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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

Initially the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc needs a few moments to get itself together – much like we all do after waking up from our slumber. It wears a rather reductive overcoat, but under that flintiness you find concentrated, pure fruit flavors. It’s light in body but dense in concentration thanks to low yields, displaying both focus and punch. It’s almost silvery in color and restrained thanks to hand-picking, leading to pure grapefruit and passion fruit flavors alongside a hint of nectarine. The finish is long, precise and sinewy.Vinous Media | 93 VMClean and crisp with grapefruit, green melon and lemon character. Hints of stones. Medium body. Lovely acidity and a delicious finish. Some phenolic tension here. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap.James Suckling | 92 JSStill very young, this could use another year in the bottle before it’s cracked open. If drinking now, leave time for aeration in the glass or decanter for the struck match reductive notes to blow off and be replaced by white grapefruit, lime, passion fruit and dried herbs. Its complexity really lies in the palate, which is poised with lovely texture, crystalline acidity and a long, tangy citrus fruit finish. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

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