medium to full-bodied, plump, round and easy to drink, with enough citrus zest on the finish to keep me coming back for additional sips.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPFruity and herbal influences vie for dominance in this full-bodied, relatively crisp wine. Opening with cut grass and parsley aromas, the wine moves to vivid lemon and grapefruit flavors on a lively texture. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Perfumed and delicate upon first pour, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Vieris slowly evolves, wafting up with dusty white flowers and cracked slate, evolving into ginger-infused pear and green melon. This is cool-toned with soothingly round textures, yet energetic as well, showcasing ripe pit fruits and crunchy mineral tones that add tactile satisfaction toward the close. The 2022 tapers off with a floral resonance and long, becoming classically dry and slightly austere, demanding patience while still leaving the palate completely refreshed. Despite the warm vintage, this is a Vieris that will excel in the cellar.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis well-meshed white is compact up front, opening on the palate to reveal layers of melon, grapefruit peel, lentil and chive blossom notes framed by vibrant acidity. A smoke-tinged, mineral-driven underpinning echoes on the finish. Drink now through 2032. 600 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Aromas of grilled pineapple, kaffir limes, flint and lemon pith. The palate is light-bodied with bright acidity, giving flavors of guavas, lychees and grapefruit. Vibrant and fresh. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JSAromas of fresh, lively citrus, kumquats, and passionfruit, notes of various layered mint herbs and chamomile tea intertwine with flavors of melon, tangerine, and sedimentary rock roll into a juicy sun-kissed finish. Pair with the beach and friendsWine Enthusiast | 91 WE

It must be difficult being Cloudy Bay, because fame brings extra scrutiny and the question, ‘Does this brand offer value for money in the context of the wider region?’ In 2023, the Sauvignon Blanc silences its critics. Its vineyard may be much larger than it once was, but it delivers – dry, clean and elegant, with classic characteristics and the bonus of welcome structure on the finish. It may not be the most flamboyant on the nose, focusing more on the herbal rather than tropical spectrum (whether that’s elderflower, gooseberry or classic passion fruit), but that seems to be a function of the vintage. The 2023 is long, fragrant and exactly what you want from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but with an extra layer of class. Vinous Media | 93 VMShows typical guava, grass and flint aromas with some green melon. Medium-bodied with a solid density of fruit as well as brightness and acid energy. Really well done for this vintage. Drink or hold. Screw cap.James Suckling | 93 JS

Family-owned winery Craggy Range has an excellent reputation, and its entry-level Sauvignon Blanc shows a lovely purity and balance. The Martinborough region, at the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island, is a minor player size wise compared to the juggernaut that is Marlborough, but its wines are often more restrained in style. This elegant expression shows a lovely purity of gooseberry, blackcurrant leaf and lime fruit, with added weight from partial, short ageing in French oak. Mix-six price: £15.99Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2023 Domaine Durand Sancerre has a captivating profile, featuring white orchard fruits and flowers. This wine boasts a medium to full-bodied structure, with a satiny and deep palate that has a seamless texture. At its core it has a fleshy fruitiness, culminating in a long, saline, ethereal finish.Sokolin Tasting Panel | 93 SP

With aromas and flavors of citrus pith, dried grasses and salted lime, this wine offers palate-filling flavor with a pleasing balance of texture and mouthwatering length. Deftly integrated oak brings additional complexity in good balance. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEShows wonderful restraint, with mandarin orange, lemon curd, salted melon, Honeycrisp apple and pear notes on a firm texture, plus a hint of beeswax and plenty of length. The acidity keeps the flavors bright. Drink now. 39,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSNotes of sliced golden apples, candied lemons, citrus blossom and stone. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished with vivid acidity. Pretty and refreshing. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

Huia has never been one to make stereotypical Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc is no different. Under new ownership but with the winemaking remaining in the hands of former co-owner Clare Allen, the 2023 is a quiet, elegant, aromatically delicate expression. A little more than light in body, it has a rich, succulent and rounded texture, no doubt a combination of the organic vineyards, wild fermentation and use of barrel. Flavors of honeysuckle, ripe apple and lightly toasted hazelnuts linger on the mouthwatering finish.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Beautiful nose of pear, tangerine, minerals, spices and anise. The palate is dense, supple, and focused blending salty minerality with sweet citrus and orchard fruit flavors. The mouthfeel is lush and full, culminating in a finish with clarity and mineral-driven length. Sokolin Tasting Panel | 92+ SP

The 2023 Sancerre “l ’Authentique” from Domaine Thomas-Labaille is a beautiful, classic example and augurs very well for other bottlings from this next vintage in the pipeline. The wine offers up a superb bouquet of gooseberry, lime, fresh-cut grass, an excellent base of limestone minerality, citrus blossoms and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is bright fullbodied, complex and nicely balanced, with a fine core of ripe fruit, superb soil transparency and grip, bright acids, lovely focus and bounce and a long, complex and vibrant finish. Lovley Sancerre. 2024-2032+. 92.John Gilman | 92 JG

The 2024 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc leads with a complex nose of sweet pea, cassis bramble, gooseberry, elderflower, preserved citrus and brine. In the mouth, the wine is concentrated and detailed, with fresh energy and zip ensconced in textural folds of phenolics. This is a gorgeous wine and comes highly recommended. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The 2024 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc leads with juniper and cassis, green apples and lemon zest. In the mouth, the wine has a quinine-like freshness and intensity, shaped by pliable phenolics through the middle palate and finish. This is a really classy wine here. It’s sophisticated. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPCut grass, passion fruit and river stones on the nose. The palate is light-bodied with focused acidity, giving notes of orange blossoms, jasmine and lemon peel. Polished and tightly wound. Drink now. Screw cap.James Suckling | 91 JS