I’m not a Sauvignon Blanc denier, but I am all too often disappointed with thin, one-dimensional examples.

At its best, however, Sauvignon Blanc can be gorgeously textural and expressive, with weight but no heaviness, and richness balanced by salinity and succulence.

Its aromatic and zingy nature makes it one of the world’s most popular grape varieties, and flavours and aromas vary depending on where and how it's grown – climate, pruning and trellising systems, even the yeast strains used in fermentation.

Expect anything from tropical and exotic to citrusy and zesty, grassy and herby, or stony and mineral.

Organic Sauvignon Blanc – not an easy task

Despite its popularity, Sauvignon Blanc is fairly tricky to grow, and needs careful work in the vineyard to keep it healthy.

‘Sauvignon is relatively complex to work organically or biodynamically,’ says Jonathan Pabiot, a biodynamic winemaker in Pouilly-Fumé. 'It's sensitive to powdery and downy mildew, so in humid years treatments have to be very regular.'

Yet Pabiot says the vine's flower is very sensitive to copper, which is problematic for organic growers because copper-based Bordeaux mixture is one of the only permitted fungicides used to protect against powdery mildew.

For Pabiot, Sauvignon Blanc's very sensitivity to climate and disease stressors is what makes it so responsive to biodynamic farming. ‘Biodynamics helps us overcome these climatic risks, but it isn't magic either,' he says. ‘What it does do is help build living soil.'

Biodynamic winemakers in Languedoc Patricia and Luc Bertoni, of Domaine les Eminades, believe that it is precisely the nearly 20 years of organic farming that has made their Sauvignon particularly resilient to disease – as well as the clement climate of the south.

My Sauvignon Blanc moment

The moment I realised the heights and depths that great Sauvignon could reach was when tasting Andreas Tscheppe’s Blue Dragonfly, from south Styria in Austria, near the border with Slovenia.

Tscheppe and his wife Elisabeth farm their terraced vineyards biodynamically, at 500m altitude. These vineyards, like the wines, are full of life: picture lush vegetation, myriad plants, weeds, flowers, grasses, bugs, beetles, bees, dragonflies and birds.

Fermented with natural yeasts and minimal sulphur, and aged for almost two years in large old barrels, it tastes like wildflowers and wild grasses, sun-warmed orchard fruit, lemon and brine, with an intricate texture like a crispy snowflake.

For me, this is one of the purest, most stripped back and alive versions of Sauvignon Blanc – far removed from the pungent blast of Marlborough.

Of course, not everyone is looking for this hyper textural, nuanced version of the grape. Sauvignon has become something of a celebrity accessory,: Gary Barlow and Graham Norton both have their own brands, though Taylor Swift has, tellingly, traded up to Sancerre.

Has the grape’s cultural moment peaked?

Not if this summer’s internet wine trend is anything to go by – dropping frozen dill pickles into a glass of Sauvignon Blanc suggests it’s found a new, slightly unhinged lease of life.

Either way, here are seven delicious organic bottles to satisfy the Sauvignon-seekers this summer – pickle optional, but not advised.

Seven Sauvignon for summer sipping

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Although not indigenous to Italy, Sauvignon Blanc can be considered one of the country’s most important white grape varieties.

The most celebrated examples are from the two northeastern regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Alto Adige, while other notable examples come from regions as far apart as Piedmont and Sicily.

Friuli

In the commune of Mariano in the Gorizia province of Friuli, the Gallo family crafts two remarkable Sauvignons, Piere and Vieris, sourced from two distinct vineyards.

Matteo Gallo, son of winemaker Gianfranco, who has managed the Vie di Romans estate for more than 40 years, calls the wines ‘our two most representative crus’.

Gallo characterises the Piere vineyard as having greater soil depth and a higher clay content, while Vieris features much shallower, reddish-coloured soil, rich in limestone and pebbly stones.

He notes that these differences are the result of the way the valley was formed and later shaped, following the overall retreat of the glaciers, a process completed about 10,000 years ago.

‘During this long period,’ he explains, ‘the Piere area was the first to emerge from the waters and it therefore displays a more evolved and deeper soil profile.’

Piere, produced from predominantly Italian-clone vines that have loose grape clusters, is vinified in stainless steel, while Vieris, which has more French clones than Italian, matures for nine months in French oak barriques.

They are, ‘the result of our understanding and interpretation of their unique terroir’, reasons Gallo.

Alto Adige/ Südtirol

At the Cantina Terlano cooperative in the village of Terlano in Alto Adige, cellar master Rudi Kofler notes that Sauvignon Blanc arrived in this commune from France around the turn of the 20th century, marking the origin of the variety in the Südtirol (the Germanic name for the multilingual region).

Cantina Terlano was the first local producer to bottle a single-varietal Sauvignon Blanc, in 1956. Today, the winery offers two celebrated Sauvignon Blancs, Winkl and Quarz, sourced from vineyards in the Terlano surroundings.

They both have a similar profile of volcanic-origin quartz porphyry with sandy-loamy soils very rich in skeletal material (especially for the plots used for the Quarz).

The ratio of vines in each is overwhelmingly Italian – between 70%-80%, with only 20%-30% French.

Kofler vinifies these wines in both stainless steel tanks and large barrels, with slight variations; for Winkl, 20% of the wine is aged in large, 7,500L German oak casks that are between 20 and 30 years old, while for Quarz, half of the wine is aged in 3,000L French oak casks of five to 10 years old.

‘Wines aged in wooden barrels tend to be creamier, more playful in texture and less reductive than those fermented exclusively in stainless steel,’ he says.

The winemaker describes Quarz as a ‘crystalline Sauvignon Blanc with layered texture and vibrant salinity’ – a more formidable wine than the Winkl, explaining that it benefits from a higher proportion of ageing in oak.

A focused profile

Another acclaimed Sauvignon Blanc producer in Alto Adige is the Cantina Kurtatsch co-op.

Although its oldest vines are French clones, head winemaker Erwin Carli prefers the local clones developed by the Laimburg agricultural research centre, which are also used by Cantina Terlano and some other wineries in the area.

Carli explains that these local clones have looser clusters, which results in lower susceptibility to infection by the botrytis fungus, as well as reduced canopy vigour and higher acidity in the resulting fruit than the French clones.

‘Under warming growing conditions, this typically translates into a fresher, more focused profile that helps to retain acidity in the wine,’ he says.

The hillside vineyards here at Penon-Kofl, in the commune of Cortaccia, south of Bolzano, are situated between 425m and 600m, on steep slopes reaching 85% gradient.

The soils are composed of sand and gravel, rich in Dolomitic limestone and quartz minerals.

Carli explains that this site experiences strong solar radiation but with fewer hours of direct sunlight per day – conditions the winemaker believes are ‘ideal for Sauvignon Blanc, promoting ripeness while preserving freshness and aromatic precision’.

For him, flagship Sauvignon Kofl – labelled as Penon-Kofl as of the 2024 vintage, following the implementation, from that vintage, of the 86 new Alto Adige UGA areas (unità geografica aggiuntiva, or ‘additional geographical unit’) – displays an earthy, stony character with its fruit and floral notes in the background.

It's a vertical wine, unlike more typical Sauvignon Blancs of the area, which he describes as more expressive, aromatic and bold.

Piedmont

In Neive, in the heart of the Barbaresco appellation, Pierguido Busso at his family’s Piero Busso winery has been producing the mono-varietal Arbé Sauvignon Blanc since the 2018 vintage.f

These grapes were previously incorporated in the winery’s Langhe Bianco blend. Arbé is dedicated to Busso’s two nieces, Arianna and Beatrice.

He says that his main inspiration comes from France, particularly from the Loire valley. The winemaking is gentle, with soft, whole-cluster pressing and great care taken to avoid extracting green or vegetal components.

The wine ages for 12 months on the fine lees, without batonnage.

‘The goal is to produce a Sauvignon with a clear, precise expression, far from common stereotypes,' he explains.

'I want this wine to reflect the Busso philosophy, first and foremost, rather than a generic or classic interpretation of Sauvignon – elegance, purity of fruit and a strong sense of place are essential.’

Tuscany

The Tuscan coast, specifically Bolgheri, has become an important territory for Sauvignon Blanc.

At Ornellaia, technical director Marco Balsimelli produces two Sauvignon-based wines: 100% varietal Ornellaia Bianco; and Poggio alle Gazze – Sauvignon Blanc blended with smaller percentages of Vermentino, Viognier and Semillon.

Balsimelli explains that ‘aromatically, Sauvignon Blanc from Bolgheri offers many different shades’.

Harvesting of the Sauvignon Blanc fruit destined for Poggio alle Gazze generally begins relatively early, around mid-August.

Balsimelli notes that the sandy coastal soils naturally produce wines that are firm, aromatic and lively.

For Ornellaia Bianco, meanwhile, he works with soils rich in limestone, clay and stones. The grapes are typically picked towards the end of September, when the fruit is slightly riper, which results in a wine with greater complexity and a more elegant aromatic profile.

Fuller on the palate than Poggio alle Gazze, and also more structured, according to Balsimelli, the wine ‘finishes with a striking freshness and salinity typical of these soils’.

Comparing Sauvignon Blanc from Bolgheri with northern Italian versions, Balsimelli points out that the latter examples are sharper, with plenty of tension.

‘Our wines tend to show riper aromas and a fuller, more textured and structured mouthfeel,’ he says.

‘One trait we share, however, is the freshness and minerality on the finish. It seems to me our style of white wines is closer to French wines than to those from northern Italy.’

Perhaps the most positive aspect of Italian Sauvignon Blanc is its ability to display its greatest qualities with age.

The finest examples take on different identities after several years, with some showing a Riesling-like character, while others offer more distinct earthy, herbal notes after a decade.

Regardless of the style, Italian Sauvignon Blanc is the backbone of some of the nation’s finest white wines, deserving of greater respect on the world stage.

Italian Sauvignon Blancs

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For Austrians and Germans, and a great number of the people who live there, it is the ‘Südtirol’ – the southern province of the Tyrol.

For Italians, it is the ‘Alto Adige’, the Upper Valley of the river Adige.

This bilingual province on the border with Austria is a meeting place of cultures created by the twists and turns of history.

What is now the Trentino-Alto Adige region spent more of the last 200 years of its history under Austrian rule than Italian, and it was only after the defeat of the Austrio-Hungarian Empire in WWI that it was incorporated into Italy.

Not least of the influences of its cultural heritage regard the wine production of this fascinating border area.

Grapes of northern European origin grow alongside international and local varieties; barriques coexist with giant casks with elaborate carved heads; and in many cellars the chief winemaker still retains the title of ‘Kellermeister’.

The wine growing areas of the Alto Adige stretch north from the border with the neighbouring Trentino in the shape of a letter ‘Y’.

The lower part, the Bassa Atesina, follows the valley of the Adige to Bolzano, where viticulture branches northeast into the Isarco Valley towards Bressanone, and northwest past Merano, into the Venosta Valley.

Jigsaw puzzle

The umbrella Alto Adige DOC covers all 5,850 hectares of the province, with important DOC sub-zones for Terlano, Santa Maddalena, Valle Isarco and Val Venosta, while the pale red wines of Caldaro/Kaltersee have a denomination all of their own.

Vineyards stretch from around 250 metres above sea level to the upper slopes of the valley sides, reaching elevations of over 1,000 metres above-sea-level in places.

The climate is sunny, and warmer than you might expect – July temperatures are higher in Bolzano than Palermo! – but with the extreme day/night excursions typical of mountain regions.

The soil map of the province is a highly-coloured jigsaw puzzle which defies close description, but the three basic types are the Dolomitic limestone of the Adige valley, soils of volcanic origin around Bolzano, and the coarse, sandy quartz, slate and mica of weathered native rock in the Isarco and Venosta valleys.

Twenty varieties

Alto Adige grows 20 DOC-recognised varieties, 11 white and five red.

The principle international white grapes, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon, are distributed pretty much across the whole of the province, with characters which respond to the different terroirs.

Pinot Bianco/ Weissburgunder

Of all the international varieties, Pinot Bianco is the one most closely associated with the Alto Adige.

It can be soft and round with yellow apple and floral aromas on the lower slopes of the Bassa Atesina, and intensely dry and minerally in the high vineyards of Appiano and at Terlano, the top two villages for the variety.

Sauvignon Blanc

Similarly, Sauvignon can be rich and fleshy around Caldaro, and crisp and zingy at Cortaccia and in the Val Venosta.

Gewürztraminer

Of the aromatic varieties, Gewürztraminer does not move far from its home in the village of Tramin, where styles range from off-dry to full-on sweet and luscious.

Sylvaner

In the Valle Isarco, Sylvaner has body and richness of aroma which distance it from the more familiar, lighter styles of Alsace.

Grüner Veltliner

Also in the Valle Isarco, Grüner Veltliner has the power and ageing potential of its top Austrian counterparts, and there is also a tiny production of the appetisingly peachy Schiave/ Riesling crossing, Kerner.

Riesling

Val Venosta is the go-to destination for steely, refined Riesling in Alto Adige.

Pinot Noir/ Blauburgunder

Among the international red varieties, there are individual examples of imposing Cabernet and Merlot in the lower valley of the Adige, but it is the far more widely planted Pinot Noir/ Blauburgunder that has made its name in the province for wines with very pure varietal character.

The longest established sites are on the eastern slopes of the valley, which include the renowned vineyards of Mazon.

The local Vernatsch/ Schiava and Lagrein may come second behind Pinot Noir in terms of surface area under vine, but they are two of the great resources of the province and both give their best in specific sites.

Vernatsch/ Schiava

Vernatsch is the grape of the Kaltersee/ Caldaro DOC, where it makes delicious cherry- and violet-scented wines with a delicate almondy finish.

The other classic growing area is above Bolzano at Santa Maddalena. The wines here often have a dollop of Lagrein in the blend, which makes them a little darker and more structured than those of Caldaro; think Moulin-a-Vent, not so much for the aromatic profile but for style and drinkability.

Lagrein

Lagrein, on the other hand, is a much more robust proposition.

Its family tree includes Teroldego and Syrah, and it shows in the inky, glass-staining colour and chunky tannins.

Lagrein needs heat and well-drained soils, and its traditional home is just outside Bolzano, in the garden suburb of Gries.

Reinvention

The Alto Adige has a tradition of cooperative winemaking that goes back to the 19th century. Its 12 top quality, highly efficient cooperatives collect grapes from 4,800 small-scale growers and today account for around 70% of the provincial production.

The remaining 30% is made by long established private houses and in lesser – but increasing – amounts by small independent estates. Membership of the ‘Vignaioli Alto Adige’ association which represents the category has grown to over 100 in recent years.

Winemaking in the Alto Adige has seen perhaps the most radical transformation of any region in Italy. The province today is universally recognised for the white wines which constitute 65% of its production, but historically red wines dominated.

Up until the 1970s, Vernatsch occupied almost 70% of the total surface area and monopolised planting in the villages of the Bassa Atesina.

Vineyards were heavily cropped, much of the wine was sold in bulk, and although the arrival of the DOC in 1975 improved quality, the wines of the time were light and very simple.

Change began in the 1980s, and in the years that followed the Alto Adige basically reinvented itself. The drivers of the revolution were the cooperatives.

Legendary Kellermeisters like Hans Terzer at San Michele, Sebastian Stocker at Terlano, and Willi Sturz at Tramin began to impose quality in the vineyards and craft premium wines in the cellar, the likes of which had never been seen in the province before.

The quality of winemaking across the province today is high, although at times you feel it risks overshadowing the sense of place.

Many of the top selections are concentrated, full-bodied wines with bold fruit and aromas which owe more than a glance towards international styles.

Clarification or complication?

The Alto Adige’s newly revealed UGA (Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive) zoning, which comes into effect with the 2024 vintage, aims to put the focus back on terroir and give some order to the ampelographical wealth and diversity by designating sites for specific grapes varieties.

The Mazon UGA, for example, is reserved for Pinot Noir; Gries-Moritzing for Lagrein; and UGAs at over 900 metres above-sea-level at Appiano and Magrè are created for Muller Thurgau.

In other instances, the system is a victim of the province’s eclectic traditions. There are cases where up to five white, red and aromatic varieties share the same UGA.

It is hard to imagine that grapes with such different characters can express the identity of a terroir.

Time will tell, as the wines come out over the next two years, whether the 86 new UGAs will clarify or further complicate the task of grasping the intricacies of the Alto Adige.

However it unfolds, there will always be much to enjoy in this bountiful province.

Below is a selection of two-dozen of my top wines from the current vintages tasted at the Alto Adige Wine Summit held in Bolzano in September this year.

Pinot Bianco was the star among the white varieties, but Sauvignon is right up there too, and I also loved Sylvaner from the Valle Isarco.

As for the reds, there was Pinot Noir for ageing, Santa Maddalena and Caldaro for drinkability, and if you are looking for something weightier, Lagrein wins the medals as the authentic Alto Adige red wine experience.

Expert-rated Alto Adige: 24 to try

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New Zealand’s wine scene is too often defined by its established styles and names.

One of the frustrations of living here is recognising the gap between what’s happening on the ground and what consumers abroad actually see.

While tiny volumes and the tyranny of distance are perennial challenges, a fresh wave of winemakers and producers is injecting new energy, ideas and diversity, pushing boundaries and reshaping perceptions of what New Zealand wine can be.

Some are familiar names in new settings, others are newcomers to the scene.

Many embrace low-intervention or regenerative practices, offer fresh perspectives, or draw inspiration from working vintages around the globe, returning home to craft wines that expand the sense of what’s possible.

Below we highlight six such producers, but there are many more worth seeking out – Atípico, Cambridge Road, Forager, Huntress, Mélange, Three Fates, Vita and Vilaura, to name just a handful.

Together, they’re inviting wine lovers to reconsider what the label ‘New Zealand wine’ really means.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for six wines from a clutch of New Zealand trailblazers

Oraterra

Martinborough

When longstanding Martinborough winery Dry River changed hands in 2022, passing from the estate of the late US billionaire Julian Robertson to Wellington-based businessman Charlie Zheng, also owner of nearby Luna Estate, Dry River’s core team saw a chance to create something new together.

Led by chief winemaker Wilco Lam and backed by a wine-loving European family, they purchased what was previously the On Giants’ Shoulders winery and vineyards, and launched Oraterra, dedicating themselves to making the sort of wines that Lam hopes ‘touch a sense of wonder in people’.

Oraterra, which means ‘golden earth’ in Esperanto, is a nod to the team’s love of geology and the local soils.

‘We wanted something that resonated with all of us,’ says general manager and co-founder Sarah Bartlett.

She says starting from scratch and the team being involved at every stage – from naming to making their first wines – has been one of the best parts of creating Oraterra, helping to counter one of its hardest, which was ‘walking away from the previous relationships, and the people who invested and believed in what we were trying to achieve’.

She adds, though: ‘Luckily, these relationships were strong, and many stayed with us.’

Embrace the chaos

Having secured one of the region’s oldest vineyards, on the northern edge of Martinborough town – a 4ha block previously known as Pahi, and before that McCreanor vineyard, after the man who planted it in 1986.

They’ve since added further parcels from across the Martinborough Terrace, whose free-draining gravel soils and climatic conditions have brought it great renown, especially for high-quality Pinot Noir.

Everything is farmed organically and regeneratively with biodynamic treatments, and that same philosophy flows into the cellar.

‘Our approach is about embracing the chaos and life that make wine interesting,’ says Lam. ‘We don’t tame things too much or stand in the wine’s way.’

Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are handmade in tiny volumes and offered primarily through their wine club, The Fold.

For Lam, the project is about connection. ‘Wine is a beautiful social product – from its roots in agriculture to the conviviality of sharing a glass. Growing wine is a slow process and we only have that one opportunity per year to do something special.’

Nous

Marlborough

In a well-known region famed for scale, Nous proves that good things can come in the smallest of packages.

Rachael and Murray Cook farm just half a hectare on a steep clay hillside in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys – 0.29ha of Chardonnay and a newly planted 0.21ha of Pinot Noir – making them New Zealand’s smallest Biogro-certified organic vineyard.

The name Nous (rhymes with ‘house’) has layers of meaning: practical intelligence, philosophical perception and, in French, ‘we’, ‘us’ – very apt for a two-person operation where every vine is tended by hand.

‘It’s the culmination of over 20 years in wine,’ says Murray. ‘We wanted skin in the game, to create a legacy of our own making.’

Taking the plunge meant overcoming fear of failure, keeping day jobs to fund the vineyard (Murray is Dog Point’s winemaker, while Rachael is its marketing manager) and balancing family life.

From day one the vineyard has been organic and biodynamic, with high-density planting and a slope so steep that every task, from planting to hoeing, is physically demanding. ‘It’s not the easy way,’ Rachael admits, ‘but we want to challenge norms and pursue quality.’

Minimal rules

Minimalism rules: no synthetic pesticides in the vineyard; in the cellar, no additions beyond a little sulphur and no filtration.

‘Quality over quantity always,’ Murray says, noting: ‘[Biodynamics pioneer] Rudolph Steiner’s view on the farm as a living organism with minimal inputs and outputs makes us consider how we look after the soil, the plants, animals and our family home.’

They hope that knowledgeable drinkers might guess that their wine, tasted blind, hails from Marlborough (and Wairau specifically), but more importantly, that they’d find ‘a classic Old World ideology’ with an emerging style that’s all their own.

Nous Chardonnay is released annually on 1 September; the 2023 vintage is next up, while the first bottles of Pinot Noir are still about five years away.

It’s a slow burn but rewarding labour of love for its makers, who say ‘the joy we get from people enjoying the wine that we’ve created is far greater than we ever imagined’.

A Thousand Gods

Marlborough

The name A Thousand Gods comes from the Occitan word ‘miladiou‘ – an exclamation of surprise or astonishment heard in the vineyards of southern France.

For the label’s founders, Simon Sharpe and Lauren Keenan, it’s a tribute to the ‘salt of the earth characters’ they worked alongside in Cahors, especially Pierrot Jouves, father of Fabien of Mas del Périé, who at 85 years old is still out in the vineyard and on the tractor every day.

‘To work alongside people like this has been an invaluable experience,’ they told me.

After years making wine for others, the pair reached a turning point: keep working to someone else’s brief, or strike out on their own. The choice was obvious.

Certified-organic, biodynamically farmed fruit is sourced from Churton vineyard in Marlborough’s Waihopai Valley.

Production is tiny, the wines made without a single additive, including sulphur dioxide; no filtration, no fining – just meticulous, minimalist winemaking.

Going against the grain

The approach is inspired by producers like Overnoy et Houillon, Ganevat and Richard Leroy, whose work Simon and Lauren believe shows that no-additive wines can be precise, cellarworthy and profound.

‘This went against everything we learnt at uni,’ Lauren admits, ‘and rekindled a fascination with wine in a new way.’

A Thousand Gods delights in challenging wine’s received wisdom, championing grapes and styles often maligned or pigeon-holed, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and rosé. ‘We hope our wines reflect a freedom from paradigm and show that anything is possible,’ says Simon.

They’re not concerned about whether people can pinpoint their wines’ origins – connection matters more than provenance.

And when it comes to the future, ‘every year is a chance to learn and improve’, says Lauren.

‘We decided not to push to grow or scale our production – keep it small and make the wines we want to make. We’ll keep going only if we can make wines we’re truly happy with.’

In a country where wines are often made with a priority on consistency rather than curiosity, A Thousand Gods is providing a salutary reminder that exciting things can start by asking ‘Why?’ and ‘Why not?’

Ashleigh Barrowman

Marlborough

Ashleigh Barrowman’s wines are as arresting as their labels.

Her company Siren Wine gives a nod to her favourite track, Song to the Siren by This Mortal Coil, to Marlborough’s maritime climate and to the allure of wine itself.

‘Wine can captivate like a siren’s song,’ she says, ‘but it also demands respect – it can be destructive if abused.’

Barrowman embarked on the path towards starting her own label in 2020. A travelling winemaker splitting her time between Marlborough, Sicily, Burgundy, Jura and Gippsland, Australia, she had her wings clipped by the pandemic.

‘I started pruning at the Wrekin vineyard [in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys],’ she explains. ‘I instantly fell in love with the site and the people… it felt like it was meant to be. Timing is everything, and it was time to start my own wine.’

Her first vintage was in 2021 and she hasn’t looked back. Her ethos is simple: work only with biodynamically farmed, hand-harvested fruit and let the wine lead in the cellar.

‘I’m not a helicopter winemaker,’ she says. ‘I step in only if there’s real risk of fault. It’s harder to do less, but ultimately more rewarding.’

Staying motivated

Ashleigh’s range spans distinctive iterations of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir, with a flair for sous voile (flor) wines.

‘I’m working on wines that won’t be released until 2035, all going to plan: more sous voile and a 2024 blanc de noirs aged on lees for 10 years.’

Working solo can be isolating. ‘It’s easy to doubt yourself and [hard to] stay motivated at times,’ she says. ‘Juggling everything from production and logistics to distribution, sales and marketing can be overwhelming. At least I have a great accountant!’

Still, sharing her wines with friends, mentors and, especially, vignerons she’s worked alongside makes it worthwhile.

Her message to drinkers blends joy and advocacy: ‘Support small, independent producers who respect the land. Vote with your wallet. But also – have fun and don’t take it too seriously.’

Kahiwi

Central Otago

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Pisa range, Kahiwi is farmed biodynamically, integrating native plants and regenerative practices.

Co-founders Olivia Ross and Mike Wolfenden set out to prove that working with nature rather than dominating it can produce profound results.

Veterans of Burn Cottage and Felton Road, respectively, they found a like-minded partner in investor Yew Lin Goh, who shared their belief that Central Otago Pinot is too often released too early.

‘Our Mount Pisa vineyard rewards patience,’ Olivia says, ‘and has the potential to produce ageworthy Pinot Noir.’ Their debut 2021 wines have just been released.

Having the licence to work according to their convictions has been liberating. Their 70/20/10 philosophy – 70% conservative practices, 20% informed experimentation, 10% leftfield experimentation – allows for innovation while honouring tradition.

Manual viticulture, no cultivation (ie, no tilling of the soil between the vine rows) and the absence of synthetic inputs are non-negotiables. In the cellar, the only addition is sulphur dioxide.

Two distinct Pinot Noir cuvées articulate the site: Madeline, from schist and quartz soils, is fine-boned and mineral; Stella, from clay-loam, is deeper, darker and more brooding.

Under their Scordatura label, they conduct small-batch experiments, such as five wines in 2021 inspired by the Platonic solids (five unique geometric shapes associated with Plato’s theories about the nature of the cosmos).

Launching a new brand while building a winery has been daunting, but Olivia says that the satisfaction of working at their own pace – ‘living in a synthesis of farming, philosophy and winemaking’ – is highly rewarding.

Natural goals

They give deep consideration to ‘the triangle of terroir: place, time and process’, and draw inspiration from philosophical and practical sources such as Platonism, the wu-wei concept of ‘effortless action’ in Taoism, Japanese artisanship (notably the influential thinking of the late Masanobu Fukuoka) and Amish-American farmer-agronomist John Kempf.

Goals include reaching 10% soil organic matter, achieving energy self-sufficiency and expanding plant life in and around the vineyard.

And at Clos Miki – a close-planted Bannockburn site they’ve stewarded since 2022 – they’re applying their thoughtful, innovative approach to newly planted Chardonnay vines.

‘Looking ahead 10 years,’ Mike says in conclusion, ‘we envision Kahiwi as a demonstration of what’s possible when fastidious winemaking and gentle land stewardship work together in harmony.

‘If we can show that this approach not only preserves but actively improves the land while producing wines of genuine distinction, perhaps we’ll have made a meaningful contribution to the future of Central Otago, and beyond.’

Moko Hills

Central Otago

For Donald van der Westhuizen of Moko Hills in Bendigo, Central Otago, winemaking is the ‘easiest’ part of the job. ‘The saying that wines are made in the vineyard is a little cliché, but still very true,’ he says.

The hardest part? ‘Communicating Moko Hills beyond a bottle or glass of wine… each bottle truly is a small glimpse into this very personal journey between people and place.’

Moko Hills, named for the small lizards (mokomoko in Māori) found in the area, is a 40ha family-owned estate farmed with organic and regenerative practices, growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Production is deliberately small – fewer than 300 cases – and is guided by Donald’s ‘less is more’ philosophy. Every vineyard and cellar decision is questioned: why do it – and is it needed?

An academic background in ecology shapes his approach. Once a purist aiming to return land to an ‘original’ state, he now focuses on ‘breaking the barriers between the “natural” world and farming systems’.

Central Otago’s famously collaborative spirit has been vital. ‘Many of the legends I looked up to when I first entered the industry have become mentors, peers and close friends,’ he explains.

‘Their support and the culture they’ve helped create is a big reason why I’ve put down roots here.’

A wider tapestry

His comfort lies in the challenges of, ‘countless hours under the summer sun, blown around in the spring winds and keeping warm during the frosty winter mornings’.

Living on-site means, ‘experiencing first-hand the seasonal flux and daily rhythms, invaluable for piecing together the knowledge of a place’.

Wine is just one thread in the broader Moko Hills tapestry: orchards for fruit and nuts, vegetable gardens, a flock of chickens (all called Lucy) and a landscape where native trees, birds and insects all thrive.

‘Wine is a conduit,’ Donald believes, ‘a way of understanding the nuances of place and creating social connection.’

Six wines from six new New Zealand producers

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Located in the Central Vineyards in the eastern part of the Loire Valley, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are both famed for quality expressions of Sauvignon Blanc.

Head to head: Explore the similarities and differences between five Sancerre and five Pouilly-Fumé wines

Sancerre is home to more land under vine than its neighbour, and vineyards are planted on hillside slopes whereas in Pouilly-Fumé the terrain is flatter.

As they are close geographically, it follows that the two appellations are home to similar soil types.

The two wines – both alike in dignity – can be hard to tell apart in a blind tasting, but follow our experts’ insights and tips to see what differentiates their profiles.

Jim Budd, DWWA Regional Chair for the Loire:

‘The differences between these Sauvignon Blancs are nuanced and subtle.

‘Pouilly-Fumé tends to be a little broader, softer, slightly less vibrant and aromatic than Sancerre. It can have a smoky character, especially those from flint (silex) soils, though this can also be true of Sancerre grown on flint.

‘Both Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre, especially the good ones, have grass and citric characters – typically grapefruit – rather than the classic notion of cat’s pee, which in the Loire is a sign of unripe grapes. In ripe, hot years stone-fruit characters emerge.

‘Both should have linear purity of flavour and can age attractively. Producers like Henri Bourgeois, Joseph Mellot and Pascal Jolivet make both Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, so try them together and see if you can taste the differences.’

Pascal Jolivet:

‘The late Kit Stevens MW once said, Sancerre is like spring, Pouilly-Fumé like summer – meaning that Sancerre is more immediately approachable in its youth, but with Pouilly-Fumé, you have to wait.

‘Pouilly-Fumé is more mineral, a connoisseur’s wine. It was very famous in the 1980s and ’90s, until Sancerre eclipsed it in popularity – maybe partly because Sancerre is easier to pronounce. We’re on a mission to bring Pouilly-Fumé back.’

Taken from: A drink with… Pascal Jolivet

Head to head: Flavour profiles to explore

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I envy my dog. On our woodland walk each morning her nose is low to the ground, all the better for drawing in scents. As the leaves change colour it’s a picturesque landscape, but there’s a better way to get to know this place than simply looking.

I follow the lead of my furry friend and sniff the air.

It’s akin to meditation. I empty my mind and concentrate on every noseful as I walk, breathing deeply, purposefully. Now I recognise the individual scent of each path, copse and clearing.

Smell is the most overlooked of our five senses but it can help ground and steady us. Natural aromas are best, whether fresh – or bottled.

Seasonal rhythms

The changing seasons of the forest mirror the long life of a bottle of wine. In spring, the first aromas to awaken are grass, green leaves and wild garlic. Like a newly bottled Sauvignon Blanc, it’s a time for purity and freshness.

The first fruits of summer bring to mind a two-year-old Cabernet Franc. In June, wild strawberries peek from under their leaves. Then the luminous redcurrants, like strings of spherical beads, popping with tart acidity and green tannins. Shortly after come fragrant raspberries.

Like an eight-year-old Mourvèdre, a horde of blackberries marks the end of summer, deep, dark and soft, staining your fingers like a wine glass at a tasting.

As the fruits begin to fade, the scents of autumn arrive, bringing to mind a glorious decades-old Grenache. The ground is wet again with scents of earth and leaf mulch; conker shells sweet with benevolent decay.

Acorns crack underfoot and polished brown chestnuts sit within green thickets of spines. The mushrooms release their spores.

As the cold of winter comes, the smells of the forest die back. Like an introverted Pinot Noir that refuses to play ball, there’s nothing in the stark air but a memory of wood smoke.

Until the sun warms the dormant ground and spring comes round again.

Daily rhythms

At the end of each day I choose a bottle of wine to open. After a day at a desk spent mostly online it’s time to touch grass. Or smell it, at least.

Sitting at the wooden dinner table, swirling my glass brings me back to earth, back to the here and now. I pause and spend time with the bottle and it gives up its secrets.

It takes more than just a glance; smell is the slowest sense. You need to be patient to release the aromas and welcome them in, to tease them apart in order to read the wine, to discover exactly what it has to say.

After a day’s work we can appreciate the fruits of our labour.

Whether you’re walking in a forest, or sitting with a bottle of wine, the necessarily gentle act of smelling, of breathing deeply, not only brings pleasure but it can help centre us, bringing us back to the moment – whether in company, or alone.

My dog seems to take all this for granted. Sometimes it’s us humans that need to remember to smell the roses.

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That this is a list should come as no surprise. The title, dear reader, gives it away. What matters most, however, is what you do with it.

The search for value in Napa Valley is not a fool’s errand; it can still be done!

As someone who has written wine recommendation lists for years across various publications, I’ve found they usually fall into one of two camps: wonderfully practical and helpful, or gloriously hedonistic and almost useless.

Scroll down for Jonathan’s best value Napa wines under $75

What I can promise is this: I’ve tasted every wine on this list, rated it, and logged each one into Decanter’s online reviews. These are wines worth your attention – delicious, even enviable.

Not that I envy a wine for simply being wine; rather, I imagine consumers envying those fortunate enough to already own or drink them.

Still, take a cue from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1933 advice to his 11-year-old daughter: ‘Don’t worry about anybody getting ahead of you – worry about efficiency [and, intriguingly, ‘horsemanship’ – Ed.].’

Efficiency matters here because you do need to worry about wines that have become impossible to find. At the time of publication, each wine is still available directly from the winery.

Though, I can’t guarantee you’ll find these in local retail shops or restaurants, especially if you live outside the US 

But let’s say you reside in a fashionable London neighbourhood, a posh Parisian arrondissement, or near a charming enoteca in Dogliani in Piedmont – print this list, hand it to your local wine buyer, and demand they import as many as possible.

The task ahead

Because here’s the truth: finding excellent Napa Valley wine that travels beyond Napa, that you can drink now, and that costs under $75 a bottle, is no small feat. (And yes, I fully expect my inbox to fill with suggestions for other sub-$75 wines I’ve missed, forgotten, or couldn’t squeeze in.)

But remember my caveat. These wines must:

• The wine must be available outside of Napa Valley.
• It must be excellent, more than a casual ‘sure, I’ll have a glass.’ These are bottles you’ll want to finish to the last drop. At least, I do.

Napa Valley has around 475 physical wineries and over 1,000 brands, so a list of 25 is but a drop in the proverbial bucket.

Wallace Stevens found 13 ways of looking at a blackbird; I’ve found 25 Napa wines under $75 in the past six months that are as enticing as they sound.

Here they are – from whites to reds.

Cristaldi’s pick of the best Napa wines for under $75

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Climate change has taught winemakers everywhere to expect the unexpected, but in a marginal climate such as the Loire Valley, every year seems to bring fresh challenges.

In this changing and demanding environment, the art of the vigneron has never been more crucial.

Many of the wines featured in this report of the 2024 and 2023 vintages are made by the tried and trusted producers who, through experience and expertise, manage to craft wonderful wines year in, year out.

Here are some of the newer names to watch.

Scroll down to see the wines to buy from these Centre-Loire stars

Marius Tabordet – Domaine Tabordet, Pouilly-Fumé

Marius Tabordet is the latest to take the helm of this family domaine, founded in the 1960s by his grandfather. He has steadfastly led the charge towards a more natural approach, both in the vineyard (now certified biodynamic) and the winery, where he indulges his creativity by ageing wines in stainless steel, amphorae and oak vats, sometimes without sulphur.

He aims to keep his wines ageing on lees for as long as possible. Marius is at the forefront of initiatives to foster more biodiversity across the region. His wines are models of purity and elegance.

Jean-Philippe Agisson – Domaine S et JP Agisson, Sancerre

Jean-Philippe Agisson worked under Alphonse Mellot for more than a decade before crossing the river to Domaine Didier Dagueneau, where he is currently chief winemaker.

In his spare time, Jean-Philippe has created his own bijou domaine in Sancerre, where he crafts exceptional wines in tiny quantities.

These are understated, refined beauties that are well worth seeking out.

Thibault Denizot – Domaine Denizot, Sancerre

Thibault Denizot is a difficult man to pin down. He’s usually to be found in one of his vineyards. ‘Pruning is his passion,’ says his wife Jennifer, ‘He spends eight hours a day doing this and is very particular about how his vines are pruned.’

Thibault joined the family domaine in 2005, working solely in the vineyards, where he quickly stopped using chemicals. At this time all the fruit was sold to a négociant.

In 2016, he and Jennifer took over and began making their own wine, since when the domaine has gone from strength to strength.

Unsurprisingly, the focus is still very much on the vineyard, now worked organically and biodynamically, and harvested by hand.

Antoine Gouffier – Domaine du Bouchot, Pouilly-Fumé

Pouilly-sur-Loire seems just too quiet for the ebullient Antoine Gouffier, who left home to travel the world and ended up working as a winemaker in South Africa for six years. But he returned home in 2018 to buy Domaine du Bouchot, one of the few organic estates in the appellation and the first to be certified.

He has since converted the 10ha of vineyards to biodynamics (from the 2023 vintage) and produces three bright and textured site-specific cuvées of Pouilly-Fumé, a Pouilly-sur-Loire Chasselas, and an orange wine.

There is doubtless more to come from this energetic young winemaker.

Joseph de Maistre – Domaine de Reuilly & Prieuré de Saint-Céols, Reuilly & Menetou-Salon

Joseph de Maistre grew up in the Centre-Loire area, but was not born into a winegrowing family. He was inspired to study winemaking by his grandfather, a Cognac producer.

After training in France and South Africa he returned home to establish his own business in 2020 with his wife, Marie. Here they manage two domaines, one in Reuilly and the other in Menetou-Salon.

Domaine de Reuilly, formerly owned by Denis Jamain, was converted to biodynamics as long ago as 2011. The new owners have been careful to ensure the continuation of quality wines at the domaine, including whites from Sauvignon, reds from Pinot Noir, and the deliciously unique Reuilly vin gris from Pinot Gris.

The Prieuré de Saint-Céols in Menetou-Salon has a history dating back to 1190. Today’s wines are fresh, modern and good value.

Wines from the Centre-Loire’s rising stars:

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New Zealand has built its reputation on wines defined by clarity, balance and purity. From the savoury Pinot Noirs of Wairarapa and Central Otago to the lively Sauvignon Blancs of Marlborough, precision and character run through every glass.

At Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2025, the hallmark shone brightly across a wide range of varieties. When awarding top medals, judges looked for typicity and regional identity – and New Zealand delivered in abundance.

Sauvignon Blanc remains the country’s calling card for whites, and Pinot Noir for reds. Yet with near-perfect growing conditions and increasingly refined winemaking, other varieties are also excelling – and often presenting exceptional value.

Scroll down to discover 15 top-scoring wines from New Zealand

At the 2025 competition, elegant Pinot Noirs, vibrant Sauvignon Blancs, silky Chardonnays and refined Syrahs all stood out, underpinning the country’s breadth of talent and the influence of its diverse climates and soils. Whether red, white or something in between, New Zealand’s award-winning wines continue to set the standard for purity and poise.

See this year’s DWWA 2025 results and discover the world’s best wines at awards.decanter.com

Best in Show

Craggy Range, Pinot Noir, Martinborough, Wairarapa 2024

Best in Show, 97 points

£26.95-£32.50 All About Wine, Corking Wines, Strictly Wine, Wine Republic

Of the six Pinot Noirs from New Zealand to feature in our Top 50 selections since 2018, this is the third to come from Wairarapa’s Martinborough (the other three, unsurprisingly, have been Central Otago wines). This is an uncompromisingly dark wine that plays to New Zealand’s strengths in terms of purity and vivacity of fruit: raspberry, cherry and plum come streaming from the glass, and the fine meshing of fruit and oak adds to its lustre and appeal. It’s both long and broad, but not in any way clumsy, and the fruit flavours (raspberry to the fore again) are hypnotic. Svelte tannins are barely palpable, so there’s no textural barrier to entry. Alcohol 13.5%

Auckland

Mudbrick Vineyard, Velvet, Waiheke Island 2022

Gold, 96 points

mudbrick.co.nz

A commanding presence, with youth and potential. Violets, dark berries, plums and blackcurrants nestle into the graphite tannins. Lifted cherry acidity with a lengthy coffee finish. Alc 14.8%

Central Otago

McArthur Ridge, Southern Tor Pinot Noir, Alexandra Basin 2023

Platinum, 97 points

mcarthurridge.com

Layers of crushed raspberry, plum, cherry, dried herbs, vanilla and baking spice. Stately and plush, with juicy acidity and firm but balanced tannins laying a foundation for ageing. Alc 14%

Te Kano, Northburn Pinot Noir 2022

Gold, 96 points

£32.80 Davy’s

A melange of black cherries, plums, violets and dried herbs set in a frame of graphite tannins and silky structure, with a disarming spice note to end. Alc 13%

Hawke’s Bay

Church Road, 1 Single Vineyard Redstone Syrah, Bridge Pa Triangle 2021

Gold, 95 points

church-road.com

Blackberry and mulberry jam with pink peppercorn and dried kalamata olive. Bright and poised with a sheen of plush tannin and a delicate acid line. Alc 13.5%

Marlborough

Rapaura Springs, Rohe Rapaura Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Gold, 96 points

£19.50 Waitrose

A passion fruit, lime flower, angelica and basil fragrance wafts liberally over the nose and sinks into the steely, mineral palate. Long and mouthwatering. Alc 13.5%

Babich, Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Value Gold, 95 points

£13.50-£15.29 All About Wine, Sainsbury’s, Tesco

White peach, nettle, guava and lychee perfume with an undercurrent of fresh herbs. Assertive and persistent with a backbone of vibrant lemon acidity. Alc 13%

Delta Estate, Hatters Hill Chardonnay 2022

Gold, 95 points

£22.50 Hennings

Peach and pineapple fruit with a lick of chervil energy. Weighty on the palate with a buttery, satin texture and a slick acid line. Long and nutty. Alc 13%

Jackson Estate, Stich Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Gold, 95 points

£15-£16 Booths, Waitrose

Kiwi juice, passion fruit, lime and mango flavours are offset by a glistening sea spray freshness and savoury line of samphire and green capsicum. Deliciously crunchy. Alc 13%

Lake Chalice, The Falcon Sauvignon Blanc, Dillons Point 2024

Value Gold, 95 points

£14.99 Hallgarten Wines

Stylish white nectarine, passion fruit and orange blossom enriched by a saline, savoury concentration and an alluring herbal focus. Fresh, citrussy and long. Alc 13.5%

Marisco Vineyards, Craft Series The Pioneer Chardonnay 2023

Gold, 95 points

marisco.co.nz

Stone fruit, quince and apple aromas intermingle with toasty vanilla and cedar oak. Weighty and broad with citrus acidity and a nutty finish. Alc 14%

Saint Clair Family Estate, Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Value Gold, 95 points

POA £ Hallgarten Wines

Lively greengage, plum and white blossom aromas with hints of vanilla cream. Fleshy and lush, kept in line by taut acidity and a lemon peel finish. Alc 13%

Stoneleigh, Rapaura Series Chardonnay 2023

Gold, 95 points

stoneleigh.com

Full of ripe yellow apple, peach and melon, supported by a slick, satiny texture and pristine oak definition. Flinty and linear. Alc 13%

Villa Maria, Private Bin Riesling 2024

Value Gold, 95 points

£11-£14.14 Booths, Ocado, Three Pillars, Waitrose

Bright apple, lime blossom and fresh dandelion aromas bloom over delightfully spindly acidity and a citrus drive that propels towards a mineral finish. Varietally spot-on. Alc 11.5%

Tohu, Pinot Noir, Awatere Valley 2022

Gold, 95 points

£19.95-£21.95 Booths, Love Wine, Ocado, Old Chapel Cellars, The Dorset Wine Co

Compelling notes of red cherry, raspberry, plum and clove with an intriguing, savoury nuance of chicory and radicchio to balance. Tense, compact and tightly wound. Alc 13%

Search all DWWA 2025 award-winning wines

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German police in the Rheinhessen wine region were hunting for clues as to the whereabouts of stolen grapes after two producers reported harvest theft in the Gundheim district.

Nearly all of the ripe Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc grapes across an 8,000-square-metre area encompassing two vineyards have gone missing and are presumed to have been stolen by thieves.

Grape theft, either accidental or intentional, can be an issue for wineries on the eve of harvest.

Two independent winemakers have suffered economic losses of several thousand euros, said police for the German city of Worms, in the Rhineland-Palatinate region.

Picking teams discovered the grapes were missing when they arrived to begin their work, as was also the case in a high-profile theft in France’s Jura region last year.

Worms police described the illegal harvesting as ‘professional’ and appealed for local witnesses, although the theft may occurred at any time between 6 and 14 September.

Culprits must have used some kind of large vehicle, or several means of transport, to escape from the crime scene with their loot, police added, asking anyone with information to contact Alzey police station.

French news media also reported several cases of missing grapes, and complaints of theft, in Burgundy and Champagne in recent weeks.

France’s TF1 Infosaid some growers in Champagne have formed a group to guard vines at night, in addition to the regular vineyard patrols by the local Gendarmerie.

Earlier in September, two winemakers in Burgundy’s Meursault appellation said small portions of their 2025 vintage were missing, reported France 3.

Domaine Vincent Latour was one of those affected, posting photos on Facebook at the end of August alongside the comment, ‘When you arrive to harvest your parcel [of vines] and it’s already harvested’.

Cécile Latour, of the Domaine, told France 3 that around 2.8 tonnes of Chardonnay went missing, equivalent to 1,200 bottles, and that the team had initially thought it was an accident but now believe the grapes were stolen.

Mistakes can happen, particularly where vines with multiple owners are close together.

In another case, the news outlet said a winery in Pommard thought one of its parcels had been stolen before a neighbour got in touch to apologise for a GPS location error. An amicable exchange of grapes was agreed, it said.

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Sancerre is now a staple of restaurant wine lists and shop shelves, recognised the world over for its top-tier white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc.

Where does Sancerre wine come from?

The river Loire, the longest in France, rises in the Massif Central in the centre of France, meandering north and then east before spilling out into the Atlantic ocean. At the midpoint of this river lies the region of Sancerre. As it is at least 450km inland, it has a relatively cool and continental climate, which helps to preserve the variety’s natural acidity and freshness.

What does Sancerre taste like? Three things to remember:

1: Fresh

Sancerre whites are known for being fresh, fruity and zesty. Look out for notes of citrus, elderflower, gooseberry and grassy aromas.

2: Mineral

Many wines show a lovely stony, mineral character too. If you like Chablis, try Sancerre, as they share similar mineral characters.

3: Texture

The best examples are known for their delicious, multi-layered texture in the mouth.

Can Sancerre wine age?

In her recent article exploring Sancerre in depth, Beverley Blanning MW said:

‘Sancerre is usually drunk on release or very soon after. Simple Sauvignon, with fresh, grassy fruit in the green spectrum of flavours, is likely to lose its youthful appeal quickly and risk developing vegetal characters if kept more than a couple of years.

However, the finest wines of Sancerre, often from single-vineyard sites, are quite different.

For one thing, they’re usually older on release, having been aged on lees for up to 18 months before bottling. While most are approachable young, many will improve significantly in bottle.

But is this the best time to drink them? Most Sancerre vignerons advise drinking their wines when they are ‘young’, but by this they rarely mean as soon as they are released.’

Alphonse Mellot suggests that for his wines, ‘it’s best to wait four to five years’. Other growers agree.

Best food pairings for Sancerre

A classic match for Sancerre is goat’s cheese, in particular the local Crottin de Chavignol.

These whites also pair well with simple and light grilled or smoked fish dishes, and raw fish such as sushi and sashimi.

Sancerre red and rosé

Although 82% of the production of Sancerre is white, there are also red and rosé wines from this region, made from Pinot Noir.

The reds have evolved from light and simple into increasingly sophisticated and complex examples.

Rosés are fruity and floral, and many have a fresh citrusy side.

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Bordeaux is famous for its ageworthy reds, but its dry white wines are having a moment.

To crib from a well-known US folk artist, ‘the times they are a changin’ with regards to these typically Sauvignon Blanc– or Semillon-dominant white wines.

Although close to 90% of Bordeaux’s 110,000ha under vine are still made up of red grape varieties, production and demand for the region’s dry whites continues to rise.

Scroll down for notes and scores of 12 scintillating white wines from Bordeaux

A new regional chapter

While the Left Bank is a stronghold for dry white Bordeaux, there is more to the region than just Pessac-Léognan and Graves, with many emerging areas where specific cooler sites – often freshened by the presence of limestone – yield exciting, vibrant wines.

Indeed, a new Médoc Blanc appellation has been approved for wines bottled in 2025 (subject to an objection period). And while in Sauternes and Barsac sweet wines still reign, there’s a growing trend for dry styles there, too.

On the Right Bank, white grapes are grown on diverse plots in St-Emilion and Fronsac, with high-quality wines also found in Blaye, Francs and Côtes de Bourg.

And, with close to 7,000ha under vine (about 1,600ha of white grapes), the Entre-deux-Mers remains a powerhouse for dry whites.

Originally oriented to entry-level wines and higher volumes, a new wave of wines is emerging. These balance keen pricing with a fresh, modern style, often with floral, grassy Sauvignon Blanc characters leading the way.

Left Bank activity

The new 2025 Médoc Blanc appellation shows how things are changing.

Christophe Gouache, owner of early white pioneer Château Loudenne, observes: ‘The Médoc has been home to small quantities of high-quality dry whites since Loudenne was planted with white grapes in 1880.’

In fact, in the past, this area was better known for whites than reds.

Premium wines, including Château Margaux’s Pavillon Blanc (first vintage 1920, although white wine has been produced at the chateau since 1710), Mouton Rothschild’s Aile d’Argent (1991) and Cos d’Estournel Blanc (2005), have led the way, but the opportunities for new and innovative blends (Château d’Issan has begun production of a Rhône-style white blend, Jardin d’Issan), many at easier price-points, will likely shape Bordeaux’s dry whites for years to come.

According to Hélène Larrieu, director of ODG, the Médoc wine producers’ representative organisation, there are some 225ha planted to whites in the Médoc across 90 producers, with about half (120ha) likely to qualify for the new AP.

Larrieu says that ‘the objective is to differentiate the wines of Médoc from others in Bordeaux’, describing Médoc whites as ‘wines characterised by notes of exotic fruit together with salinity from proximity to the Gironde estuary and Atlantic ocean’.

Jacques Lurton (pictured, above), president of the Syndicat Viticole de Pessac-Léognan and president and winemaker of Vignobles Famille André Lurton, which owns five white wine-producing estates across Bordeaux, is enthusiastic about prospects for these dry gems.

He notes: ‘Historically, there were three key areas: Entre-deux-Mers was oriented to entry-level wines often dominated by [zesty, tropical] thiol characters, together with the Graves and Pessac-Léognan.’

Lurton credits the creation of the Pessac-Léognan AP 37 years ago with raising the white wine quality bar ‘as high as possible in Bordeaux – on the quality level of [Burgundy’s] Côte d’Or and [Champagne’s] Côte des Blancs’.

Lurton is also a fan of dry whites from producers in Sauternes and Barsac. ‘They already had a great understanding of their grapes, together with knowledge of barrel fermentation,’ he says.

Semillon is more significant here, resulting in a richer, less aromatic style with great ageing potential.

Changing styles & grapes

Stylistically, there’s a marked move away from oak-influenced wines across the Bordeaux region. Still a key component for top-end wines, oak is less evident, with many cuvées aged in steel or cement tanks, sometimes combined with the use of clay amphorae.

‘The idea is to keep freshness, bring balance and vibrancy,’ says Séverine Bonnie of Château Malartic Lagravière.

The presence of limestone in soils adds freshness, as shown by producers such as the Guinaudeau family of Château Lafleur in Pomerol.

Their Les Champs Libres is a top-end Right Bank white capable of competing with those from Pessac-Léognan, albeit with a markedly different texture.

And recent vintages of the family’s more entry-level Grand Village Blanc (see recommendations, below) show the great strides being made on cooler sites and represent real value.

Bordeaux is also embracing new disease-resistant hybrid ‘Piwi’ varieties such as Floréal and Souvignier Gris.

These can be used as ‘experimental’ varieties up to 5% individually in a blend (no more than 10% in total); and even more in the new Médoc Blanc AP, where Chardonnay and Alvarinho will also be permitted.

Although unlikely to take over from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon any time soon, the development of new varieties such as these shows the scope for even more diversification in years to come.

Five benchmark Bordeaux whites to look out for

Château La Garde Blanc

A fresh, modern Pessac-Léognan white, primarily Sauvignon Blanc on deep limestone with some Semillon, vinified in oak to balance zesty citrus and mineral notes with a chiselled texture.

Château Valandraud Blanc

A rare, opulent St-Emilion white from Jean-Luc Thunevin, blending Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Gris, crafted with barrel and tank fermentation, and new oak-ageing for rich, tropical fruit and soft, rounded flavours.

Le Cygne

An insider’s secret Bordeaux Blanc from Listrac-Médoc’s Château Fonréaud, made from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle, hand-harvested and fermented in barrels (30%- 40% new) with lees aging for a complex, peachy and floral profile.

Le Petit Cheval, Blanc

An extremely limited St-Emilion white, made from 6ha planted 80/20 Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, fermented and aged in oak barrels to produce a refined, mineral-driven wine with citrus and floral complexity.

Les Hauts de Smith Blanc

A vibrant and great-value second wine from Château Smith Haut Lafitte, made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, fermented in oak barrels (less new oak than the grand vin) for a crisp, mineral-driven wine with lemon rind, apple and aniseed notes.

Semillon-dominant

The classic Bordeaux blend is a mix of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, fermented in barrel and given extended ageing in wood. Muscadelle and/or Sauvignon Gris may also be used in the blend, adding extra floral lift or weightier, exotic notes.

The wines are distinctive, often with a waxy texture adding an extra dimension to the ripe white/yellow peach fruit, with a burst of lemon and lime zest acidity.

Semillon-dominated blends will often have plenty of concentration and ageing potential. Pessac-Léognan leads the way, with many top-quality wines that are a match for the better wines of the Côte d’Or.

Although blends will vary from vintage to vintage, Semillon is usually the dominant variety in Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc – a wine produced in tiny quantities and selling at extremely rarefied prices.

Dry wines from Sauternes and Barsac often have a high proportion of Semillon, with the barrel-fermentation and maturation in wood more restrained than in leading wines from Pessac-Léognan.

Sauvignon Blanc-dominant

Wines in which Sauvignon Blanc dominates often have more forceful, fruit-driven, grassy and floral notes than the creamy-textured character seen with significant additions of Semillon. Lemon, lime and grapefruit characters combine with vibrant acidity to create a palate with freshness and drive.

Grapes grown on cooler, limestone-oriented sites may also display mineral or salty notes on the finish.

Wines produced at entry- to mid-price levels are often vinified in steel, aiming to preserve freshness.

Wood may be used in more premium wines, usually with an emphasis on subtlety so that the texture and flavours imparted don’t diminish Sauvignon Blanc’s natural vitality.

Howard’s pick: A 12-wine tour of Bordeaux’s dry white styles

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The sign nailed to the wall outside François Cotat’s cellar looks pretty permanent: Fermé.

But soon enough, the man himself comes out to greet me. ‘I hope you’re not going to write about me,’ he says, shaking my hand. ‘I get too many visitors as it is.’

His comment is a sign of the times. Interest in Sancerre has never been greater.

Scroll down for notes and scores of eight terroir-focused Sancerre wines

Global resurgence

And there’s a reason why wine buyers are beating a path to the doors of the best growers: the top wines of Sancerre now rival some of the finest whites in France.

The wine equivalent of the Little Black Dress, Sancerre is an understated French classic that has never gone out of fashion. Its popularity is understandable.

Fresh, fruity and affordable, it’s the perennial favourite of Parisian bistros and one of those rare French wines that anglophone tourists can order with a reasonable hope of being understood.

It’s also an excellent traveller, and most is drunk outside France (about 60% of wine from Sancerre is exported, with about half of that going to the US). Sancerre has, in recent years, become the go-to white for many wine lovers, especially in the US.

Jon-David Headrick, an American importer who specialises in Loire wines, says: ‘Sancerre has become the de facto shorthand for “a good French wine” in the American imagination, with its reputation often eclipsing even the specifics of grape variety or origin.’

Tourist draw

The appellation is centred on the hilltop village of Sancerre.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in France, with its medieval jumble of narrow streets and picture-postcard vineyard views in all directions, it has long been a popular destination for wine tourists thanks to its relative proximity to the capital.

Looking out from the top of the village, a sparkling stretch of the Loire river contrasts with the undulating emerald sea of Sauvignon Blanc vines that extends as far as the eye can see.

Reds and rosés are the sideshow here: Sancerre is all about its distinctive, mineral whites.

Today, there’s evidence that Sancerre is moving beyond reliable everyday whites to something rather more special.

Among the top growers, there has been a proliferation of cuvées focusing on individual sites.

François Dal, a technical consultant for the appellation’s winemakers, recalls: ‘Twenty years ago, each producer made just one or two cuvées – and the second was often just an oak-aged version of the first. Some vignerons isolated certain terroirs, but it was not the norm.’

According to Dal, change was accelerated by a new generation of winemakers who trained in Burgundy and drew inspiration from the focus on terroir that they saw there.

Both wine regions lie within the Paris basin, so they have the same underlying geology.

Known locally as ‘terres blanches’, the Kimmeridgian marls (a mix of limestone and clay) of Sancerre are barely 100km away from those of Chablis to the northeast.

High-quality wines grown from these soils can express remarkable similarities in the glass: the taste is of the terroir, not Chardonnay or Sauvignon. This notion is reinforced by the attitude of the growers to their signature grape.

Arnaud Bourgeois, of Domaine Henri Bourgeois (pictured, below), says: ‘In Sancerre, we have no interest in the variety. We don’t want to make varietal wines.’

Some of Sancerre’s better-known single-vineyard sites (lieux-dits)

Sancerre • Belle Dame • Les Romains • Pieuchaud (near Thauvenay)

Chavignol • Le Cul de Beaujeu • Les Chasseignes • Les Monts Damnés

Bué/Amigny • Chambrates • Chêne Marchand • Grand Chemarin • Guigne-Chèvres • La Moussière • Le Paradis • Petit Chemarin

Well grounded

Of far more interest to the vignerons these days is understanding the growing environment of their vines. And this is where the excitement lies.

While wine-growers everywhere rhapsodise over the qualities of their terroir, in Sancerre they have more to talk about than most, with their very own geological fault running north-south through the appellation (see map).

This fracturing of the Earth’s crust has generated a complexity of soils that’s as interesting for Sancerre’s wines as it is for students of geology.

Harnessing the value of these terroirs has become the focus of today’s growers looking to produce wines that are a true reflection of place, and tasting these differences can be fascinating.

Clément Berthier, owner and winemaker of Vignobles Berthier and president of the Sancerre growers’ association, explains: ‘We are not making Sauvignon Blanc; we are working with Sauvignon Blanc.’

This move towards greater precision and understanding of site marks a qualitative shift in the wines of Sancerre and is good news for growers and wine lovers alike.

Headrick says: ‘There’s still a lot of classic Sancerre made by blending across different soils, but the new wave of site-specific bottlings has really taken things to another level. The terroir here is incredibly complex, and the best wines are finally getting the attention they deserve.’

Domaine Vacheron, a family winery that goes back four generations, was an early adopter of bottling terroir-specific wines. ‘It was intuitive for us,’ says winemaker Jean-Laurent Vacheron (pictured, above). ‘The lieux-dits were identified hundreds of years ago: nothing has changed.’

While the domaine makes a fine Sancerre from grapes blended from different sites, most of the Vacheron wines come from individual parcels that are typically reflected in the name of the wine, for example Guigne-Chèvres and Les Romains.

These wines, all produced in the same way, provide an insight into the differences between the lieux-dits, from the powerful mineral tension of flinty Les Romains to the richer, floral fruitiness of the stony-clay Guigne-Chèvres.

In his book Les Terroirs Sancerrois (Loubatieres, 2020), Thibaut Boulay quotes from a 1679 text in which the author advises: ‘Fifty steps more or less from one vine to another is enough to make a difference.’

Anyone visiting the vineyards today can clearly see these differences, so it’s hardly surprising that there can be such a wide array of styles. It’s almost more surprising that grapes from such different soils have been blended for so long.

When to drink top Sancerre

Sancerre is usually drunk on release or very soon after. Simple Sauvignon, with fresh, grassy fruit in the green spectrum of flavours, is likely to lose its youthful appeal quickly and risk developing vegetal characters if kept more than a couple of years.

However, the finest wines of Sancerre, often from single-vineyard sites, are quite different.

For one thing, they’re usually older on release, having been aged on lees for up to 18 months before bottling. While most are approachable young, many will improve significantly in bottle.

At Henri Bourgeois, the library of wines shows conclusively that Sancerre can age deliciously for 30 years or more.

But is this the best time to drink them? Most Sancerre vignerons advise drinking their wines when they are ‘young’, but by this they rarely mean as soon as they are released.

‘There is a sweet spot after a few years when the wines taste their best,’ says Jennifer Denizot, of Domaine Denizot.

Alphonse Mellot suggests that for his wines, ‘it’s best to wait four to five years’. Other growers agree.

François Cotat, whose wines have legendary ageability, bottles his production quickly, ‘to keep energy and youth in the bottle so it can age for a long time’. His advice? ‘Wait five years before opening, and then carafe the wine.

Quality divide

So can it be said that Sancerre’s status in 2025 has risen from bistro quaffer to fine wine? In some cases, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.

There are wines of mineral depth and complexity from domaines such as Claude Riffault, François Crochet, Jean-Philippe Agisson, Lucien Crochet, Paul Prieur, Vacheron, Vincent Pinard and many more.

The parcel-by-parcel approach to winemaking has given growers a greater understanding of their land and resulted in more expressive wines.

But although the overall quality of Sancerre wines has risen considerably, there is still a divide between the best and the rest.

There are about 300 growers in Sancerre, and some are undoubtedly trading on the well-known name with little justification in the bottle for the premium it attracts.

A lot of Sancerre wine is safe, predictable and drinkable. But to produce thrilling wines that really speak of their origins requires a lot of work.

Precise picking

Sauvignon Blanc needs careful handling. The use of machine harvesters is a sensitive topic here.

Most Sancerre is picked by machine, and the results can be perfectly good – especially if the grapes need to be picked in a hurry. But for virtually all the top wines, the grapes are hand harvested.

At Domaine Serge Laloue in Thauvenay, Franck Laloue (pictured, above) cautions: ‘If you harvest by machine, you risk having wines that are more varietal because of the broken skins [because the machines shake the fruit from the vines].’ He uses machines for many of his sites, but not for his single-vineyard wines.

The best vignerons verge on obsessive in the care they lavish on their grapes and the lengths they go to in the cellar to craft their wines.

This precision wine-growing results in higher prices but, compared to the quality, great Sancerre still offers value.

Unlike in Burgundy, there is no official hierarchy of vineyard sites in Sancerre. Some lieux-dits have long been known to produce superior wines, although (as in Burgundy) the site’s name is no guarantee of quality.

The best advice for discovering the complexities of Sancerre’s terroir is to find a good producer and explore their range.

And if you have the chance, why not do it in situ? Call it research.

Blanning’s best: Eight sincere Sancerres

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Sauvignon Blanc that ages like a red? Believe it.

Over the past decade, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve sat down with winemakers across California who are immensely proud to show off their ‘Bordeaux Blanc-style’ ageworthy white wines.

The conversation surfaces most often in Napa and Sonoma as well as throughout Mendocino and Santa Barbara, centring on Sauvignon Blanc-based wines that might include a touch of Sémillon – or more rarely, Sauvignon Gris or Sauvignon Musqué.

It got me thinking: what does it mean to be California-based and profess to be making a white wine in the mould of superlative Bordeaux standouts, like Haut-Brion Blanc, Château Smith-Haut Lafitte Blanc from Pessac-Léognan, or Château d’Yquem’s Bordeaux Supérieur ‘Y’ (Ygrec)?

These three wines frequently crop up as inspiration for California producers striving to craft structured, ageworthy whites.

Scroll down for Jonathan’s pick of ageworthy California Sauvignon Blanc

There’s an undeniable echo of Old World familiarity in these New World whites – citrus-led, with pronounced minerality and vivid acidity, supple textures, and an array of nuances from fresh and dried flowers to honey, honeycomb, honeysuckle, orchard and stone fruits, hints of vanilla, and some subtle nuttiness, typically like crushed Marcona almonds.

While much of this character stems from site nuance, unquestionably the winemaker’s tool kit plays a significant role: prized fruit handled through a mix of native and inoculated fermentations, often begun in oak (with varying levels of newness and maybe even whole cluster), followed by regular bâtonnage, extended barrel ageing, time on lees before blending and bottling – and, in some cases, extended bottle age before release.

Only in recent years have I fully appreciated how many Napa-based producers are pursuing their own Bordeaux Blanc ideal.

As I make my rounds tasting Cabernet Sauvignon for my annual vintage report, winemakers inevitably uncork a white as a palate refresher to close our session.

More often than not, these wines are strikingly weighty, with layered textures and complex flavours that leave me wanting more, usually prompting me to ask if any older vintages are on hand. There are almost always bottles lying in wait.

Recipes for success

At Arkenstone, owner and co-founder Susan Krausz and her son, Jake, hosted me for a vertical tasting of their Howell Mountain-grown Sauvignon Blanc with winemaker Sam Kaplan presenting each vintage from 2006-2022.

The winemaking approach at Arkenstone has been remarkably consistent over the years. As described by Kaplan, Sauvignon Blanc grapes spend around 11 months on the lees, ‘with Sémillon blended in after the first racking’.

While the percentage of new oak was initially modest, ‘it has gradually increased over time’, he explains, adding that ‘native yeast fermentation has been a hallmark of our style, and we conduct native in barrels and, more recently, in concrete eggs’.

Long, slow, and cold ferments preserve freshness as plainly evident in my first sip of the 2006. After 18 years in the bottle, it was startlingly fresh, layered with enticing savoury chamomile tea, straw, and confected caramel, toffee, candied apricot, and orange zest.

Silken, braced by acid tension and focused. The colour alone, lemony-bright with gold hues, belied its age.

Susan Krausz thinks the extended sunshine hours on Howell Mountain contribute to the ripeness they see in their Sauvignon Blanc, while the volcanic ash soils aid in preserving lower pH levels – and hence, freshness.

At Lail Vineyards, a partnership between fourth-generation vintner Robin Daniel Lail and her daughters, Erin and Shannon, winemakers Maayan Koschitzky and Philippe Melka craft the wines.

I listed their 2019 Lail Vineyards Georgia white – a 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Lail’s Totem Vineyard in Yountville – as one of my top fine wines of 2022.

The first vintage produced of Georgia – named after Robin Lail’s first grandchild – was the 2002. I was able to sample 10 vintages between 2005 and 2022 with Robin Lail and Maayan Koschitzky.

The lemony Sancerre-like style is remarkably consistent because, as Koschitzky points out, ‘the winemaking has been consistent since the beginning, with fermentation and ageing in 100% new French oak for about 20 months, on the lees, with bâtonnage.’

The resulting wines are silken with bright citrus, stone fruits, and gravelly mineral thread. The finished pH is typically very low, between 3.0 and 3.2.

I also visited with Cherie and Philippe Melka to taste every vintage of their La Mekerra Vineyard Proprietary White, which comes from the 10.1 hectare La Mekerra Vineyard in Sonoma’s Knights Valley – a stone’s throw from Peter Michael’s L’Après-Midi source.

The Melkas acquired La Mekerra in 2008. Just 0.8ha of Sauvignon Blanc vines growing between 700 and 760 metres are rooted in the site’s clay soils. The first vintage bottled and released was the 2011.

French touch

‘We barrel ferment and barrel age in all new French oak,’ explains Philippe, who speaks with absolute sincerity when he says: ‘l love Haut Brion Blanc and I wanted to see if I could make it here in California.’

Melka waxes poetic over the structure of whites, such as Robert Mondavi’s I-Block white and Fumé Blanc, which are made from older vines. Since Melka can’t will vines into old age, he looked for a hillside site to ‘obtain the complexity we wanted early on’.

La Mekerra is half native fermented, half inoculated with bâtonnage over 18-22 months, bottled, and aged 18 months before release. In recent years, Melka says he has reduced the new oak to 45-60% depending on the vintage, begun doing multiple vineyard picks for varying degrees of ripeness for blending, and traded out more typically 225-litre barrels for 265-litre cigar barrels, while reducing bâtonnage.

The most recent vintages (2019-2021) show a heady mix of subtle tropical fruit, flinty aromatics, honeysuckle, and lemon zest—or even flamed orange peel. On the palate, they are expansive, driven by racy acidity, wet slate minerality, and balanced tension.

At the same time, the older bottlings boast dried herbs, riper stone fruits, chamomile notes, and layered spices with grippy tension.

Finally, the wine that inspired this article is Steve Matthiasson’s Napa Valley White Wine – a wine I’ve enjoyed for over a decade and is in a blended class all its own.

The first vintage of this wine, the 2005, was inspired by Matthiasson’s trip to Friuli, where he says, ‘I observed the blending of different white grape varieties to craft a harmonious white wine.’

As such, Sauvignon Blanc is not the star grape, but is typically the majority of the blend, including Ribolla Gialla, Sémillon, and Tocai Friulano. The grapes are native yeast fermented in barrel (roughly 20% new) and aged nine months before bottling. There is no bâtonnage and no malolactic fermentation.

Matthiasson’s Ribolla Gialla and Tocai Friulano are sourced from the Bengier vineyard (formerly Vare Vineyard) in the Oak Knoll District in the cool, foggy climes of Dry Creek Canyon, where vines are rooted in rocky, fluvial soils (George Vare obtained budwood from Josko Gravner in 2001 for the site).

The Sauvignon Blanc and the Sémillon are from Ryan’s Vineyard, planted on a stretch of alluvial gravel off Big Ranch Road in the valley’s centre in south Napa.

‘The Sauvignon Blanc forms the acid-driven core,’ explains Matthiasson, who has farmed these sites for more than two decades, ‘while Ribolla Gialla contributes the mineral finish, and Sémillon adds flesh and honeyed beeswax notes. The Tocai Friulano acts as the binding glue.’

Steve emphasises that low alcohol —the wines are typically 13% or even under. ‘We want to drink wine with moderate alcohol to enjoy it with our meal,’ he says.

Steve’s white wine is always remarkably fresh, balanced, and vibrant, defying its age. It showcases a typically solid acid-driven core around which notes of lemon and lime citrus, grapefruit, apricot, white peach, and pressed white flowers, framed by tension-defying acidity, are key to their cellar potential.

The case to call it ‘California style’

It’s hard to imagine a future in which California’s current and emerging producers don’t continue to draw inspiration from the benchmark style of Bordeaux Blanc, often describing their wines as such.

And while the comparison may seem obvious – and indeed offers a familiar point of reference for collectors – the truth is far more compelling.

Across California, a growing number of dynamic, delicious white wines rival the excellence of those few, famous bottlings made within a handful of kilometres of the Garonne River.

They’re crafted from exceptional vineyard sites from across the state, separated by hundreds of miles, with varying winemaking approaches to barrel fermentation and ageing – and many are built to cellar for decades.

Below are a handful of selections I’ve come across in the last couple of years, of ageworthy California whites from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, with blends primarily focused on Sauvignon Blanc.

Ageworthy Californian Sauvignon Blanc:

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Back in January 2024, I took part in a three-day Decanter panel tasting of NZ Sauvignons that highlighted stark contrasts in craftsmanship and style. It left me pondering: has the magic of New Zealand, and especially Marlborough, faded?

It’s a fair question. The success of NZ Sauvignon Blanc on a global scale mirrors the rise – and subsequent fall – of Australian Chardonnay in the early 2000s. Back then, the market was flooded with cheap, overly oaked examples that sullied the reputation of Australian Chardonnay. In New Zealand’s case, mass production and homogenised flavours threaten to undermine the hard work of artisanal producers.

This year, I visited New Zealand to explore this divide – the tale of two Sauvignons – for myself. On one hand, you have the high-volume supermarket labels; on the other, you find small-scale winemakers pouring passion and precision into their craft.

Richard Ellis, winemaker at The Marlborist, offered some insight. ‘We’re on a journey,’ he said. ‘Last year, I worked in Sancerre to refine our approach. By focusing on the best sites, soil types and canopy management, we’re evolving the style – handpicking and selecting golden bunches to move away from the overly green, herbal profiles that people associate with Marlborough. The heavier soils of the Southern Valleys have been a revelation.’

His words resonated with what I found, especially in Marlborough – that clear divide between mass production and quality craftsmanship. Poor practices risk creating a wave of negativity around NZ Sauvignon Blanc – a cautionary tale for producers aiming to uphold its proud heritage.

Winemakers are exploring new horizons, embracing techniques such as barrel fermentation, oak ageing and wild yeast to elevate their wines, bringing texture, complexity and a richer flavour profile that appeals to more discerning palates.

This evolution has been shaped by both global inspiration and local innovation, as Sam Bennett, chief winemaker at te Pā Family Vineyards, explains: ‘We like wine, and we like good Sauvignon Blanc, so we have of course admired some of the great examples coming out of the Loire. We share their belief that Sauvignon Blanc as a variety can make great wines with purity and drive, while possessing layers and texture – and most of all improve with age.

‘At te Pā, we’ve always tried to make wines that express our vineyard sites – and we’re confident enough in the quality of these sites that the wines don’t always have to be the loudest or most aromatic in the room,’ he continues. ‘We get so much fruit expression that dialling that back a bit to focus on elegance and texture results in wines that are more balanced, more enjoyable to drink and age more gracefully.’

Winemakers remain justifiably concerned about the reputational risks posed by low-quality, mass-produced examples. As one put it:

‘The bad eggs risk putting drinkers off, embarrassing those who dare to serve New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.’ This underlines the need to champion the producers fighting to preserve the style’s integrity.

Haysley MacDonald, founder and owner at te Pā, takes it further, bemoaning the number of large, overseas-owned wine corporations taking and using New Zealand – specifically Māori – names and icons, even on wine that isn’t from New Zealand. This doesn’t help to assure consumers of the quality, provenance and authenticity of what they’re buying.

Despite my initial scepticism, my recent experiences have reignited my optimism for NZ Sauvignon Blanc. The dedication of small-scale

winemakers to quality and creativity is inspiring. The gulf between the mass-market and boutique producers is evident, but the latter’s efforts are proving that Marlborough – and New Zealand as a whole – still has plenty of magic left.

In my glass this month

While travelling the length of New Zealand, I soon realised that Sauvignon Blanc also thrives outside Marlborough. Te Kano, Land Northburn Sauvignon Blanc, Central Otago 2022 is textured, with a burst of wild herbs and passion fruit, saline, mineral, fresh citrus and mandarin notes, gentle stone fruit, a touch of brioche. Real class. Drink now or age for up to five years.

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Rats have been lumbered with a terrible reputation ever since they spread the Black Death back in the 14th century.

They’ve been consigned to the shadows for hundreds of years, lurking in sewers and scraping by on whatever they can scavenge from the streets.

However, they could be in line for an exciting career change after a group of rats aced an in-depth wine sniffing test.

Researchers at four universities (London, Lincoln, Trento and Vienna) joined forces to see if rats could distinguish between the aromatic profiles of two wine varieties.

They placed nine rats in test chambers and encouraged them to sniff wines: four Sauvignon Blancs, from France and Chile, and four Rieslings, sourced from Germany, France and Austria.

The researchers gave the rats a treat when one wine was present, so they learned to associate a particular aromatic profile with a reward.

After sniffing a wine, the rat had to use its nose to poke a particular lever. If the rat guessed correctly, it would receive food, while an incorrect response would result in a timeout penalty.

Training continued until the rats were getting 80% of their responses correct for three consecutive sessions.

They were then given an exam. The rats returned to the chamber, where they began sniffing wines, some of which they had been trained on, and others that were new.

The results were emphatic: they nose-poked the correct lever 94% of the time on wines they had been trained on, and 65% of the time on new wines made from the same grape varieties.

Researchers wrote that the results ‘indicate that a nonhuman mammal can discriminate between complex odour categories. This finding is consistent with the idea that many nonhuman mammals have olfactory abilities that match or exceed those of humans’.

It suggests that rats could come out of the sewers and move into the restaurant business, serving as a new breed of elite sommeliers.

However, while most of the participants dazzled with their olfactory prowess, a rat called Peanuts let the side down. He completed the training phase, but he struggled when sniffing new wines during the testing, so he’s not in line for a top job just yet.

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German winemakers planted more grape varieties usually associated with Europe’s more southern regions in 2024, replacing local vines with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot as growers adapt their vineyards to a warming climate.

Wine producers in Germany increased the cultivation of Chardonnay grapes typically associated with Burgundy by 138 hectares (ha), the German Wine Institute (DWI) reported on Tuesday, citing data from statistics office Destatis. At the same time, growers reduced the area for early-ripening Müller-Thurgau.

As climate change brings warmer growing seasons, German winemakers are increasingly planting French grapes that in the past wouldn’t reliably ripen in their vineyards, as well as new varieties bred to resist fungal diseases that thrive in warm and humid conditions. Average annual temperatures in Germany have risen around 2°C since the 1970s, according to climate data compiled by the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia.

The total area in Germany with Chardonnay vines rose 4.7% last year to 3,050ha (Destatis). That’s nearly double the figure from a decade ago. Sauvignon Blanc has been another popular white wine variety among German winemakers, with the growing area more than doubling in the past decade to 2,054ha in 2024.

Meanwhile, growers have been ripping up plots planted with Müller-Thurgau, once Germany’s most common white wine variety ahead of Riesling. The area of Müller-Thurgau fell 2.1% last year to 10,511ha, less than half the surface planted with the variety in the mid-1990s. That’s as the overall area producing whites was little changed year-on-year at 71,423ha.

Among red wine grapes, Merlot bucked a trend for falling production area, with the growing area increasing 3.2% last year to 96ha Meanwhile, the overall surface producing red wines fell 1.4% to 31,872ha as German winemakers adapt to consumer demand shifting to white wine.

‘The increases in the new robust grape varieties and in the southern varieties in the red wine sector show that German winegrowers are increasingly adapting to the challenges of climate change,’ DWI MD Monika Reule said.

Germany is Europe’s fourth-biggest wine producer behind Italy, France and Spain. German wine production fell 9.8% to 7.75 million hectoliters in 2024, the third-lowest volume in 15 years, according to Destatis. The statistics office blamed spring rains and mildew as well as extreme weather including late frosts and hail storms for the drop in production.

The overall vineyard area in Germany fell 0.4% in 2024 to 103,295ha due to the decline in reds. White wine grapes accounted for 69% of the total surface, a share that’s been creeping up year after year since 2006, when whites accounted for 63% of the wine-grape area.

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Outside of Bordeaux, there aren’t many wine regions producing Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends, yet this white wine is a hallmark of Margaret River.

Perhaps it’s due to the incredible heights to which Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have risen that the region’s white Bordeaux blends are tucked away in their shadows. 

Notes and scores for 10 outstanding Margaret River Semillon-Sauvignon blends below

Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc from this part of the world date back as far back as the first plantings of Margaret River Chardonnay.

The Margaret River wine region emerged in the late 1960s, following the work of Dr John Gladstones, an agronomist at the University of Western Australia. His research in 1965 and 1966 first proposed the suitability of Margaret River for viticulture.

This prompted the region’s founding commercial wineries (Vasse Felix, followed by Moss Wood, Cape Mentelle and Cullen) to plant vineyards here, with planting material (on its rootstock) sourced from what was available via the state’s Agricultural Department. 

Riesling was the first white-wine variety planted in the region, but it eventually proved less than ideal for this maritime climate. The first Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc vines were planted in 1976, and in 2020 the area under vine for white wines comprised 15.8% Semillon, 19.2% Sauvignon Blanc and 17.8% Chardonnay.

Cabernet Sauvignon leads the reds, with 20.9% of the total vineyard area. 

Looking back

Vanya Cullen, chief winemaker and managing director at Cullen, recalls: ‘Mum chose the varieties to plant. She always loved the blend, while Dad was more of a Chardonnay man. We planted Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc in 1976 in the Cullen vineyard; they’re dry-farmed and the vineyard was certified biodynamic in 2004.’ 

The 1979 vintage was Cullen’s first from these vines. Rather than bottle each variety separately, they produced the region’s (and most likely the country’s) first Semillon-Sauvignon blend. The 1979 Cullen Semillon-Sauvignon was an immediate success, taking home a trophy at the Perth Royal Wine Show.

Mike Peterkin, who founded Pierro Winery in 1979, comments: ‘It was just a logical step to combine them both when the vines were ready for their first crop. The concept wasn’t particularly original; it was borrowed, but not modelled on, the French blend.

‘The Bordelais at the time were mainly red winemakers and to some extent, the white blend was an afterthought except for a couple of the top châteaux, who gave it special attention. Those wines were generally matured in oak, whereas our focus was capturing the fruit characters, which Australia was so good at doing.’

Spreading roots

The blend grew in popularity in the region, thanks to the complementary qualities of the two varieties and the perfect growing conditions for each. ‘Our founder (John Gladstone) did very well in identifying the climate and soil similarities to Bordeaux, and I would like to think it’s that long, gentle season that allows those varieties to get to a lovely and full physiological ripeness’, says Bruce Dukes of Domaine Naturaliste. 

Demand from consumers followed; the Margaret River white blend was enjoyed by Western Australian drinkers and was also popular in Sydney, on Australia’s east coast. The wine was practically made for a lifestyle of warm summers and coastal living. 

The boom reached peak popularity in the mid- to late-1990s, with production increasing to meet demand. Margaret River’s success led other wine regions to copy the same blend, but few succeeded, without the unique conditions of Western Australia’s south west that help these varieties grow so well. 

Although the blend goes back almost 50 years in Margaret River, ‘people forget that – although Semillon has a long history in Australia – there wasn’t much Sauvignon Blanc planted [in the country] at that time’ says Peterkin.

‘When I was studying winemaking at Roseworthy in the late 1970s, Hardy’s had some planted in McLaren Vale, to put into a sweet wine. That was the only Sauvignon Blanc in Australia then. It was starting to be planted in places like Margaret River, obviously, but it wasn’t the ubiquitous variety that it is now.’

Distinctive style

So, what makes a Margaret River Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend? Firstly the combination of Semillon’s ageability and Sauvignon Blanc’s freshness and aromatics are an ideal match. The best bottles can be enjoyed in their youth, with the capacity to develop for 10-plus years. 

The blend may have been borrowed from Bordeaux, but the Australian iteration is distinctive and has evolved and diversified from the early days. Dukes has called Margaret River home for 34 years and is a fan of the blend.

His passion for the region’s Sauvignon Blanc, in particular, has played a key role in the more textural wines produced from the variety in recent years. 

‘I think we’ve seen changes over time,’ he says. ‘In the early days, it was largely an aromatic, crisp, fresh style that was being produced, focusing on flavour and ripeness. With a greater understanding of these varieties in the vineyard, we are now getting more aromatic wines with better natural acid balance,’ Dukes adds.

Winemaking and viticulture

‘Over the last 20 years of this style, I think we also have a much better understanding of the use of oak, mainly seasoned oak, and the advantages or characters we can get from sur lie maturation. The region has become more confident, and people have explored these techniques and seen how they work well stylistically. We are seeing more sophistication across the board now than a couple of decades ago’, concludes Dukes.

As the vines have matured, so has the viticultural approach. Dukes shares his journey: ‘Over the past few decades as a winemaker, I have learned much about canopy architecture. It’s about flavour farming in the vineyard – achieving ripeness and flavour without going too far beyond that into over-ripeness,’ he explains.

‘Previously, if you were seeking intensity of flavour, you would have to get fruit riper, but now we understand the overall balance is more important than the individual component. The aim is to avoid the capsicums and thistles, and get those lovely notes of lychee, white pear and nectarine.’

Increasing diversity

The blend’s identity has progressed since the early days, and there is now a wide range of styles available in the region, including those with proven ability to age beautifully. Skin contact and lees work are regularly utilised to build texture and complexity. Many producers choose to use oak, in either supporting or significant roles. 

Wines such as Dormilona’s Orenji show that the blend lends itself to creative winemaking choices. In this case, the fruit is co-fermented on skins for two weeks in open fermenters, spends time in cement egg and then is pressed to go through full malo. 

Some producers add a dash of a third variety, such as Chardonnay or Verdelho. 

Cullen began making a white Bordeaux blend from its Mangan vineyard in 2006, with the inclusion of Verdelho. Cullen recalls: ‘We made separate vineyard blends once our vineyards were certified biodynamic.

‘The Mangan’s strength as a vineyard is about fruit vitality with the addition of the Verdelho and no oak. In contrast, the older vines on the Cullen vineyard can handle more time in oak, about 70%, with the Sauvignon Blanc dominant in the blend. Overnight skin contact and biodynamics are our two major points of evolution.’ 

Several other producers have chosen to add a dash of the region’s calling card, Chardonnay. They include Cath Oates at Oates Ends and Peterkin at Pierro. 

Winning new fans

Peterkin notes: ‘Sydney has seen a recent resurgence of interest in the Margaret River white blends. I think people are starting to look for something slightly different from [varietal] Chardonnay. Our LTC is still a relatively expensive wine in its category, but at that price point, people can buy an average Chardonnay or enjoy a Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc that is really very good quality.’ 

Given their maturity, quality and identity, perhaps it is time to refer to these world-class white blends as the Margaret River White Blend, dropping any reference to Bordeaux altogether. The wines, after all, speak for themselves.

‘They are the dark horses of the portfolio; they do age really, really well,’ shares Cullen. ‘You can have texture, complexity and deliciousness in the blends, as well as longevity and drinkability. People are blown away when they taste them, because they can be a die-hard Chardonnay drinker, and they’ll go, “Oh, wow, that’s incredible. I didn’t think I liked Sauvignon Blanc, but I love that!”’

Margaret River white Bordeaux-style blends: 12 to try

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That Susana Balbo has been a pioneering force in Argentine (and South American) wine goes without saying.

Her talent as a winemaker, entrepreneurial spirit, resilience in the face of many challenges and the way in which she has reframed the possibilities for women in the wine industry make her one of the sector’s most respected names.

Which explains her worthy inclusion in Decanter’s Hall of Fame in 2024.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for Susana Balbo’s eight vintages of Signature White Blend

Landmark year

Serendipitously – and rather symbolically – the bestowment of Decanter’s lifetime achievement award coincided with the 25th anniversary of Balbo’s eponymous project, founded in 1999 as Dominio del Plata. Her winery and range now bear her name – appropriately, for hers are wines with a very personal imprint.

Beyond the Hall of Fame recognition, the quarter-century anniversary was marked by the release of a special library edition of Cabernet Sauvignon from the flagship Nosotros range.

However, rather than merely celebrating her achievements, Balbo used the landmark year to consider the evolution of one of her now best-known – and itself pioneering – wines, the Signature White Blend.

A vertical tasting of all vintages since the inaugural 2016 provided an opportunity to consider the wine’s evolution and potential, as well as its meaning for South American wine more broadly.

Indeed, if South America has now firmly established itself as a safe source of fine red wine – of consistent quality, expressiveness and collectability – the full potential for premium whites is yet to be fully unleashed. But a revolution is afoot, with Balbo’s Signature White Blend a strong step forward – for the path it has opened and questions it has raised.

Balbo herself recognises that the Signature White Blend is a work in progress; a journey of learning – as ever – and discovery that shows a humble recognition of work yet to be done.

Embracing the challenge

The genesis of a Bordeaux-inspired white blend was a visit by Tim Atkin MW to Balbo’s winery in Mendoza.

‘Chatting to Susana Balbo one day, I bemoaned the relative shortage of good white blends in Argentina,’ explains Atkin.

Wouldn’t there be potential to produce an age-worthy wine, Argentine in its essence, to rival the world’s best whites and match the country’s great reds? ‘So a week later, we sat down with a Sémillon from Mendel, a Sauvignon Blanc from Giuseppe Franceschini and her own Torrontés and played with some components for fun.’

Not one to shy away from a good challenge and always driven by great curiosity (creative as well as technical) Balbo set out to add the experiment to her aptly-named Signature range.

‘Little did I imagine that she would go ahead and make a wine based on our cuvée. Not only that, she improved on it,’ Atkin continues.

Queen of Torrontés – and much more

Having started her career in the cradle of Torrontés Riojano, in Cafayate (Salta), and often referred to as the ‘Queen’ of Argentina’s flagship white variety (see latest releases of her Signature Barrel Fermented and Late Harvest iterations for proof), Balbo was well placed to make the best of the variety’s aromatic and textural potential, alongside classical French counterparts.

Balbo says that blending is the winemaker’s greatest skill; the ability to produce something that is more than the sum of its parts. The signature White Blend indeed shows how Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon can work to each other’s benefit: the florality of Torrontés outlined by Sauvignon’s herbaceousness; the woolly weight of Sémillon (especially with some years in bottle) lifted by the aromatic vividness of its counterparts; the zesty scalpel of Sauvignon softened by the barrel-aged Torrontés and unctuous Sémillon.

‘Textural’ is a word often used to describe this wine. Texture is indeed central to the identity of the wine, a product of multiple, complementary factors. The Sémillon and Sauvignon grapes undergo pre-fermentative maceration; Sauvignon and Torrontés are fermented in oak, where they are kept on the lees for two months; the final blend ages for up to six months in barrel (60% of which new).

The subtle phenolic grip at the core of this wine is key to its medium-term development, showing particularly well in vintages 2018 to 2020.

Vintages 2016 and 2017, with the weighty, nutty depth of Sémillon emerging more vividly, suggest there’s great potential for this to become a wine designed to be drunk with even more time in bottle.

Leveraging further potential

Which left me wondering whether Balbo is treading too carefully. Could Torrontés be brought to the forefront, especially in vintages where Sauvigon Blanc tends to dominate the aromatic palette and the wine therefore seems a bit more removed from its place? Is there perhaps potential for more ageing in barrel?

Some vintages seem to suggest that the marrying of the blend and the textural potential would benefit from a bit more wood. And moving the dial into slightly more oxidative territory might add an interesting depth of field. If so, more extended macerations might add complexity without loss of elegance.

Such questions would not be asked, however, if the wine did not show, already, the character, poise and evolution potential of a great white. Atkin says that since its first vintage, the Signature White Blend ‘has gone on to become one of South America’s finest and most distinctive whites’.

‘The first one was good, of course, but since then she’s refined the blend and improved the quality. I’m proud to have inspired her to make something so good.’

Curiosity and anticipation is how we’ll wait to see how Balbo takes it further.

Susana Balbo Signature White Blend – all released vintages scored and tasted:

Wines in order of release, with latest release shown first. 

Related articles

• South American whites: a new era
• Susana Balbo: Decanter Hall of Fame 2024
• Susana Balbo Torrontés: Taking Argentina to new heights

Robert Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc in the late 1960s to differentiate a style of Sauvignon Blanc, particularly one aged in oak, in California and Washington State.

The varietal has a history in California dating back to the 1880s, but by the 1960s it was seen as a bland variety. Mondavi’s term was an attempt to rebrand it and denote an oak-aged style. The term wasn’t trademarked, allowing others to use it.

While originally associated with oak aging some wineries, like Dry Creek Vineyard, produced unoaked versions.

Today Sauvignon Blanc and Fumé Blanc are considered synonyms in US law, and fewer wines are labelled Fumé Blanc due to changes in the market.

The oldest Sauvignon Blanc plantings in the Americas are at the Robert Mondavi Winery in To Kalon Vineyard.

Sauvignon Blanc in the United States

Plantings of Sauvignon Blanc date back to the early 1880s in California’s Livermore Valley. Charles Wetmore planted the variety on his estate Cresta Blanca Winery; allegedly, the vines’ source material came from the legendary Château d’Yquem. Wetmore’s first release, from 1884, was a dry white wine from Bordeaux varieties that won a grand prize at the 1889 Paris Exposition.

Sauvignon Blanc made its way to Napa Valley around the same time. Plantings at Inglenook in the 1880s, and Beaulieu Vineyard in the early 1900s created early examples of quality wines throughout California’s burgeoning wine country. The white varietal had roots at the famous To Kalon site as early as the 1890s.

The rise of Fumé Blanc 

By the 1960s, Sauvignon Blanc had fallen on hard times in America’s commercial wine sector. By this time, it was considered a bland variety, mainly used for sweet wine production to feed consumers of mass-production wines.

In an effort to separate his wines from this negative connotation, Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc. Mondavi’s riff on the Loire designation, Blanc Fumé was an effort to connote a new style of American-made Sauvignon Blanc, aged in oak barrels.

Mondavi took the French word ‘fumé’, referring to a smoke-like vapour or substance, which is also enshrined in the name of Pouilly-Fumé of the Loire Valley, and the French word for white, as in ‘blanc’.

He did not trademark the term, making it possible for other wineries to label their wines similarly, and created a category in the process.

Ageing Sauvignon Blanc with oak

In order to differentiate his Sauvignon Blancs from the American versions that were made at the time, Mondavi chose to age the wines in barrel, the toasted oak lending a hint of smoky character to the wines, thus the ‘fumé’. The style became popular.

More producers started ageing their dry Sauvignon Blanc in (old and new) oak barrels and selling it as ‘Fumé Blanc’. While the name has been more commonly associated with oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc from the US, it’s not a requirement. The lack of regulation around the term, primarily created for marketing, means it’s open to interpretation.

Robert Mondavi ‘only intended to find an alternative name for Sauvignon Blanc, without any indication of the production method and style,’ according to the winery.

Currently, the terms ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ and ‘Fumé Blanc’ are deemed synonyms in US law. In the Sonoma region, Dry Creek Vineyard was among the first to produce a ‘Fumé Blanc’ in California without using oak.

Inspired by the mineral, lean and fresh Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre of the Loire Valley, the owner, David Stare, decided to make an unoaked ‘Fumé Blanc’ in 1972, according to the winery.

Is Fumé fading?

With New Zealand creating a global demand for fresh, dry styles of Sauvignon Blanc, the associations that Mondavi had hoped to avoid have largely become a thing of the past. As a result, you see fewer wines labelled as Fumé Blanc in the current American marketplace. While the designation still exists, its numbers have dwindled.

The world’s greatest Fumé Blanc, though, is still made by Robert Mondavi Winery from the iconic I block in the famous To Kalon Vineyard. The old, gnarly, head-trained vines planted in 1945 are considered the oldest planting of Sauvignon Blanc in the Americas.

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In the Loire Valley, the emerging consensus is that there is no pattern to the weather, prompting Muscadet’s Famille Lieubeau to wonder if there is such a thing as ‘normal’ anymore.

Its conclusion? ‘From a climate point of view, no two years are the same’.

Scroll down to see Beverley Blanning MW’s selection of the best new releases of white Loire wines

Risk of rot

This sentiment is by no means unique to the western Loire in 2023; the vintage presented a range of problems for white-wine makers across the region. By the time harvest arrived, growers had a bumper crop of healthy grapes on their hands – but most had endured plenty of drama along the way.

The early season started well, with no significant frost. After successful flowering and fruit set, the vines were laden with fruit. Everyone had their fingers crossed for a good-sized, healthy crop.

But in June, humidity set in, causing widespread mildew pressure that persisted throughout the season.

Growers had to be vigilant to protect their grapes. Temperatures fluctuated wildly, from excessively cool to near-tropical, with the ever-present threat of rot.

Growers in Vouvray had an additional challenge – acid rot. Julien Pinon, of François et Julien Pinon, says, ‘grey rot is a fungus, but acid rot is caused by a bacteria that turns wine into vinegar. It’s very rare – the last time this happened was in 2014’.

Because the rot originates inside the berries, it can be hard to spot, but Pinon says, ‘In some parcels, you didn’t need to see it – you could smell it.’

He says that fruit selection in the vineyard was the key to making good wine. ‘We discarded 20% of the grapes; some colleagues threw away as much as 40%,’ he says. The 2023 vintage will favour the minority who harvest by hand in Vouvray.

Across the Loire

Chenin Blanc also suffered in other appellations, especially Anjou, where the cool, humid weather persisted throughout August, followed by heavy rain in September.

Domaine Belargus declares that 2023 was the rainiest harvest in the area for 10 years. Again, sorting was key to quality. Harvest at Belargus took two months.

Sarah Hwang, of Domaine Huet in Vouvray, reports a similarly long and complicated harvest, with 2023 taking twice as long as 2022.

Elsewhere, and for other varieties, harvest conditions were rather easier. In Muscadet, the early ripening Melon de Bourgogne escaped the rain and benefited from a late summer heatwave that concentrated both sugar and, unusually, acidity. There are some excellent wines to be found here.

In the vineyards around Sancerre and further south, growers enjoyed a very healthy and high-volume vintage.

See all of Beverley Blanning MW’s top Loire latest releases here

What to expect

Despite the problems of the growing season, the high and early crop load has translated to very high yields across the Loire this year. Volumes are up more than 20% on the 2022 vintage and at the highest recorded levels of the last five years.

Many appellations yielded the maximum permitted levels. Higher yields are harder to ripen successfully – dilution has been a noticeable issue in some of the earlier released 2023 Sauvignons.

The white wines are in the more classical Loire style, with cooler, restrained flavours, moderate alcohols and refreshing acidity. These will be shorter-term wines than those of 2022, which was a vintage of exuberant fruit and good concentration.

Loire white wines: Know your vintages

2019: Following severe frosts, vines produced a low crop of very good quality grapes. The wines show freshness, concentration and balance, and will age well. 5/5

2020: A warm vintage of good quality and ripeness, but with a tendency for higher alcohols, as sugars rose rapidly late in the season. 4/5

2021: A year of devastating frosts all over France that severely affected the Loire. Frosts were followed by a cool growing season that favoured white production. A small volume of delicate, high-quality wine was made. There are some delicious, understated, crisp whites from this vintage. For the few growers who held out for botrytis, some outstanding sweet wines were made, too. 4/5

2022: This year was marked by drought, with heat so severe the vines closed down in summer. Nevertheless, it has produced excellent white wines with beautiful aromas and balanced acidities. There are many hugely appealing wines here. 4/5

2023: One of the most complicated vintages in recent memory, testing the abilities and resilience of vignerons throughout the Loire. Of recent releases, the Muscadets appear to be very successful, the Sauvignons of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé less so. A vintage in which the skill of the grower was paramount. 3/5

Beverley Blanning MW’s book, The Wines of the Loire Valley, was published in October 2024 and is available to buy for £35

Decanter has partnered with Académie du Vin Library to offer Premium subscribers access to an exclusive discount for the book: use code DECLOIRE5 when purchasing the book here.

Beverley Blanning MW’s top Loire white latest releases:

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The central region of the Loire valley has long been the source of some of the finest expressions of Sauvignon Blanc anywhere in the world.

While the wines of Quincy, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fumé can all deliver the focused energy that Sauvignon achieves in this cooler wine-producing zone, it is still the wines of Sancerre that lead the pack.

Producers here range from family domaines of various sizes, to a few larger négociants and important (and high-quality) co-operatives.

Hubert Brochard is one of the key family domaines, with a history dating back to 1900.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for nine Brochard wines

Bollinger acquisition

In 2022, Hubert Brochard was acquired by the Bollinger group, adding another string to the bow of Bollinger’s Loire operations, which include the sparkling wines of Maison Langlois (purchased in 1973) and Château de Thauvenay in Sancerre (2016).

Both Bollinger and the Brochard family are keen to emphasise the joint benefits of the acquisition, with signs that the domaine is undergoing an exciting period of change.

The dynamic new team at Brochard is headed up by Chilean winemaker, Rodrigo Zamorano (previously at Errazuriz).

‘I’m amazed at the terroir diversity in Sancerre,’ says Zamorano.

He says that the new cellar (due to be in operation in 2025) will ‘push further into gravitational operations, with many small vats to enable an even greater focus on our parcel approach.’

These initiatives are already being supported by snazzy new branding.

I dealt with the Brochard family for many years when I was a wine buyer for Marks & Spencer. It was always clear to me that the family were committed to producing high-quality Sancerre and had a detailed understanding of each of the estate’s individual vineyards.

Bollinger’s new team appears set on raising the bar even higher. I have little doubt that Hubert Brochard will continue to be a benchmark producer of white, red and rosé Sancerre for many years to come.

Four generations

Hubert Brochard really began when Aimée Brochard inherited her father’s vines in the early 1900s, focusing – together with husband Hubert – on grape growing and the production of the classic goat’s cheese from the area, Crottin de Chavignol.

Their only son, Henri, took over with his wife Thérèse, becoming one of the first producers to purchase a tractor – a significant innovation at the time.

Daniel (the son of Henri and Thérèse) represented the next generation of the Brochard dynasty, with his wife Christiane joining him in the business in 1982. They were subsequently joined by their daughters, Caroline and Anne-Sophie, the latter continuing to work as winemaker following the Bollinger purchase.

The domaine

Hubert Brochard is one of the largest landowners in Sancerre, with 60ha: 45ha planted to Sauvignon Blanc, 15ha to Pinot Noir. Vine age ranges between 30-50 years.

As well as Sancerre, Brochard produces an excellent, highly typical Pouilly-Fumé from a vineyard located in Bois Gibault in the Nièvre department, on the right bank of the Loire. The estate also produces an easy-drinking IGP Val de Loire which delivers more tree-ripened and tropical fruit characters – although perhaps less appealing to Sancerre classicists.

Three distinctive terroirs

The domaine’s strength is its wealth of vineyards across the region’s three key soil types: caillottes, terres blanches and silex.

The limestone caillottes and terres blanches have strong Kimmeridgian connections and tend to be found around Sancerre village and further to the south and west. The flinty silex soils are more prevalent to the east of Sancerre and on the right bank of the river in Pouilly-Fumé.

These three distinctive terroirs are showcased through Brochard’s range of wines.

Château de Fontaine-Audon Terre de Silex is an impressive Sancerre with dominant white pepper notes and struck-match character, combining elegance and power. Zamorano says ‘the different colours of silex, from different origins, lead to varied styles of Sauvignon. The tension that silex brings to the wines is outstanding.’

Château de Thauvenay Terres Blanches showcases some of the highest slopes on 70% chalk and 30% clay, producing a Sancerre which seems to be fatter and richer. This has more of a New World feel to it, with plenty of palate weight, despite a relatively modest 12.5% alcohol. It is not as refined as some of the domaine’s other cuvées.

In contrast, Les Trois Coteaux Terres de Caillottes shows a distinct Kimmeridgian character, reminding the drinker that – although this is a completely different grape variety to Chardonnay – certain Sancerres bear a striking resemblance to Premier Cru Chablis. Sea-shell freshness on the nose combines with an energetic and focused palate, presenting a fine Sancerre with ageing potential.

The single-vineyard wines

At the top of the Brochard tree are the two single-vineyard wines: La Côtes de Monts Damnés and Le Cul de Beaujeau.

Brochard owns a significant 1.12ha in La Côtes de Monts Damnés, with a smaller 0.5ha plot in the rarer, but equally fine, Cul de Beaujeu.

These wines compare favourably in both quality and price to grand cru Burgundy, from Chablis as well as the Côte d’Ôr.

Both have strong Kimmeridgian origins with the southeast orientation of Le Cul de Beaujeu giving more solar exposure and exhibiting a more forward, fruity character. The imposing slope of Monts Damnés (the ‘Hills of the Damned’) faces south, resulting in wines which are tightly wound and mineral. Both are stunning examples of fine, top-quality Sancerre.

An exciting future

Bollinger’s acquisition of Brochard looks promising. It is building on the domaine’s varied terroirs with an enthusiastic, dynamic winemaking team and serious investment in both the winery and in a new tourism centre, set to open in 2026. This is certainly a Sancerre estate to follow.

Nine Brochard wines to try

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For some reason, these aren’t questions that many of us ask ourselves when it comes to wine, but that needs to change. There are just as many opportunities for human exploitation in wine production as there are in the production of, say, bananas and coffee – products that we’re now used to seeing accompanied by a Fairtrade label.

With one harvest per year, and the necessity for grapes to be picked at the optimal moment, many wineries employ seasonal workers (about 120,000 arrive in Champagne every harvest), and the unjust ways in which they are sometimes treated – whether through poor pay, long hours or poor sanitary conditions in which to work, sleep and eat – has rarely been probed.

A 2021 Oxfam report on the Italian wine supply chain found that 80% of workers in Puglia couldn’t meet their basic needs with the low pay they received. It also found that the illegal use of what’s known in Italy as caporalato – where a third-party contractor coerces vulnerable migrants to work for a very low wage – was widespread.

So how can we know, once the wine is on the shelf, that everyone involved in its production has been fairly treated and hasn’t had their human rights violated? At the moment, it isn’t easy. Some certifications, such as Equalitas and B Corp, cover social equity, but many don’t.

Sauternes’ Château Doisy Daëne and a number of other estates have joined forces to create their own labour subcontractor, meaning that they can have more control over the working conditions for their seasonal workforce.

Ultimately, wine should give pleasure, be fun and joyful, and yet, as the CEO of UK retailer The Wine Society told me, ‘wine can’t be joyful when you know in your head that someone might be suffering’. As consumers, the more we start to ask questions, the more retailers, importers and producers will need to start providing answers.

…fungicides?

Vines are particularly susceptible to fungal diseases, which cause the grapes, leaves or trunk to rot. The most common are powdery mildew, downy mildew and grey rot. To combat these diseases, vines can be sprayed with chemicals, called fungicides, that contain copper and sulphur, which are allowed under organic certification. The trouble is, not only can they potentially harm the health of vineyard workers, they also end up in the soil and kill the good fungi that form vital underground networks.

Sip to make a difference

Benjamin Bridge, Brut, Nova Scotia, Canada NV

Score: 90

£25 The Sourcing Table

I mentioned B Corp-certified Benjamin Bridge in my August feature on sustainability because its focus on people stands out as genuine and meaningful. Try its snazzy traditional-method sparkling, made from Chardonnay and the hybrid L’Acadie – it’s citrussy, smoky and complex, and really overdelivers for the price. Drink 2024-2027 Alcohol 12%

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The steady increase in the quality of Indian wines in the last 10 to 15 years, combined with experimentation in both the vineyards and cellars of India, has positioned the country to offer an enticing and great value selection of wines.

Literary records date the history of winemaking in India back to the 13th century BCE, but today’s burgeoning wine industry owes its heritage to Indian entrepreneurs in the late 20th century.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 12 Indian wines

Entrepreneur-driven industry

Literary records date the history of winemaking in India back to the 13th century BCE, but today’s burgeoning wine industry owes its heritage to Indian entrepreneurs in the late 20th century.

The pioneering Chateau Indage was founded in 1986 by the late Shamrao Chougule in Narayangaon – half-way between Nashik and Pune in the state of Maharashtra.

‘Omar Khayyam’, its bottle-fermented sparkling wine, astounded journalists by bagging medals in wine competitions in the UK in the late 1980s.

Kanwal Grover was another pioneering industrialist who developed a passion for wine during his business trips to France in the 1980s, so he set up Grover Vineyards in the Nandi Hills outside Bangalore and launched its first wines in 1996.

French expertise played a key role in getting Indian wines off the ground: Piper-Heidsieck advised Chateau Indage, and Champagne Mumm consulted for Grover.

In 1997, Sula Vineyards was established by Rajeev Samant when he returned to his native Nashik from Silicon Valley.

Boom and bust

The Maharashtra state government’s wine policy and subsidies encouraged the establishment of numerous other wineries in the early 2000s.

However, the lack of expertise in growing wine grapes, and producing or selling wines left many of these new businesses struggling.

The global financial crisis of 2007 and the Mumbai terrorist attacks in 2008 were the final nails in the coffin for many.

For example, the astronomic rise of Indage, listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange at one point, was followed by a sudden fall and the eventual collapse of the group in the early 2010s.

Unsurprisingly, a wave of consolidation started: distressed producers were acquired, or their facilities leased; and contract-farming arrangements re-shaped grape supply too.

Investment funds entered the wine industry, most notably Visvires Capital amalgamated Grover Zampa – the second largest producer today – from Grover Vineyards in Karnataka and Vallée de Vin in Nashik.

Visvires has also purchased Charosa Vineyards in Nashik and Four Seasons Vineyards in Pune, creating the first multi-faceted wine group in India.

The latter, formerly owned by Vijay Mallya’s UB Group, boasts a French-styled chateau as its winemaking facility.

New winery trends

But others have thrived. Sula, with annual production over 10 million litres, is now the largest winery in the country.

Furthermore, post-Covid a number of small garage wineries, such as the 500-bottle Plateaux Vintners, have been established.

This is run by former Sula chief-winemaker Ajoy Shaw and Nipha Winery, a truly artisanal outfit with winemaking literally in the shed and home-made pizza from their very own wood-fired oven.

There is also a growing market for fruit wines, made using local produce such as mango and the indigenous jamun, a rather tart-deep purple fruit.

Subtropical Diversity

It’s good to remember that the distance between Nashik in Maharashtra and the Nandi Hills in Karnataka is 1,000 kilometres, the same as the distance between the Rheingau in Germany and Tuscany in Italy.

This brings a substantial difference in climate conditions. The idea of uniform warmth and humidity in the Indian subcontinent is very far from the truth.

In addition to the vast expanse of the country, altitude matters a great deal in terms of temperatures.

During the period of the Raj, Bangalore used to be the summer retreat for the British in the south, as its cooler climate provided welcome relief from the heat.

This is why the old Kanwal Grover chose the Nandi Hills (920 metres above sea level) outside Bangalore as its base.

Similarly, Nashik, at an altitude of 670m, offers significantly cooler temperatures during the growing season which helps the retention of acidity.

Grapes harvested from lower-altitudes meanwhile – e.g. Solapur and Sangli in the south of Maharashtra, or inland vineyards such as Bijapur in northern Karnataka – show better ripeness, adding a plusher quality to the wine.

Monsoon influence

The location of vine-growing regions also means different patterns in the monsoon: the direction it arrives from, how long it persists and the amount of rain it brings.

Considering that vines have no dormancy in the subtropical climate, the monsoon significantly influences work in the vineyard.

The pre-growing season pruning starts in late August, sometimes as late as early October, depending on the confidence of the grower that the monsoon has petered out and there will be no more rain.

The excess vegetative growth is cut back, so any rain in the ensuing days poses less of a risk of fungal infection.

The timing of this pruning determines the timing of the harvest: the later in the autumn the pruning, the later in the new year the harvest is.

Why this matters is because the temperature curve in this climatic zone is diametrically opposite to both the northern and southern hemispheres.

The temperature is high at the beginning of the growing season and subsides as the fruit sets after flowering. It reaches its lowest in late December and early January after which the mercury starts to rise rapidly as the start of the new monsoon season approaches.

Growers are keen to pick once grapes are ripe enough, both for sugar and tannins; but not overripe which can easily happen with quickly escalating temperatures between late February and early April.

Consequently, grapes destined to be the base wine for sparkling wines are often harvested from mid- or late December onwards; followed by whites in January and then the reds.

Drinking Compass: Regions, producers, varieties & styles

Invariably, most Indian wineries are in or around Nashik, which is located 180km northeast of Mumbai, the commercial capital of India.

Just off the Mumbai–Nashik highway, the meandering road – at times still nearly a dirt track – takes the traveller to two wineries: Grover Zampa and Vallonné Vineyards.

Grover Zampa’s plush Cabernet-Shiraz blend La Réserve was charming punters at Gordon’s Wine Bar in London’s Embankment nearly 20 years ago and continues to provide great value for money.

It’s worth noting that Cabernet-Shiraz is the ‘classic’ Indian blend, probably because these are the two red varieties produced in the largest quantity in the country.

Grover Zampa offers a full portfolio: bottle-fermented sparkling (Soirée), fruit-driven still wines (Art Collection), to seriously full-bodied reds (Vijay Amritraj or Chêne) as well as special series reds differentiated by the type of vessel – foudre, egg, barrique – used for fermentation (Signet).

On the other hand, family-owned Vallonné’s wines are made in small quantities and its zesty Sauvignon Blanc, peppery Cabernet Sauvignon rosé or special edition Anokhee Cabernet and Syrah are the ones to look out for either at the winery itself or in Mumbai’s trendy restaurants.

Tourist attraction

Sula Vineyards is among the most visited wineries in the world with 360,000 tourists arriving every year.

Sula offers everything from entry-level, fruit-forward wines up to barrel-aged premium labels. The Chenin Blancs, which come in both an off-dry, fresh and zesty style as well as in an oak-fermented dry edition, are particular favourites.

Meanwhile, the Dindori range, named after a sub-region of Nashik, never fails to impress with its more serious take varieties such as Viognier and Shiraz.

Recent additions include a Provençal style Grenache rosé and the re-invented Tropicale Brut, which now comes as a tank-fermented sparkling wine.

Talking of sparkling wines, Chandon India produces a supremely fresh and elegant brut from Chenin Blanc, the white grape of choice for most sparkling wines in India as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have been to difficult to grow.

Home far from home

Fratelli Wines, located three hours’ drive from Pune, was set up by three pairs of brothers, one pair from Tuscany, hence the Italian name.

Sangiovese has found a second home for itself in the rolling hills of Akluj, thanks to the Secci brothers and the late Piero Masi who was the first master winemaker at Fratelli.

Sette is a full-bodied blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet, aged in oak barrels and with a good potential for further cellaring.

Near the World Heritage site of Hampi, there is Krsma Estates. It is nestled in a breathtakingly beautiful landscape in remote, mid-state Karnataka.

The proprietors run a multi-billion-pound global pharma business and spare no expense to craft seriously good wines.

It was one of two producers that convinced me that India can make premium Cabernet Sauvignon with great ageing potential.

Currently, the wines are available in the Hyderabad and Bangalore markets only and when quantities allow, New York City wine merchants get allocations.

Bangalore is home to Grover Zampa where visitors can try wines with the Nandi Hills as their backdrop and Sula’s twin business Domaine Sula – created because the fragmented domestic alcohol market of India makes wines imported from another state prohibitively expensive.

Big Banyan Wines offers a perfect wine destination just outside Bangalore too, with a lush tropical garden, an excellent outdoors restaurant as well as a tasting room and bottle shop.

Big Banyan offers mid-range, fruit-forward varietal wines from the most widely produced varieties in India: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Riesling, Chardonnay, Viognier, Zinfandel, Merlot and Grenache as well.

Five producers to know:

1. Sula Vineyards: India’s largest wine producer, located in Nashik, which is quickly becoming India’s ‘wine country’. Fruit-forward wines that are especially good with spicy food.

2. Grover Zampa: with its roots in the Nandi Hills outside Bangalore, the winery has a base in Nashik too. European-styled wines with a distinct Indian charm.

3. Fratelli Wines: a blend of Italian and Indian cultures, notable for being the sole producer of Sangiovese in India. Also producers fine wines from Akluj.

4. Krsma Estates: close to World Heritage Hampi, fine and age-worthy wines.

5. Vallonné Vineyards: picture-perfect location just outside Nashik, gastronomic wines from a charming small producer and open to tourists.

Indian wines to try:

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Dimitri Mesnard MS is division vice president international brand ambassador for California-based Jackson Family Wines, and has been chair of the Court of Master Sommeliers European chapter since 2009. Born in the Loire valley, he moved to the UK in 1996 and spent two years as a sommelier at Michelin two-star Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons near Oxford, before joining Hotel du Vin Group as a head sommelier. Rising to group food & beverage manager in 2005, under the mentorship of Henri Chapon MS and Gerard Basset MS MW he led a team of more than 40 sommeliers across 14 boutique hotels and pioneered the group’s Ecole du Vin wine school. Dimitri has been a DWWA judge since 2014 and served as Acting Regional Chair for Bordeaux in 2021.

Sauvignon Blanc has always been a part of my life, being born and raised among the Central Vineyards of the Loire valley. Whether studying it, growing it, harvesting it or tasting it, I have always had strong sentiments for the variety, creating many great memories along the way. What draws me time and again to Sauvignon Blanc is the way it marries a strong identity with incredible versatility. From restrained wines produced from Kimmeridgian soils in Sancerre to the hyper-aromatic styles found in New Zealand’s Marlborough region, to the oaky ‘Fumé Blanc’ from Napa or Sonoma, and the botrytised style in Sauternes, it’s a variety that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, with every course of a meal, and with a vast range of cuisines.

Having organised a few ‘Sauvignon only’ wine events during my career, I simply never get bored of the variety. Another thing that always amazes me while highlighting Sauvignon Blanc is its longevity; many wine lovers assume that this is a wine always to enjoy in its youth. Not so: with their incredible acidity, the wines can age for many years, achieving roundness and texture with some fantastic secondary/tertiary aromas, such as fern. If you have never tasted an older, developed Sauvignon Blanc, try some aged Sancerre, such as Vatan’s Clos la Néore (2015, £365 Crop & Vine, Nemo Wine Cellars) or an older François Cotat, Les Culs de Beaujeu (2017, £62.50ib Lay & Wheeler). With aged Sauvignon you can really play with wine pairings – pan-fried red mullet with an aromatic consommé featuring lemongrass and coriander would be heavenly. Or a creamy bean risotto with white truffles. The possibilities are endless!

Sauvignon Blanc belongs to the Savagnin family and is one of the parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon (along with Cabernet Franc). It’s a fragile grape, sensitive to mildew, oidium, water and sunburn, among other hazards. However, if well trained it can be produced in large quantities, with well-made wines displaying both fruit purity and balanced acidity.

The Sancerre region in the Loire is the source of some of the greatest Sauvignon Blancs – probably my favourite expression of the grape. Thriving best on Kimmeridgian, caillottes (limestone pebbles) or silex (flint) soils, some of the single vineyards achieve the purest expression of this variety, with Monts Damnés, at elevations of 250m-350m, being one of them. On the other, eastern side of the river, the wines of Pouilly-Fumé can also be exceptional.

Sauvignon is also the main variety for white wines in the Bordeaux region. Often blended with Semillon (the varieties complement each other well), it offers a richer, riper style with more texture than in the Loire valley. These wines also have great ageing potential, and the best examples are often matured in oak barrels before bottling to add complexity. Add some botrytis, and you potentially have some of the best sweet wines in the world – a baked apricot tart paired with a young Sauternes is among the most extraordinary food and wine matches there is.

If you don’t have a sweet tooth, Sauvignon Blanc works brilliantly with goat’s cheese: Crottin de Chavignol and Sainte-Maure de Touraine are good examples. Taste either with a glass of Loire Sauvignon Blanc for a great experience – nothing beats a regional wine pairing!

Lastly, let’s also consider the New World. Sauvignon Blanc enjoyed great success in California in the 1980s thanks to Robert Mondavi, who conceived the name Fumé Blanc for a particular style. These wines tend to have more ripeness, with tropical fruit, passion fruit and pink grapefruit character, making them an ideal match for richer fish dishes like crab cakes and lobster ceviche with herbs. You can find great examples from the US, Chile and South Africa.

And then, of course, there’s the New World’s best-known region for Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough in New Zealand, which produces examples of Sauvignon Blanc that are often more pungent and grassier. Craggy Range produces a great example of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, from Martinborough fruit (a region in the south of North Island). I have been following this winery since my days at Hotel du Vin, and often crack open a bottle after a long week at work – try it with a smashed pea and ricotta crostini.

Discover Sauvignon Blanc: Dimitri’s two to try

I’m going to focus on the Loire for my two picks. I come from Quincy, an appellation that is less well known than Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé but is rich in history, being the second AP to be created in France (after Châteauneuf-du-Pape). Domaine du Tremblay, Vieilles Vignes Quincy (2022, £24 Bottle Apostle) is matured on fine lees, giving a crisp and fresh style, but with a rounded mouthfeel.

From one of my favourite producers, François Cotat’s Les Monts Damnés Sancerre is one of the best expressions of Sauvignon Blanc, perfectly capturing the power and finesse of this great site, and with incredible poise. The 2002 is drinking beautifully now, but if you can’t find an older vintage like this, buy young from a broker such as Fine & Rare (2021, £50 in bond) or Cru World Wines (2022, £54.33 in bond), and cellar it.

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Aromatic, citrusy and distinct with refreshing acidity, Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most internationally recognised and popular white wines in the world.

Remarkably versatile, it is one of the most widely planted grape varieties. Sauvignon Blanc has found many places to call home with some of its most popular renditions coming from regions like the Loire or Bordeaux in France, where it originates, to Marlborough, New Zealand or the Central Valley in Chile.

Scroll down to discover 20 award-winning Sauvignon Blanc wines from 20 countries

From where it’s grown to winemaking style, Sauvignon Blanc can range from zesty citrus, grassy and mineral-led styles to fruity, pungent, easy drinking wines. Marked by high acidity, it’s a wine which refreshes the palate with every sip.

To celebrate this truly international grape variety and the 15th annual International Sauvignon Blanc Day, we look to Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) results from across the globe to recommend 20 Sauvignon Blanc based wines from across 20 countries.

From Argentina and Chile to France and Germany, Greece, Japan, the United States and everywhere in between, discover a global selection of award winning Sauvignon Blancs from the 2023 competition to try.

DWWA 2023 award-winning wines to celebrate Sauvignon Blanc Day

Argentina

Bodega Salentein, Single Vineyard Los Nogales Sauvignon Blanc, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2021

Silver, 91 points

Citrusy nose with white fruit and tropical aromas, hints of flowers and cut grass. Lively on the palate, mineral finish. Alcohol 13.5%

Australia

Forester Estate, Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River, Western Australia 2022

Silver, 92 points

Nuanced and fragrant nose with notes of toasty oak and fresh fruit aromas. Layered and textured palate. Tasty finish. Alc 13.2%

Austria

Sattlerhof, Ried Kranachberg Sauvignon Blanc, Südsteiermark, Steiermark 2020

Silver, 93 points

Inviting, with hints of nettle, green asparagus, lemon zest and tropical fruit leading to a palate of grapefruit, smoke and spice. Alc 13.5%

Brazil

Vinicola Villa Santa Maria, Brandina Sauvignon Blanc, Serra da Mantiqueira 2021

Silver, 91 points

Grapefruit pith driven nose with fresh herbal aromas and jalapeño nuances. Fresh and expressive, with minty flavours and dry finish. Alc 13.4%

Canada

Peller Estates, Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario – Niagara Peninsula 2020

Gold, 95 points

Fume style, with an inviting nose of toasty oak and baking spice leading on to a textured palate of citrus curd, herbaceous black currant leaf, tropical notes and very well judged oak. Alc 13.8%

Chile

Morandé, Seleccion De Viñedos Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley 2022

Value Gold, 95 points

A burst of pink grapefruit spritz combines beautifully with a salty mineral and woodsmoke elegance; serious and focussed with a decandent spine of acidity. Mouthwatering! Alc 13%

Croatia

Galić, Sauvignon Blanc, Slavonija, Continental 2022

Value Gold, 95 points

This is an exemplary cooler-climate Sauvignon. It’s quite complex with a bright beam of flickering acidity and has a superb varietal character and a very long and elegant, mineral finish. Absolutely delicious! Alc 13.5%

France

Jean-Max Roger, Grand Chemarin, Sancerre, Loire 2018

Gold, 95 points

Beautifully evolved grassy and honeyed aromatics with a tempting grapefruit acidity, an exemplary texture and an impressively long finish. Stylish and taut with further ageing potential. Alc 13.5%

Germany

Weinhaus Reh Kendermann, Black Tower Club Edition Sauvignon Blanc, Pfalz 2022

Value Gold, 95 points

Graceful notes of gooseberry, grapefruit, kiwi and lime zest with a sweet floral lift and a crisp, vivacious texture. Very long and flinty and incredible value. Alc 12.5%

Greece

Ktima Biblia Chora, Pangeon, Macedonia 2022

Silver, 93 points

Gooseberry, guava, and sea salt spray aromas and flavours are well integrated in a full-bodied style with a long finish. Alc 13.5%

Italy

Tiefenbrunner, Rachtl , Alto Adige / Südtirol Riserva, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 2020

Silver, 93 points

Lifted lemon, satsuma and smoky mineral aromas with clean, precise acidity and a lovely concentration; long and fresh. Alc 13.5%

Japan

Manns Wines, Solaris Chikumagawa Sauvignon Blanc, Nagano, Chubu 2021

Gold, 95 points

Crisp and aromatic, with firm leafy, tomato plant aromas and some salinity. Gentle floral and limes notes with lemongrass nuances. Delicate and refined, smoky finish. Alc 13%

New Zealand

Rapaura Springs, Bull Paddock Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Dillons Point, Marlborough 2022

Gold, 96 points

Abundant peach, guava, lemon and lime soar across the bed of fresh herbs giving complexity to the silky, mouthfilling palate. Serious and searching with a long finish. Alc 13.5%

North Macedonia

Tikves Winery, Barovo White, Tikvesh, Povardarje 2022

Silver, 90 points

Pear, apple, passionfruit and melon aromatics and flavours are followed by a lingering, citrusy finish. Good drinking. Alc 14%

Romania

Jidvei, Owner’s Choice Ana Sauvignon Blanc, Târnave, Transylvania 2022

Silver, 90 points

Very fresh aromas of currant leaf with hints of stone fruit, elderflower and mineral undertones. Lively acidity on the palate. Alc 12%

Serbia

Matijašević Vinogradi, Sovinoa Fumé Blanc, Oplenac, Šumadija-Great Morava 2021

Gold, 95 points

Enticing peach, gooseberry, grapefruit, citrus and oaky aromatics. The palate is complex with notes of stone fruit and lemongrass set against a briney streak of minerality. Persistent finish, too. Be ready to swoon! Alc 14%

Slovenia

Ptujska, Pullus Sauvignon, Štajerska Slovenija, Podravje 2022

Value Gold, 95 points

A superb wine with fine tropical aromas of kiwi and mango, plus green pea and herbal highlights in the mouth. A real bargain with a long, crisp finish. Alc 13%

South Africa

Diemersdal Wine Estate, The Journal Sauvignon Blanc , Durbanville, Cape Town 2022

Platinum, 97 points

Beguiling multi-layered aromas of elderflower, herbaceous verbena, white peach and apricot with a gorgeous mouthcoatingly taut ruby grapefruit core and a fresh line of salty acidity. Incredibly well-defined and refreshing with a long, vivid finish. Alc 13.5%

Switzerland

Domaine De La Bolliattaz, Grand Cru Sauvignon, Lavaux, Vaud 2021

Silver, 90 points

Smoky, green tea flavours combine with delicate floral, cardamom undertones and a peppery, spiced pear finish. Long and refreshing. Alc 13.5%

United States

Clos du Val, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California 2021

Platinum, 97 points

Heavenly ripe lime, grapefruit and ginger shrouded in herbaceous fennel and nettle aromatics and underpinned by a supremly fresh mineral character. Layered with enriching oak and structure, the fine vein of acidity cuts through perfectly. Utterly fabulous. Alc 13.5%

Search all DWWA 2023 results

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Roger Jones, Freddy Bulmer and Cat Lomax tasted 197 wines with 6 Outstanding and 24 Highly recommended.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: Panel tasting scores

197 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 6

Highly recommended 24

Recommended 72

Commended 74

Fair 21

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release dry, still white wines made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc from any region in New Zealand

For a long time, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been ‘a safe banker’, as judge Cat Lomax said. ‘A wine you could pick up knowing exactly what to expect in the glass.’

The top-line results (see the scores below) suggest a solid tasting, but the recent-release wines came in for some strong criticism from our panel, over 2.5 days of judging.

We all agreed, on the basis of this tasting, that there was no longer a guarantee that expectations of ‘pungent aromatics and concentrated flavours’ would be met.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting

Lower-priced examples, particularly from Marlborough, disappointed. We surmised that expanding plantings to the flat plains to increase production had delivered lacklustre, simple wines. In addition, early picking – also for commercial reasons – has necessitated an increased use of residual sugar to try to balance underripe wines, often resulting in artificial or cooked flavours, rather than fresh.

Freddy Bulmer said: ‘Too many wines were lacking texture and depth. Clean and correct, but with no personality and barely reflecting the grape.’ For consumers looking for a sub-£10 wine, these may tick a box, but they don’t do anything to differentiate New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from competing Chilean, South African or French examples.

But there were some positives, too. All six of our Outstanding wines had judicious barrel ageing. They earned their high marks by ‘pushing the boundaries’, said Lomax. They were not merely excellent examples of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but world-class white wines that would enhance any cellar or table. ‘It’s a clear argument for well-used oak,’ said Bulmer, ‘but also a sign that less commercially significant styles exhibit more personality and sophistication than those driven by market demand.’

The results may not paint vintage 2023 in a great light, with no Golds and only 12 Silvers among 115 wines entered, but Jones believes they will evolve well, particularly those with some oak ageing. ‘Be prepared to tuck them away for a few years, as at this price point they will become a worthwhile investment.’

For Marlborough (87% of entries), Bulmer noted: ‘It was clear which were the commodity wines and which were the quality wines. But the success and reputation of the genuine quality-first winemakers hinges on what the big commodity producers are putting out there. And my concern is that they are making wines with far less charm and drinking pleasure than they ever have done, which isn’t good news for premium producers, who will be unfairly tarred with the same brush.’

See all the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines from the panel tasting

It might send a potentially gloomy message, said Lomax, but there was a definite upside.

‘Smaller, quality-focused producers in Marlborough are still producing fantastic Sauvignon Blanc with all the hallmark aromas, flavours and depth that customers are looking for. So, there’s an opportunity for Decanter readers to really support the little guys and, by doing so, to maintain vibrancy in a region that could easily become ever-more dominated by commodity producers.’

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting scores

The judges

Roger Jones is the retired former owner of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn restaurant in Wiltshire. He is now a wine writer, judge and consultant with a particular interest in the hospitality trade, as well as helping charities. He is a DWWA judge, with a focus on New World regions.

Freddy Bulmer is a wine and beer buyer for The Wine Society, responsible for its New Zealand range as well as Australia, Austria and Eastern Europe. A DWWA judge, he began his career in wine working for independent wine merchants in Yorkshire.

Cat Lomax is a wine and wine retail consultant who has held buying and senior trading roles across key premium wine retailers in the UK, including Laithwaites, Waitrose, Majestic and most recently Marks & Spencer.

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Marlborough’s problem is one of transition: for people visiting New Zealand, even for many nationals, it is a place you go past if you’re going somewhere else. Its location – a 30-minute drive south of Picton (the main port of entry to the South Island via the Cook Strait car ferry from Wellington) – means people are either trying to make it north to the ferry or continuing south to Christchurch, Otago or even west to Nelson and the West Coast region.

That’s a shame because Marlborough has everything to offer if you just stop and take a bit more time. Its main centre Blenheim is a functional town but set in beautiful part of New Zealand. And the mountains and hills feel close, especially the dramatic Richmond Range to the north.

Indeed, as Auntsfield winemaker Luc Cowley pointed out, you can always orient yourself in the Wairau Valley, Marlborough’s main wine-growing area: the blue mountains (the Richmond Ranges) lie to the north and the green mountains lie to the south. These latter are more a shade of brown in summer, hence their name: the Wither Hills.

The Marlborough Sounds, too – a collection of ancient valleys flooded with Pacific ocean waters along a 1,500km stretch of coastline – is a stone’s throw away. While many patrons of the car ferry admire its beauty as they pass through the parade of pristine, almost uninhabited bays and coves before hopping in their vehicle and driving on, it is a very good reason to hang around.

Diversity in abundance

There is much else on offer in Marlborough – and that is true of the wines, too. The region has considerably more to recommend it than the Sauvignon Blanc upon which it made its reputation. What’s more, most cellar doors are focused in a relatively small and easily navigable area around Blenheim and Renwick 8km to its west, with the region’s airport lying in between.

In this road trip, we’ve allocated two days to the Wairau Valley so visitors can really get an idea of how diverse the sub-region and its wines can be. Further information can be found on the wine tourism map at marlboroughwinenz.com, while the more energetic traveller can take advantage of local bicycle routes.

We’ve grouped our three-day itinerary so it can easily be rearranged. For instance, those travelling down from North Island could arrive in Picton and head straight to the Marlborough Sounds before returning to Picton the next morning and heading south to Blenheim. Both days 1 and 2 finish around Renwick, which allows travellers to take the 1.5-hour drive along State Highway 6 (SH6) further west to Nelson.

If you only have two days available, start with the day 2 itinerary then do day 1’s suggested trip in reverse (ie, drive out to Renwick and head up SH6 before turning east onto Rapaura Road). Fit in the wineries you want before continuing on Rapaura Road to meet SH1 and continue your journey south.

Day one: Wairau Valley from Blenheim

Grab a breakfast coffee and toastie from Sammies on Scott Street. A Kimcheese (kimchi and cheese – add a pork and fennel sausage pattie if you want) is a monumental start to anyone’s day. From there, it’s a short drive just out of town to Lawson’s Dry Hills – a pioneer of sustainable practices in Marlborough and producer of fine aromatic white wines. From here, a variation on our itinerary would be a 15-minute drive down State Highway One (SH1) to Seddon and the Awatere Valley. This sub-region is slightly cooler than the main Wairau Valley and contains many newer – and sizeable – vineyard plantings, which deliver some truly exciting wines. One of the few cellar doors here is Yealands.

But our main route heads north on SH1 for 15 minutes, crossing the Wairau river to stop off the roundabout at Tuamarina to visit the memorial to the Wairau Affray of 1843 and a glimpse of the country’s often violent colonial past.

From Tuamarina, head back the way you came and turn right onto Rapaura Road at Spring Creek where a number of wineries have their cellar doors. We suggest the pan-regional Saint Clair and idiosyncratic Rock Ferry on the way to a tasting and lunch at Cloudy Bay on Jacksons Road. One of Marlborough’s flagship brands, owned by French luxury goods giant LVMH, its cellar door will impress even the most corporate-cynical.

From Cloudy Bay, get back onto Rapaura Road and head west (and then south) to Renwick. There are many wineries on this stretch, so how many you have time for will depend on how long that lunch was.

The proudly organic Te Whare Ra is one of Marlborough’s must-visit wineries and Framingham has a well-deserved reputation for its Rieslings. Hans Herzog produces a range of unexpected varieties and wines, while Huia is an unsung gem. Bubbles fans can stop in at No1 Family Estate, while Nautilus provides a glimpse into day 2 as some of its fruit (in particular its Pinot Noir) is sourced from the Southern Valleys sub-region. And the excellent Fromm is near the airport on your 11-minute drive back to Blenheim.

Day two: Southern Valleys from Blenheim

Fuel up for the day at Burleigh Gourmet Pies, a Marlborough landmark on the southwestern edge of Blenheim town – try the signature pork belly pie. Then, just a few hundred metres west along New Renwick Road is the turn-off for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre (see ‘address book’, below), which includes Sir Peter Jackson’s impressive collection of World War I aircraft.

Back on New Renwick Road and the turn-off south to Auntsfield marks the first stop on our Southern Valleys wine tour where wind-blown loess has settled in the valleys and provided the clay so essential to its Pinot Noir.

Brancott Valley is the next one along and, although there are no major cellar doors, a number of producers source fruit from here, and Dog Point sits at the base of the ridge that separates Brancott Valley from Omaka Valley. At the head of the Brancott Valley lie two vineyards with stellar reputations: Clayvin, now part of Giesen, and The Wrekin. The latter’s excellent organic fruit is used by numerous brands and highlighted on their wine labels, from one-man-band outfits to the more established Jules Taylor Wines.

Back onto the New Renwick Road again and continuing onto Dog Point Road, Omaka Valley is the next one along, and here you’ll find the must-visit Greywacke – make sure you book an appointment-only, no-charge tasting in advance (weekdays 11am or 2pm) by emailing through the website.

Drive back up towards Renwick to take the SH63 west a short distance before ducking down to the more expansive Waihopai Valley. Once home to the New Zealand government’s not-so-secret satellite listening facility (the huge white domes have since been dismantled, although the facility is still in operation), it also houses Spy Valley Wines and Churton – both well worth a visit, although Churton is by appointment only.

Finally, call in at nearby Clos Henri, which is owned by the Bourgeois family from Sancerre in the Loire, before heading back to Blenheim.

Day three: Picton, Nelson, Marlborough Sounds

Time to head into the locals’ playground: the stunning Marlborough Sounds. Drive up to Picton with a quick stop at Johanneshof cellar door on the way. Once in town, park the car, check the ferry timetable and stop in at Toastie for a snack while you wait. There is a range of truly breathtaking resorts and lodges throughout the Sounds, each of which offers a variety of activities, but Punga Cove, Bay of Many Coves Resort and Furneaux Lodge are among those recommended.

The more adventurous early-riser might want to combine this leg with a spot of guided kayaking or a stint on the Queen Charlotte Track, a 71km-long walking and biking track running from Anakiwa, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound in the south (about 30 minutes’ drive from Picton) to Meretoto/Ship Cove in the north of the Sounds. A local operator such as Wilderness Guides should steer you in the right direction.

Once you’ve chosen your activity, board the ferry, or bike, walk or paddle your way to your chosen destination. Then, whether you’ve hiked, paddled, snorkeled, sailed or cycled – or merely strolled the jetty – it’s time to sit back and relax with a glass of Marlborough wine.

How to get there

If you already have your own vehicle, Cook Strait ferries run between Wellington and Picton, the journey time being around 3.5 hours; otherwise it’s a 300km (4-4.5 hour) scenic drive from Christchurch. Otherwise, hire a car after arriving into Marlborough Airport Blenheim: Air New Zealand flies from Auckland and Wellington, and Sounds Air runs limited services from Christchurch, Wellington and Paraparaumu.

Your Marlborough address book

Accommodation

14th Lane

Ideally located in central Blenheim. Formerly The Builder’s Arms, the views aren’t great and it boasts no restaurant or bar, but the rooms more than compensate.

Furneaux Lodge

Tucked all the way up in the stunning Marlborough Sounds, just over the hill from Captain Cook’s favourite NZ anchorage, this place is as magical in the rain as it is in the sun.

Hotel d’Urville

Full of character, both inside and out, the rear bar flows into an outside area which doesn’t quite match the inside vibe but is surprisingly comfortable on summer evenings.

Restaurants & cafés

Arbour

The fine-dining Marlborough experience on everyone’s lips, winemakers included. Named NZ’s Best Regional Restaurant in 2022 by Cuisine, it also has a coveted ‘two hats’ rating from the food and drink lifestyle publication.

Frank’s Oyster Bar and Eatery

Another restaurant that comes recommended by local winemakers, you’ll find this one in central Blenheim.

The Store

In Kekerengu, a 50-minute drive south of Blenheim on SH1, its sweeping vistas across a wild coastline make it well worth the stop on the way to Christchurch.

Things to do

Festivals

The summer months of January, February and March respectively feature the Picton Maritime Festival, the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival and the Havelock Mussel and Seafood Festival.

Marlborough Farmers Market

Held on Sundays at Blenheim’s A&P showgrounds, this is a great way to enjoy a range of regional produce with a minimum of travel.

Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre

A must-visit for historic aircraft enthusiasts, or for an extra-special occasion, this renowned aviation museum at Blenheim offers the chance to book a flight on a fully restored World War II-era Avro Anson – a package starting at NZ$990 (£475) per person including a 25-minute flight. Or a 20-minute flight in a Boeing Stearman biplane, costing NZ$395 (£189) for one or two people.

Love NZ Sauvignon?

See our January 2024 issue (on sale from Wednesday 3 January 2024) for an extensive panel tasting of more than 200 current-release New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, with notes and scores by judges Roger Jones, Freddy Bulmer and Cat Lomax.

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Despite New Zealand aromatic whites being part of the wine industry for more than 100 years in some cases, those beyond Sauvignon Blanc have not been taken seriously until quite recently.

Scroll down for 20 top New Zealand aromatic whites to seek out

Gewürztraminer was planted about 60 years ago and, according to Rebecca Gibb MW, author of The Wines of New Zealand, there are records of Chenin Blanc from the early 1900s.

Pinot Gris, she adds, in an introduction to a 2018 Decanter panel tasting, ‘was praised as long ago as 1906 by the country’s first viticulturalist, Romeo Bragato, though it would take another century for its star to rise’.

Today, while the area under vine of Pinot Gris represents only about 10% that of Sauvignon Blanc, with 2,786ha in 2022, according to New Zealand Wine Growers, it is close to overtaking Chardonnay as the country’s second most planted white grape.

Aromatic and semi-aromatic varieties grow across all 10 of New Zealand’s Geographical Indications (GIs) for wine. No single region dominates, however some have more affinity with certain grapes than others, such as Riesling in Marlborough, Central Otago and Canterbury (such as those of Pegasus Bay), and Pinot Gris and Riesling in Wairarapa.

Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne are relative newcomers, but each shows great promise.

Styles and seeking them out

While New Zealand can make excellent dry Rieslings and Pinot Gris, most have a touch of residual sugar. This is specifically for balance and length, some with just enough sweetness to notice without compromising the tautness and impact of acidity.

Thanks to the climate, it is easy for growers to achieve full fruit and flavour development in the grapes, so forcing wines into a European style – dry German Riesling or Italian Pinot Grigio, for example – makes little sense.

Equally, while winemakers are stretching the boundaries by exploring the use of amphoras, older barrels and fine lees for texture and complexity with aromatic whites, traditional techniques prevail – certainly in those wines looking for broad consumer appeal.

Unwelcome rain and the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, aside, there are many excellent aromatic whites to discover from recent vintages – though volumes are down. In 2022, Riesling was just 1% of the total harvest and Pinot Gris 5.9% – and the 2023 vintage is even less.

With Sauvignon Blanc still dominating plantings and consequently the export market, aromatic whites are often hard to find. Pinot Gris will be your best bet, with 8.9 million litres exported in 2022 compared to just 89,000 litres each of Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

The recent free-trade agreement with the UK and EU also means pathways to market for many New Zealand producers are now more open, and wine lovers should soon see a broader, more serious selection on retailer shelves and quality wine lists.

Pinot Gris around the regions

Focusing on Pinot Gris, the aromatic variety with the widest planting across New Zealand, here’s a rough guide of the styles you can expect – though vintage, vineyard site and individual winemaker style means no two wines will taste the same.

• Northland Wines of weight, purity, minerality and finesse from a warm, dry climate and clay and volcanic substrate soils.
• Auckland (Ponui and Waiheke Islands) Spicy, weighty wines grown in a warm, dry climate on a mix of yellow-brown earths, greywacke and mudstone siliceous rocks.
• Gisborne Wines of purity and richness thanks to high sunshine hours and dry farming on clay, loam and limestone soils.
• Hawke’s Bay (Bridge Pa Triangle) A diverse range of styles, the best of which have purity of fruit, complexity and exacting varietal lift. There are multiple soil types, from coastal weathered rocks to gravel, loams and ruddy clay soils.
• Wairarapa Concentrated, powerful wines, benefiting from low rainfall, high UV light and cool nights, plus a diverse range of soils.
• Marlborough Crunchy, fresh wines with natural spice and purity, from a warm, temperate climate and diverse soils, from stony outcrops in Awatere, clay in the hills to the free-draining soils of the valley floor.
• North Canterbury (Waipara) Pure, mineral, highly aromatic, terroir-driven wines from a dry, warm region with gravel, clay and limestone soils.
• Central Otago Ruggedly powerful, spicy, intense wines thanks to a continental climate and vineyards at elevation on hard schist and quartz soils with some glacial deposits.

New Zealand aromatic whites: 20 exciting wines to try

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New figures from trade group New Zealand Winegrowers show that annual exports of New Zealand wine surged to NZ$2.4bn (£1.17bn) in the year to May 2023.

That was largely down to the ongoing demand for the idiosyncratic flavours that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc offers.

It has long been a staple of UK supermarket shelves and restaurant lists, but is now beginning to conquer America too.

‘New Zealand wine, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, is going from strength to strength in the USA, as consumers appreciate the distinctive flavours, commitment to quality, and know it is a unique product that they can trust,’ said Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers.

Despite only accounting for 1% of global wine production, New Zealand was the world’s sixth largest wine exporter by value in 2022, according to the group.

The largest export markets are the United States, the UK and Australia, which account for the bulk of sales.

‘Reaching another new record level of wine exports into some of the world’s largest and most competitive markets is an outstanding achievement for New Zealand wine exporters, and testifies to the increasingly strong global demand for our wines,’ added Gregan.

The 2023 vintage was down 6% compared to the record-breaking levels seen in 2022, but producers reported that growing conditions were better on the South Island. By contrast, unprecedented wet weather made the season tough for regions in the North Island.

New Zealand – which famously shut itself off from the outside world during the pandemic – is also hoping for a tourism boost now that worldwide Covid-19 restrictions have eased.

‘Cellar doors are busy showcasing all that our unique wine regions have to offer, and alongside domestic holidaymakers, international tourists will be a welcome support for wine businesses,’ said Gregan.

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Overall the 2022 growing season in the Loire was marked by some periods of extreme heat and drought during the summer, but rain in August made a big difference and grapes were generally very healthy.

Quantities vary considerably depending on April frost damage and whether the later drought spells blocked grape maturity, which would have been dependent on soil type, the age of the vines and producers who encourage their vines to develop deep roots by avoiding the use of chemical herbicides.

‘2022 is a very good quality vintage across the board. Some are hailing it as one of the great years – time will tell.’

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Jim Budd’s top 30 Loire whites of 2022 and 2021

Top white producers of 2022 and 2021:

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups – Montlouis and Vin de France (Vouvray)

Domaine Luneau-Papin – Muscadet Sèvre et Maine

Domaine Merlin-Cherrier – Sancerre

Domaine Ogereau – Anjou

Vincent Pinard – Sancerre

Pays Nantais

There were early April frosts here, as François Lieubeau, of Famille Lieubeau, explains: ‘Four nights of frost from 31 March to 4 April, with temperatures below -3.5C, once again kept us on our toes.’ Fortunately, there was much less damage than in the previous year – in part because bud-break was in its early stages and because it was dry, so there was less humidity to form ice around the fragile buds. Frost protection systems are also increasingly effective, and investment in wind machines has increased markedly since 2016.

The summer was very dry with rainfall down by 30% on the 10 year average. However, fortunately rain finally arrived in mid-August just before the harvest and in time to make a difference. The Ban de Vendanges was given for 23 August, which is very early.

Lieubeau sums up: ‘With ideal natural alcohol levels (a final average of 12%) and grapes in impeccable health, 2022 will go down as a solar year with outstanding quality and beautiful balance.’

Due to the drought, yields were not sufficient to replenish stocks after the very short, frost-affected 2021 vintage.

Anjou-Saumur

As with elsewhere in the Loire, drought and extreme summer heat were the dominant factors in the Anjou-Saumur area, as Ivan Massonnat, of Domaine Belargus, recounts: ‘From the month of May rain was rare. It was so dry that there was a major fire on the north side of the Layon on 9 August. The miracle of 2022 was the very welcome return of some rain on 15 August – just in time to make a significant difference.’

The rain allowed producers to make very good dry whites. Further small quantities of rain in October provoked the development of botrytis, enabling the production of fine sweet wines, too.

Touraine

Fortunately, although there were some very early April frosts they didn’t have serious consequences overall. That being said, western Touraine was affected, for example in parts of Chinon, as bud-break was further advanced than in eastern Touraine where the nascent buds still had their protective cover.

As with elsewhere, the picking started early: in August for some varieties and wine styles, especially Chardonnay for sparkling wines. Vouvray was able to make all styles from sparkling through to sweet.

I tasted some very attractive Sauvignon Blanc, for example, from Clos Roussely, Domaine Beauséjour and Domaine Mérieau.

Centre & Upper Loire

The winter was mild with above average temperatures in the Centre and Upper Loire area. In early April there were two periods of frost, which could have had severe consequences as during the night of 3 April temperatures fell as low as -6C. Fortunately, bud-break hadn’t properly started and there was very little humidity. Flowering was very early, starting at the end of May.

Picking started in Menetou-Salon and Reuilly on 25 August and between 5-10 September for the rest of the central vineyard appellations.

The Sauvignon Blancs are concentrated with ripe fruit notes – grapefruit, pineapple and stone fruits – and despite the heat of the summer the wines have enough acidity, although naturally less marked than the 2021 vintage.

There are some very good 2022 Sauvignon Blancs. At this stage the overall quality of Sancerre is more regular than Pouilly-Fumé. However, in both appellations there are some prestige cuvées that would have benefitted from more time on their lees but there may have been pressure to bottle given the small 2021 vintage.

See all 51 of Jim Budd’s recommended Loire whites from 2022 and 2021

Top value whites of 2021 and 2021:

Cellier du Beaujardin, Salamandre, Touraine 2022

Domaine Beauséjour, Les Silex, Touraine 2022

Domaine de la Tourmaline, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2022

Domaine de Villargeau, Coteaux du Giennois 2022

Domaine des Forges, Vignoble Branchereau, Coteaux du Layon, Chaume 1er Cru 2021

Loire white wines: know your vintages

Since 2014, the Loire has been blessed with an unprecedented series of good to great vintages.

2018

Hailed as a great vintage, which generally combined quality and quantity, although the alcohols on some whites are very high. 5/5.

2019

This is another good-quality vintage, although frost-affected, with attractive wines that are drinking well now with more freshness than 2018 but with the potential to age well. 4/5.

2020

Another hot vintage with many good, concentrated wines but also some that lack freshness and zip. 4/5.

2021

A cold spring with severe early April frosts led to a return to a more traditional Loire vintage, with picking starting considerably later than many of the recent vintages and more marked acidity in the wines. Despite some early doubts there are some lovely whites, though quality is variable and volume severely down. This is a vintage that reveals the quality of the producer. 4/5.

2022

This is a very good vintage, possibly one of the best, but more time is needed to judge. Overall it is a success for both Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc with well-balanced wines having both concentration and freshness, although there are a few flabby wines lacking acidity. 5/5.

Jim Budd’s top Loire whites from 2022 and 2021:

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Peter Richards MW, Ben Gubbins and Dirceu Vianna Junior MW tasted 78 wines with 3 Outstanding and 11 Highly recommended.

Chilean Sauvignon Blanc: Panel tasting scores

78 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 3

Highly recommended 11

Recommended 28

Commended 15

Fair 18

Poor 3

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their 100% Sauvignon Blanc still white wines in the price range £10-£30 in the UK

Let’s start with the positives. Six of the 14 wines scoring 90 points or above here came from San Antonio or Leyda – regions that earned plaudits from this tasting. Judge Ben Gubbins also noted the ‘promise’ offered by Osorno in the south.

In general, the diversity of origins in the top-scoring wines was notable in this tasting, with quality to be found from Atacama and Limarí in the north to Malleco and Osorno in the deep south. The latter regions tended to deliver understated aromas yet intense palate profiles, while Atacama and Limarí majored on peppery, almost saline characters and great vibrancy.

The best Sauvignons from coastal terroirs such as Leyda, San Antonio, Casablanca and Aconcagua combined aromatic lift with structure and layers of flavour.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting

What didn’t find favour with judges were the bland styles of Sauvignon emanating from the Central Valley. ‘Why bother keeping on making Sauvignon in the Central Valley?!’ bemoaned Gubbins, while Dirceu Vianna Junior MW identified Curicó as a particular culprit in this regard.

Stylistically, the wines fell into three broad camps. There were the neutral styles mentioned above – Sauvignon for Pinot Grigio lovers, you might say, gluggable yet forgettable. Then there was a raft of zingy, tangy wines, clearly picked early and majoring on freshness, many of which ultimately proved lean and simplistic. Finally, the best wines: picked neither too early nor too late, with freshness and complexity, and often some ambition evident in the winemaking (for example, use of concrete eggs, discreet oak or intelligent work with the lees).

‘There were some good wines,’ was Vianna’s ultimate verdict, ‘from people who showed ambition, with lower yields or judicious oak.’ Gubbins commented: ‘Some producers are overcompensating, picking early for freshness but it can often prove sour, tart and shrill.’ Judges also picked up on the ability of the best wines to age and develop. ‘If the wines are made well, they can age nicely,’ said Vianna, who was ‘pleasantly surprised by some of the older vintages’. Gubbins added that wineries should consider library releases for top wines.

See all 42 wines from the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting

Given all of this, it’s clear that finding a good producer is the key when it comes to getting the best out of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon is Chile’s second most planted wine grape, so it’s inevitable there will be variability in quality. As Vianna commented: ‘There were a lot of ordinary wines.’

Consistency across the board is clearly not a feature of this category, with too many bland or simplistic wines. In short, it’s worth doing your homework to find quality and value.

It’s clear that improvements need to be made in the engine room of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. Yet those doing a laudable job are showing the way – proving that with good plant material in well-suited, cool sites and sensitive, ambitious winemaking, Sauvignon Blanc can shine in Chile. That this tasting was an improvement over the last such tasting in 2018 is a sign that progress is possible.

Chilean Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting scores

The judges

Peter Richards MW is the DWWA Regional Chair for Chile. An awarded broadcaster and writer with a focus on Chilean wine, he is co-creator and presenter of wine and travel series The Wild Side of Wine on winemasters.tv and, with his wife Susie Barrie MW, he co-hosts the chart-topping Wine Blast podcast.

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013.

Dirceu Vianna Junior MW is a wine writer, consultant and educator. Moving to the UK from Brazil in 1989, he was a director at some of the UK’s top distributors, becoming a Master of Wine in 2008, then co-authoring the awarded Portuguese- language book Conheça Vinhos (‘Understanding Wine’, Editora Senac).

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With the close of the 2022 Bordeaux en primeur campaign last week, collectors now await the châteaux to reveal their prices. Meanwhile, demand for the 2021 Burgundies remains very strong thanks to an unusually small harvest.

Top-tier Bordeaux and white Burgundy are among the world’s most expensive wine investments – the majority of which trade perpetually on the secondary market and rarely enjoyed. Or if you do buy to drink them, you need to wait a good five to 10 years from the vintage.

Not so Margaret River in Western Australia, home to superlative Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant reds as well as Sauvignon Blanc–Semillon blends that are delicious drinking on release but which also age gracefully for 20, 30 or more years. And not to mention a mere fraction of the price of their French counterparts.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 14 Margaret River icon wines from top vintages

This was aptly demonstrated at a tasting entitled ‘Wild, Windswept & World Class’, where winemakers from seven renowned Margaret River estates joined in virtually to showcase one of their cuvées from two heralded vintages.

Five winemakers selected their 2018 and 2010 vintages. Keith Mugford and Moss Wood’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Vanya Cullen with Cullen Wines’ Diana Madeline, Tim Lovett with Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Chardonnay, Virginia Willcock and Vasse Felix’s Heytesbury Chardonnay and Glenn Goodall and Xanadu’s Reserve Chardonnay.

Goodall said that while it was inevitable that consumers – and winemakers themselves – would look for similarities or differences between Margaret River Chardonnay and those from the grape’s French homeland, it wasn’t always useful. ‘Burgundy is so diverse,’ he said of the styles and appellations. ‘There are so many ways you can compare and contrast, so it’s far more relevant that we look at ourselves.’

He said a classic Margaret River Chardonnay would showcase ‘purity and clarity of fruit, crisp acidity and saline minerality in youth, then with age opens up with savoury characters at 20 years and tertiary ones at 30 years’.

Bordeaux-style reds and whites

For his Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon pair, Julian Langworthy of Deep Woods chose 2018 too, but wanted to single out the 2014, which won the Jimmy Watson trophy for Australia’s top young red wine.

Describing his earlier career, when working a stage at Bordeaux first-growth Château Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan, Langworthy said: ‘I mainly ate foie gras and did a few pump overs. But I learnt a lot. I learnt that we have something very special in Margaret River, especially with Cabernet Sauvignon. We are capable of making, if not already making, some of the world’s best Cabernets.’

Indeed, Vanya Cullen admitted that if she had her time over she would focus solely on Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines, as the grape delivered such a ‘pure expression of site’.

Luke Joliffe of Stella Bella, meanwhile, highlighted the 2019 and 2014 vintages of his structured yet fleshy Suckfizzle Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon. ‘It’s always very Sauvignon Blanc dominant to start – lime and zesty, crunchy fruit,’ he said. ‘But with time the Semillon starts to sing. It’s critical to the longevity of the wine, and gives that toasty, praline, brioche note.’

Four top vintages

Margaret River’s unique coastal location between the Indian and Southern Oceans moderates temperatures more than the heat spikes experienced in the eastern states, meaning growing seasons here are remarkably consistent. This combination of Mediterranean climate and maritime influence ensures grapes achieve physiological ripeness in almost every vintage.

The 2018 vintage is considered the best of the past decade for Cabernet Sauvignon in particular. Not only was there a ‘mega blossom’ of Marri trees, whose abundant pollen lured the birds away from the grapes, but a long, dry, warm summer ensured perfect ripening, fine tannins and bright acidity.

There was a similarly dry, warm growing season in 2010, ending with a late and extended cool harvest, that delivered fresh natural acidity and fruit intensity, especially in the Chardonnays.

An excellent growing season in 2014 – another year with abundant Marri blossom reducing bird damage – saw great elegance and aromatic intensity in Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blends and ageworthy reds with balanced tannins.

Disease pressure made the long, late, cooler 2019 vintage trickier for growers, but those who managed the conditions delivered white wines similar to those in 2017, with vibrant flavour expression and crisp acidity.

Margaret River icon wines from top vintages

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Sauvignon Blanc will be celebrated the world over on 5 May. While the grape’s origins point to the Loire and Bordeaux, it has developed an iconic reputation among vineyards around the globe, not least in New Zealand and also South Africa, Australia and the US.

From the valley floors of Napa to a legendary Russian River vineyard, the white Bordeaux variety is a rising star in California.

Scroll down to see 15 California Sauvignon Blancs to try

There are many reasons for Sauvignon Blanc’s success in the state. Perhaps most importantly, California’s winemakers are excited about new styles and approaches to a grape that suits Napa, right down to its roots.

‘Winemakers have been crafting these wines for years,’ says Matt Sands of Napa’s New Frontier Wine Co. ‘Yet they are getting more innovative with each vintage: picking earlier and borrowing techniques from around the world to express the variety differently.’

There is no denying the growth in the variety. In some cases, as estates recovered after the Glass or Atlas fires, many of them grafted over to Sauvignon Blanc where before there were Chardonnay or even Cabernet vines.

The famed Ritchie Vineyard in Russian River is considered one of California’s ‘grand cru’ sites by many when it comes to Chardonnay. Its Sauvignon Blanc, however, is equally complex, and Matt Sands now purchases the majority of it for the New Frontier Waypoint label.

There is undoubtedly a ‘prototypical California Sauvignon Blanc’ that producers and consumers seem to be moving away from.

Ehlers Estate winemaker Laura Díaz Muñoz believes these new approaches will lead to more complex wines of nuance. ‘There’s a desire to make more complex and mineral-style wines over tropical and crispy bombs.’

Approaches to winemaking, along with wine growing and new clones are driving complexity and nuance.

‘I’m replanting a block of Sauvignon Blanc clone 376 just to add more complexity and minerality, with an acidic finish to the blend in the future,’ says Díaz Muñoz. ‘Napa mostly uses Clone 1 Sauvignon Blanc, which is aromatically distinctive, fruitier, and more tropical. Napa Sauvignon Blanc can be fruiter in the finish and less mineral or savoury.’

As Napa seeks to make a wine more stylistically like those found in Sancerre or Bordeaux, clonal diversity and vineyard decisions will be significant drivers. However, winemaking techniques are crucial to making wines of complexity.

‘You’re seeing people using more oak combinations with some used oak and a good deal of new, as well as the use of concrete vessels to give the wines some oxygen. These contribute to building body and mouthfeel and enhancing the wine’s aromas,’ Díaz Muñoz says. ‘Longer ageing sur lie is also beneficial and something winemakers are embracing.’

These emerging Sauvignon Blancs are beguiling, delicious and worthy of celebration on any day.

15 California Sauvignon Blancs to explore

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This year marks 50 years since vines were first planted on a commercial scale in New Zealand’s Marlborough region.

While now synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc, the perceived wisdom at the time was that the South Island too cold for the variety. So it wasn’t until two years later, in 1975, that growers replaced those original Germanic and fortified varieties.

And then, in 1979, Montana Wines (renamed Brancott Estate by parent company Pernod-Ricard in 2010) released the first Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 15 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 wines – all under £20

‘It was a ground-breaking, direction-changing moment that changed the fortunes of the New Zealand Wine industry,’ Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers, told Decanter at the country’s recent annual trade tasting in London.

‘We have a variety, and a place, and a people and a culture – an open-mindedness to innovation and a confidence in being uniquely New Zealand. When you get all that right in the moment, as Marlborough did with Sauvignon Blanc, then it sets you apart.’

Jamie Marfell, chief winemaker of Brancott Estate and sister winery Stoneleigh, has worked 32 of the 50 years that vines have been planted in Marlborough and has seen the style of Sauvignon Blanc evolve considerably.

‘What we thought was good in the past – picking early, aiming for 11% alcohol, focusing on greener notes – is not what we aim for now,’ he says. ‘Back then we were worried about acidity – even deacidifying – now it is the opposite: acidity is our gold when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc.

‘Now we pick riper, looking for around 13%, and with that natural acidity and alcohol all you need to do is tweak the residual sugar – just one or two grams – to get the perfect mouthfeel, texture and richness without losing any of that aromatic purity.’

Sustainability over sub-regions

This evolution in style has come hand-in-hand with investment in the vineyard, particularly in replanting older vineyards.

This is key, says Marfell, given the price of land in Marlborough: 50 years ago it was between NZ$80 and NZ$120 a hectare, now it is NZ$400,000 a hectare, with much of the viable vineyard pockets already planted out.

The focus on regenerative farming has seen New Zealand become one of the greenest winemaking countries in the world, with 96% of its vineyards certified sustainable, 10% of those also certified organic and several biodynamic.

Producers have been quick to promote this on wine labels far more readily than identifying sub-regions or single vineyards.

‘It’s safe and simple being Marlborough,’ says Natalie Christensen, chief winemaker of Yealands, explaining that not only is it a brand in itself, with instant global recognition, but producers can blend within the Marlborough sub-regions when vintages are difficult.

‘For consumers, brands still come first. We like to think people know all about sub-regions and single vineyards, but there is a long way to go.

‘Putting a sub-appellation on the label is useful to celebrate it – to be proud of the unique qualities of a certain vineyard or area. And yes, that certainly helps as part of consumer education, which is important. But widespread sub-regionality will take time.’

Varied Marlborough Sauvignon styles

Awatere is the most distinctive of Marlborough’s sub-regions, lending herbaceous, nettle and tomato leaf aromas and flavours to its Sauvignon Blancs. In general, Wairau is what many might call the ‘classic’ Marlborough style, with punchy tropical and passion fruit tones, while the Southern Valleys offer more of a gooseberry, citrus and melon spectrum.

While most wines are purchased and enjoyed within a year or so of the vintage, aged Sauvignon Blanc releases are increasingly common, showcasing nutty, earthy almost truffle-like notes that offer exciting food-pairing opportunities. Brancott Estate’s Chosen Rows 2015 and 2013, as well as Jackson Estate’s 2017 Somerset Sauvignon Blanc are characterful examples.

Partially barrel fermented and/or matured wines are another particular style (along with those fermented with wild yeasts) which some argue masks the purity of fruit for which Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has become famous. Several new releases tasted, however, were successful, such as Greywacke’s Wild Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Vineyard Productions’ Spoke Resolute 2021 and Saint Clair Family Estate’s Barrique 2020.

The following 15 Sauvignon Blancs from the 2022 vintage – all under £20 – are a selection of more than 50 tasted at the New Zealand Annual Trade Tasting in London.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022: 15 wines under £20

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Favia will get a new winery as part of the move from its base in Coombsville to a 34.8-hectare (86 acres) vineyard estate in the Oakville American Viticultural Area (AVA).

It’s part of a new partnership agreement between the star husband-and-wife duo behind Favia, winemaker Andy Erickson and viticulturist Annie Favia-Erickson, and their long-standing friends, the Huneeus family, who own the Oakville site and already have a portfolio of wines, including Quintessa.

‘This started as a conversation among friends,’ Erickson told Decanter via email.

He explained the new arrangement ‘means that we now will have equity in the [Oakville] vineyard property, and the Huneeus family will take an equity stake in the Favia wine business’.

He said, ‘It is a great opportunity for Favia to bring our philosophy of farming and winemaking to a broader audience.

‘We have been making wines from both Coombsville and Oakville for almost 20 years.’ He said Favia will ‘continue to produce our Coombsville wines, and have a new source of fruit in Oakville’.

In terms of a timetable for the new winery, Erickson said, ‘We will start interviewing architects and designing this year. If all goes well, we will be in for harvest of 2025.’

Some of the vineyard land has already been planted, and the first of those vines will begin producing fruit this year, allowing the winemaking team to experiment, said Erickson. Most of the new planting work will be finished this year, he added.

On grape varieties, he said, ‘We of course have quite a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon planted, but also Merlot (the soils are well suited in some parts of the vineyard with a clay loam soil).

‘Also Cabernet Franc (our favourite variety in the Valley), a small amount of Petit Verdot, and a decent trial block of Malbec, which I feel is incredibly well-suited to the new climate realities we are facing.

‘We also love Sauvignon Blanc, and will be planting a good amount of that for some white wine.’ Everything has been farmed organically and biodynamically from the start, ‘which is great’, he added.

He said Favia will continue to make all four of its different Napa Valley red wines, as well as a white wine, which it has previously produced. ‘We will only increase production if we can do so at the same quality level or better,’ he added.

Last year, Favia’s Cerro Sur label became a new addition to the Place de Bordeaux’s growing roster of international releases.

Decanter’s Georgie Hindle rated the Cabernet Franc-dominant Cerro Sur 2019 a full 100 points.

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It’s not often that you can say that one estate has been largely responsible for launching a wine region onto the world stage, but if any single winery could be said to have sparked a global demand for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, that producer would have to be Cloudy Bay.

While wines were already being made in Marlborough in the early 1980s, before David Hohnen joined forces with winemaker Kevin Judd to launch Cloudy Bay in 1985, it’s just that they hadn’t yet had much of an impact beyond New Zealand’s borders.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for six Cloudy Bay wines, including the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

Yet within a couple of years of Cloudy Bay’s launch, the country had gained a worldwide reputation as the go-to source for zesty, fruity premium Sauvignon Blanc – and Cloudy Bay had become its standard bearer. Nearly 40 years on from then, and Cloudy Bay is as much in demand as ever.

So what is it that Cloudy Bay has been doing so right for all these years? And, just as important, perhaps, what is it that they do that has helped them maintain their reputation as producers of one of the world’s best Sauvignon Blancs over the course of four decades?

Unlike many Marlborough producers, Cloudy Bay has remained relatively small, sourcing its Sauvignon Blanc grapes from three valleys in the Wairau sub-region. The area enjoys a mild maritime climate, with the heat of the summer sunshine tempered by the cooling breezes blowing in from the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps surprisingly the temperatures here are around half a degree lower, on average, than those of Sancerre.

Greywacke sandstone

While the valley’s soils are quite variable in geological character, Cloudy Bay’s vineyards are largely planted on free-draining alluvial soils with a good scattering of greywacke sandstones. ‘These rocks help to bring yields down,’ says operations winemaker Daniel Sorrell, ‘And this in turn helps us to build concentration and substance in our wines.’

Along with concentration and freshness, Sorrell aims to build a specific fruit profile in his Sauvignon Blancs. ‘We’re not looking for thiols,’ he says ‘as these fall over quickly – within six months of bottling they will have turned into flavours like canned asparagus and cat’s pee. These are definitely characters we’re not looking for in our wines, but we don’t want the other extreme either – that oily, fat style of Sauvignon Blanc with that tropical fruit character.’

Instead, what Sorrell and his colleagues seek out are bright citrus characters, with plenty of citrus and stone fruit notes and a refreshing streak of acidity. Not only do these characters make the wines attractive in their youth, the balance inherent in this profile lends the wines a surprising capacity to age (see the tasting notes below). The Cloudy Bay team are prepared to be pretty ruthless in order to achieve their aims – in some years up to 30% of the fruit harvested doesn’t make the cut and is sold off to be bottled under someone else’s label.

Climate change

One challenge Sorrell and his team are having to meet with increasing frequency is the compression of the harvest cycle in Marlborough. ‘We used to have a far bigger spread in picking dates than we do now,’ explains Sorrell, ‘but now harvest begins earlier because of climate change. We used to start picking Pelorus in March and now we begin in mid-February.

‘And,’ he continues, ‘bad weather now sets in towards the end of harvest, bringing heavy rains with it, so we have to make sure everything is picked beforehand.’

Nevertheless, the Cloudy Bay team are becoming adept at fine tuning both their viticultural techniques and their winemaking to address the exigencies of the changing climate while maintaining the wines’ hallmark elegance.

If there’s one thing wine buffs know about ageing capacity, it’s that Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t make old bones. But while that may be true of the vast majority of cheap, cheerful Sauvignon Blanc on the market, closer examination reveals that under the right conditions, the grape can age – just think of high-quality white Bordeaux, for instance, or the very best wines of Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé.

‘Most Sauvignon Blancs are drunk within a year of bottling,’ Sorrell confirms, ‘but we wanted to show the pedigree of these wines and prove that they really can age.’

To prove it, alongside the new release 2022 (as well as oaked Te Koko and sparkling Pelorus Chardonnay-Pinot Noir), Sorrell opened three other Sauvignon Blancs that, by coincidence were all the winery’s earliest and warmest vintages: 2003, 2006 the current ‘record holder’, the 2019.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon: new releases and some older vintages

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A Sauvignon Blanc-driven blend since its first commercial release with the 2013 vintage, Ornellaia Bianco is produced in tiny quantities by this highly regarded Bolgheri-based estate – from three small vineyards that enjoy cooling sea breezes during the hot summer months.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for an Ornellaia Bianco vertical: 2013-2019

The Bolgheri region is today dominated by world-class red wines based largely on Bordeaux grape varieties. Yet red wines weren’t permitted under the Bolgheri DOC when it was established in 1983; this only came following a regulation change in 1994.

Since then, white wines have been largely overshadowed. It’s somewhat of a rarity, then, to be able to taste a vertical of white wine from the region.

A vertical of Ornellaia Bianco, which is bottled as a Toscana IGT wine, is particularly rare, given the winery has only completed seven vintages and produces no more than 10,000 bottles (around 800 cases) each year.

The reason for the tasting was to celebrate Ornellaia Bianco’s 10th harvest, although we will need to wait a few more years to taste the 2022 vintage.

With plenty of tidbits of vintage information from the ever-eloquent Axel Heinz, estate director at Ornellaia, the wines were lined up and poured in pairs and threes to avoid any getting too warm.

Tasting all seven wines together tells the story of the search for Ornellaia Bianco’s identity. ‘The objective is to make a wine that reflects the sense of place of Ornellaia…but also of Bolgheri,’ said Heinz, admitting that the team has yet to settle on a particular style for the wine.

There’s very little in the way of a common thread between any two vintages, other than the use of Sauvignon Blanc as the base with which to blend (or occasionally not blend) other varietals.

‘There is a link to the past through the use of Sauvignon Blanc,’ commented Heinz, perhaps referring to the white wines made by Bordeaux estates, as well as the use of the variety in the estate’s Poggio alle Gazze, first produced in the 1980s.

Ornellaia Bianco: Year by year

Scroll down to see full tasting notes and scores for all seven wines

2013

‘By vintage 2013 we were ready to make a white Ornellaia that spoke of the place and the name,’ said Heinz.

Ornellaia Bianco 2013 was the first commercial release, with a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Viognier producing just 4,000 bottles.

The individual base wines were fermented in barriques (30% new) with no malolactic fermentation, then aged on the lees for up to 18 months with occasional batonnage. A final three months on steel was completed before blending and bottling.

The large proportion of Viognier gives this warm yet fresh vintage superb aromatics with exotic flashes, but it’s by no means voluptuous.

Heinz described 2013 as, ‘a vintage I would love to see in a few years when we have more accumulated experience with the whites.’

2014

The 2014 vintage was a notoriously wet year, with average temperatures in July and a cool August. ‘There was no ripening going on in August,’ said Heinz. While this affected the red wines of Tuscany, it was good news for white varieties as the grapes were able to preserve aromatic compounds.

For this second vintage of Ornellaia Bianco, the Viognier was reduced to 13%, with 13% Petit Manseng also introduced to the base of Sauvignon Blanc. ‘Because it was a cooler year, it gave us a wider choice of grape variety,’ noted Heinz.

The wine was made in the same way as with 2013 but, thanks to the grape and vintage differences, the finished blend emerges as a more focused, structured, saline and fresh expression.

2015

In 2015, the estate pressed ahead with a wine made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. A very hot July threatened to shut down the ripening process but rain in August cooled things down and gave the grapes a chance to retain freshness.

This has developed a delicious waxy and grilled pineapple character; it’s leesy and rich, yet fresh. Bolder than 2014, it’s perhaps less finessed but carries excellent balance through to the very long, juicy finish.

2016

Conditions in 2016 were cooler but drier than 2015, making an interesting comparison between Ornellaia Bianco’s only two 100% Sauvignon Blanc vintages. For me, the 2016 is the better wine by a small margin, although it trades at a hefty premium to the 2015.

The 2016 is corseted and refined, demonstrating a push-pull between juicy concentration and mineral restraint, suggesting there is much more to come from this wine.

2017

Winemakers up and down Italy know 2017 as the ‘drought year’, although a very warm March was also followed by much cooler weather at the end of April that led to frost in some other parts of Tuscany.

‘2017 was as challenging as one might think for the whites, because of the early harvest,’ said Heinz, explaining that he was still away on holiday when the decision was made to start harvest on 7 August.

Although its reputation precedes it, the vintage was perhaps saved by a drop in temperature during harvest, which Heinz said was actually cooler than during harvest in 2018 and 2019.

The wine lacks the acidity found in the other vintages of Ornellaia Bianco, but this is offset by a focus and richness to the fruit (aided by 9% Viognier), as well as some lovely tangy minerality.

Perhaps as a result of the vintage conditions, ageing time was reduced to no more than 12 months (previously up to 18 months) in order to produce a more aromatic profile. This shorter ageing regime has remained in subsequent vintages.

2018

After a scorching 2017, there was no water stress for the vines in 2018: spring saw three-times the average rainfall. This delayed budbreak, although flowering was actually a week earlier than anticipated due to the higher-than-average spring temperatures.

The season remained wet through to July, which was warm and dry. August was as hot as in 2017 but, crucially, there was a little bit of rain.

The long ripening caused by the wet season led to an extremely protracted harvest, which commenced on 16 August but was not completed until mid-September. ‘We felt comfortable letting the grapes hang,’ noted Heinz, although he confessed that he may have pushed it too far and so ‘inversed the trend’ with the 2019.

As with 2015 and 2016, the comparison between equivalent blends in 2017 and 2018 is interesting: 2018, again a blend of 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier, is bolder and more concentrated, allied to plenty of freshness (yet more suppressed aromas) and with a more three-dimensional quality than 2017.

2019

A cold and wet spring was followed by a very hot and dry summer with just two days of rain at the end of June, which helped to drop the temperature to normal levels, giving ideal conditions for ripening.

Herbal and stony with cut grass, green fruits, and plenty of passion fruit and papaya, this 2019 is a dramatic departure from preceding years but also seems to hark back to the earliest vintages of Ornellaia Bianco – while seeking out a fresher, lighter, more aromatic character.

Heinz and his team certainly worked hard to bring back aromatic finesse following 2018’s subdued aromatic character, picking earlier and introducing a selection of larger barrel sizes.

The Viognier in 2019 was increased to 19% of the blend, the biggest proportion since the first vintage in 2013. Sauvignon Blanc makes up the other 81% of the the 2019 wine.

‘In certain vintages,’ said Heinz, ‘all it takes is a few days and you’ve missed that golden window of opportunity. Viognier is as frustrating as it is magnificent.’ This decision to increase the Viognier component was therefore likely due, at least in part, to ideal weather during harvest.

It will be interesting to see how the winemaking team approach the next few vintages, especially given the tricky growing conditions in 2022.

One interesting development that may inform the future direction towards a more ‘typical’ Bordeaux-style white to match the Bordeaux-inspired Ornellaia rosso is that this year the first small parcel of Sémillon was harvested.

If experimental vinifications go to plan, we could well see this variety joining Sauvignon Blanc in a few years.

Ornellaia Bianco: 2013-2019

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Roger Jones, Melanie Brown and Rebecca Palmer tasted 116 wines, with one Exceptional, five Outstanding and 40 Highly Recommended.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting scores

116 wines tasted

Exceptional 1

Outstanding 5

Highly recommended 40

Recommended 45

Commended 21

Fair 4

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest releases of still white wines made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc from any region in New Zealand

New Zealand wines – particularly Sauvignon Blanc – suffered severe shortages in the 2021 vintage, so it was gratifying to see such a large number entered for this two-day tasting. In our discussions during and following it, we three judges considered regional and vintage differences as well as the range of Sauvignon Blanc styles, notably considering whether there is a lighter, more focused style emerging.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top wines in the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting

Highlights came from Wairarapa on North Island, which showed real quality and refinement, thanks in part to the free-draining alluvial gravels and clay silts of the terraces which produce small, concentrated berries. On South Island, wines from Waipara showcased a fresh, clean style that impressed. Likewise, it was pleasing to see what Central Otago (especially the Bannockburn sub-region) can produce – it is certainly a region to watch.

Marlborough dominated, with the Wairau sub-region a positive. Notably, we questioned whether Marlborough producers were moving away from punchy, fruity styles (that made the region’s name and which many consumers still love) to a more elegant ‘European’ style. Melanie Brown wondered if Marlborough winemakers were ‘scared to own their classic style’, or whether Mother Nature and financial circumstances had forced them into higher yields, thereby producing lighter-styled wines.

See all 116 wines from the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting

Roger Jones considered whether producers were just responding to consumers’ changing palates. ‘Maybe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc drinkers are moving away from old favourites that had oak and big bold flavours? Obviously plenty still enjoy these flavour-packed styles, however as a global Sauvignon Blanc standard, not just within Marlborough, it is pleasing when refinement, quality and depth combine to give a perfect wine.’

‘There’s been lots of hype about the 2021 vintage,’ said Rebecca Palmer. ‘The gross generalisation is that because yields were down then quality was up, almost as if that’s a given. But the relationship between yield and quality isn’t linear. The growing season was stop-start, affected by frost then cool weather at flowering. And hang-time is crucial to the development of aroma and flavour.’

Brown agreed: ‘I do wonder whether this was a factor in the wines submitted here: far too many I’d describe as “decent enough” but lacking the personality and balance we might have hoped for in order to give more Highly recommendeds and Outstandings.’

Due to Covid restrictions, New Zealand only fully opened its borders on 31 July 2022, and has been partially or totally locked down since March 2020. This resulted in few container ships docking, meaning delays of more than three months to take stock out of the country, not to mention the cost hike.

But it is not all doom and gloom. The 2022 vintage is looking promising, shipping should become easier and NZ Sauvignon Blanc will remain a favourite, despite this temporary mid-life crisis. Until the 2022 vintage makes it on to retailer shelves and wine lists, Decanter readers have some excellent wines to try from this panel tasting, showcasing New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at its very best.

Top scoring New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

The judges

Roger Jones is the retired former owner of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn restaurant in Wiltshire. He is now a wine writer, judge and consultant with a particular interest in the hospitality trade, as well as helping charities. He is a DWWA judge, with a focus on New World regions.

Melanie Brown is founder and CEO of Heist Group, which includes New World-focused online wine merchant Specialist Cellars and The Laundry restaurant, Brixton. From New Zealand, she arrived in the UK in 2015 to work as a chef for the likes of Raymond Blanc, Peter Gordon and more.

Rebecca Palmer is associate director of Corney & Barrow, based in the UK, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. She heads up the commercial buying team, covering most world regions. At DWWA 2022 she judged in the New Zealand and USA & Central America categories.

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The 2021 vintage is very small in volume in the Loire, and is markedly different from the unbroken series of fine vintages from 2014 until now.

2021 has been frequently heralded as a return to a more classic style: more noticeable acidity, lower alcohol levels and less opulent, ripe fruit – a return to Loire wines’ famous ‘nervosité’, which is characterised by vibrancy and liveliness.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for 36 top Loire white wines from 2020 and 2021

A tricky growing season

Once again the Loire was hit by April frosts at the start of the month, culminating in the night of 11 April. Spring frosts are always a threat in this northerly wine region but in recent years, spring frosts have become more prevalent – in the past six years, for example, the Loire has been hit by frost in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021.

Instead of being a single devastating night of frost, as was the case in April 1991, the norm has become a series of nights below freezing.

Ivan Massonnat of Domaine Belargus in Anjou said: ‘From the end of March to the beginning of April, our team spent precisely 15 nights standing, fighting alongside our vines. Mother Nature has no schedules: she tested us even more than in previous years. There were too many freezing nights for us to protect our entire vineyard. Day after day, the uninjured areas therefore became increasingly rare, until only the three hectares of Quarts de Chaume remained.’

Sadly, losses of 70% were commonplace in 2021. Unusually, even Sancerre – which normally escapes substantial frost damage due to its steep slopes – was hit severely in 2021, including vineyards on the higher ground.

Fortunately there are now many more frost protection systems in place than there were seven or eight years ago, but the type of frost is often unpredictable.

The cold spring was followed by a poor, wet summer that provoked mildew, adding to the misery inflicted by the frost. Fortunately, September and October were sunny and dry, saving the vintage.

Picking started considerably later than in recent vintages. The Ban des Vendanges – the official start of the harvest period – for Muscadet, which is always among the first to start, was on 15 September in 2021. In comparison, in recent years Muscadet has started in early September or even the latter part of August: the 2020 harvest began on 26 August.

Loire white wine 2021: top producers

At the time of tasing, many wines were yet to be bottled and released

• Claude Lafond
• Domaine Cady
• Domaine des Herbauges
• Famille Bourgeois
• Jean-François Mérieau

Smaller crops but promising quality

Overall, the volume of the 2021 Loire vintage was down 40% on the previous year. It is closer in style to 2013 – an even later vintage which didn’t see the Muscadet picked until 23 September – although it is considerably better and more promising than that poor vintage.

David Vigan, manager at Château du Brueil in Anjou, said: ‘Given the difficult year, the quality of 2021 is astonishingly good. Overall, we were down 50% in volume so we had concentrated fruit in some parcels due to the small crop.’

Jacky Blot of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups had a similar experience: ‘We were down 50% at 19hL/ha but the quality was a nice surprise with good mature grapes.’

The shortage of grapes and the difficult conditions means that some producers will not have made their full range of wines. Jean-Marie Bourgeois, of Famille Bourgeois confirmed, ‘We haven’t made our top cuvées, like Jadis, in 2021.’

Loire white wines 2021: value picks

• Domaine des Herbauges, Fief Guérin Sur Lie, Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 2021
• Joseph de Maistre, Le Prieuré de Saint-Céols, Menetou-Salon 2021
• Domaine Cady, Cheninsolite, Anjou Blanc 2021
• Domaine Jacky Marteau, Touraine 2021
• Desprat Saint-Verny, Chardonnay 809 The Lost Vineyard, Côtes d’Auvergne 2021

With their marked backbone of acidity, well-made 2021 whites should age well provided they have enough fruit to carry and balance the acidity. In particular, there are some very good sweet wines made in Anjou in 2021, including from Quarts de Chaume.

It is in difficult vintages that good producers really come to the fore. Unfortunately it is evident that some 2021s have green fruit and rasping acidity, so you need to buy 2021s with care and expect prices to have risen, due in part to the small vintage but also because of recent substantial increases in the price of glass bottles and cartons.

Know your Loire white vintages

2017: Once again spring frosts reduced the crop, but less severely than 2016. Many very good whites with balance and finesse. 5/5

2018: A rare frost-free, very hot vintage with often high levels of alcohol – some whites just too powerful, heavy and lacking acidity. Large vintage. 3/5

2019: Another frost-affected vintage but it produced brilliantly balanced whites with some producers saying it is the best dry white vintage they have ever made. Will need time to show best but should age extremely well. 5/5

2020: Hot vintage with often concentrated, ripe white wines, some with very high alcohols up to 15%. However, there is more freshness and balance than 2018. Should mature more quickly than 2019s. 4/5.

2021: Most difficult vintage since 2013, with a small crop due to spring frosts, mildew and poor flowering for some varieties. Overall quality better than feared – return to a fresher, more traditional Loire style. There is a big range of quality between producers. 3/5

Jim Budd’s top Loire whites from 2020 and 2021:

While many 2021 Loire whites haven’t been bottled yet, Jim has recommended 13 that are already available, plus 23 2020s – all top picks to drink now.

Related content:

New release Loire reds: the best from 2019 and 2020

New release Loire white wines: the best from 2019 and 2020

Loire alternatives to Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé: expert’s choice

Geneva doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. It’s often used as a first port-of-call on a ski holiday, but with a swan-dotted, marbled blue-green lake – one of the cleanest in Europe; epic views of the Jura mountains and Mont-Blanc; and a quaint cobblestoned old town, this charmingly international city of Michelin stars and hyper-local wine should be more than just a quick pitstop.

Like its neighbours, Switzerland produces great wine. But unlike its neighbours, that wine is rarely exported, making the country – and each of its cantons – exciting for oenophiles and approachable for novices. ‘Only around 2% of Swiss wines ever leave Switzerland,’ says Mikaël Grou, chief sommelier at Beau-Rivage Genève, a historic hotel with one of the largest wine cellars in Geneva, dating back to 1865. ‘It’s even rarer to find the wines of Geneva exported outside the canton because in the other cantons they prefer to drink their local wines.’

Out of the country’s six wine-growing regions, the canton of Geneva is the third largest and is surprisingly diverse.

‘The most produced grapes in Geneva are Chasselas for white and Gamay for red. Historically, those are the easy-drinking wines,’ says Grou.

While Gamay and Chasselas remain the most popular with the locals, especially the older population, ‘international’ varieties like Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Merlot are also now commonly grown in Geneva, as are the ‘newer’ Swiss varieties.

‘In the 1970s, the Swiss started thinking about creating grapes resistant to disease, and they created Gamaret and Garanoir,’ says Grou, both crosses of Gamay and Reichensteiner but with their own distinctive characteristics.

The Swiss tend to drink their wine young (Grou attributes this to historical low-quality production, which changed in the 2000s when entry-level competition from countries like Italy and Spain forced improvements), so it’s not common to find bottles in shops or on menus more than a few years old.

‘There is no cheap Swiss wine, but it’s rare to find hugely expensive Swiss wine,’ says Grou, citing a range of roughly £13 to £37 per bottle. Interestingly, there is no major mark-ups in restaurants because producers essentially keep the price the same for everyone.

‘You will more or less pay the same as in a restaurant, which is something very particular for Switzerland. Maximum, there will be a 20 per cent difference,’ says Grou.

Where To Try Genevan Wine:

Le Caveau de Bacchus

Le Caveau De Bacchus has three wine boutiques in Switzerland; however, its Genevan location is the most extensive with a separate spirits shop; a chic wine bar with over 40 wines by the glass; and labyrinthine, stone cellar packed with Swiss, French, Italian and Spanish finds. Le Caveau de Bacchus’ sommelier consultant Emmanuel Depreux recommends picking up a bottle of the slightly smoky, fruit-forward Garanoir Cuvée Albertine from the nearby women-led Domaine de la Vigne Blanche.

Le Blanc Valet

There’s no shortage of wine bars in Geneva. New to the scene is Le Blanc Valet, a warm and lively pick for Swiss and French wines. There are about ten wines available by the glass, but they change every two weeks, so it’s best to ask for recommendations. While you’re working your way through the multipage wine list, dig into hardy sharing plates of duck confit parmentier and bubbly tartiflette, and end the night with an aromatic prune eau de vie from Distillerie Morard Le Bry in the hills above Montreux.

Les Perrières Cave & Domaine

As one of Switzerland’s largest estates with over 100 hectares, the award-winning Les Perrières has been in the Rochaix family for eight generations. ‘We say we produce vin de cepage, wines that are true to the grape,’ says Frédéric Rochaix of the 17 wines on offer at the postcard-perfect laurel- and wisteria-fringed estate in the village of Peissy. Les Millerands Chasselas de Peissy is a true-to-character, approachable Chasselas with notes of pear and white flowers (pair this with gruyère and vacherin, the two cheeses commonly found in fondue in Geneva), but for something special try the Coteau de Peissy 1er Cru, an interesting blend of Viognier and Pinot Blanc. ‘No French winery would make this blend,’ says Rochaix.

Domaine De La Planta

Spearheaded by twin brothers Frédéric and Jean-David Gaillard, Domaine De La Planta is a midsize winery with 12 hectares and 29 wines. Grab a bottle of their oak-aged Lili Garanoir (‘a favourite of Michelin-starred restaurants,’ according to Jean-David), and go for a picnic among the vines.

Beau-Rivage & Le Chat-Botté

With sensational lake views and an elegant, old-world aesthetic, the antique-filled Beau-Rivage is not only one of the oldest and most luxurious hotels in Geneva, it is also the place to stay for wine-lovers thanks to its dizzyingly impressive wine list and candle-lit wine cellar, the largest of any hotel. It is linked to their Michelin-starred restaurant Le Chat-Botté by the impressive Chef Dominique Gauthier, a master of regional products like pike—pulled right from the lake—and perfumed honey from his own hives. Start the night with a cellar tasting with Grou before heading upstairs for dinner. Grou’s recommendation: pair Gauthier’s rich and juicy pork belly with a Gamaret from Domaine des Balisiers for ‘a bit of vivacity and a bit of tannins.’ The hotel also hosts special wine dinners throughout the year featuring different winemakers and estates from around Switzerland and the world.

Baghera Wines

Launched by two Christie’s alums, the prestigious Baghera Wines is best known as a fine wine auction house with over £81 million in sales since its inception in 2015. Recently, the outfit expanded to include an exclusive boutique and an even-more-exclusive private members club (with just 20 members), housed within Beau-Rivage. While you can’t get into the club without an invite, swing by the bijou boutique for a peek at the rare wines, including some hard-to-find aged Swiss bottles like a 2005 Comtesse Eldegarde Cabernet Franc.

The Details:

Geneva Airport is only 20 minutes from the city centre. There are over 160 weekly flights from the UK via Swiss Air, with fares starting at £54. Semi-private aviation company Aero has also recently started to fly to Geneva from London Farnborough. Travellers can book seats on an ultra-luxe bespoke 16-seat Aero aircraft with rates starting at £1,200.

The famous Swiss efficiency and precision applies to the Swiss Travel System: Pick up a complimentary Geneva Transport Card at your hotel, which grants free city transport including rides on the Mouettes Genevoises, the canary-yellow ferry boats. For more information on Switzerland and Geneva visit the national and local tourism sites.

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Malu Lambert meets the South African producers bringing loacl personality to this fruity favourite.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 site-expressive Sauvignon Blancs from these top South African producers

Tinashe Nyamudoka – Kumusha Wines

‘Kumusha comes from my native language, Shona, and it means your roots, your home, or your origin,’ says Tinashe Nyamudoka, proprietor of the own-label brand. There are eight wines in the range, which includes wines from the Swartland, Slanghoek, Sondagskloof and the Western Cape at large. Nyamudoka started Kumusha Wines in 2017 with the assistance of winemaker friend Attie Louw of Opstal.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Nyamudoka moved to South Africa in 2008. He got his first break polishing cutlery at The Roundhouse restaurant outside Cape Town. Soon he was promoted to waiter and the love affair with wine began. Following a few stints at other restaurants he was appointed as head sommelier at Africa’s most famous restaurant, The Test Kitchen (which closed in late 2021). He juggled his responsibilities there with judging on both local and international competitions. In 2020, he left in order to focus on Kumusha and other projects.

Notably, Nyamudoka is a member of Team ZIM with three other Zimbabwean sommeliers, and Jancis Robinson MW assisted them with crowdfunding to get them to the 2017 and 2018 World Blind Wine Tasting Championships. In 2018, they finished in 14th place, beating both Team USA and Team UK. The documentary Blind Ambition (Third Man Films, 2021) follows their journey. ‘I’m in a constant pursuit of wines that honour their origins,’ Nyamudoka says. ‘We use minimal intervention winemaking to let the wine be free to do the talking.

John Bouwer – Gedeelte Wines

Located in a remote pocket of the West Coast in St Helena Bay you’ll find family-owned Gedeelte Wines in its own tiny appellation. Just 4km from the ocean, the soils are flattened sea sand with a limestone component. The farm was bought in the early 2000s by owner Wimpie Bouwer who planted 6ha of Sauvignon Blanc, adding to the old-vine Barbarossa and Palomino that was already there. Taking over winemaking duties from his father, self-taught John Bouwer says he was already intrigued by Sauvignon when he was aged just 13. ‘I started experimenting with the grapes in small containers, my mother’s stolen four-litre sugar pots…’ A school outing to Stellenbosch stalwart Neethlingshof further inspired him and he’s been ‘hooked ever since’.

The farm’s cellar was built in 1948 after the end of World War II; the wines made here are all matured under a naturally occurring veil of flor. After pressing the Sauvignon Blanc, the juice goes to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. This is when the veil grows thinly over the wine. After a couple of months, the wine is drawn off the flor and is matured in French oak.

‘I believe winemaking is a feeling, an emotional act,’ says Bouwer. ‘We make wine by little interference without conventional cooling – we bargain completely on the veil to protect the wine.’

Matthew Day – Klein Constania

‘Any producer can create a fruit-bomb Sauvignon Blanc that is super-aromatic and pungent,’ says Matthew Day, winemaker at Klein Constantia. ‘The problem with this is that you run the risk of all Sauvignons tasting the same.’

His eyes were opened during a trip to Pascal Jolivet in Sancerre. Jean-Luc Soty, winemaker at the time, showed him six different vineyards that corresponded with six different wines. ‘Our job is that of caretaker,’ says Day. ‘Don’t overcomplicate things and, more importantly, don’t mess it up.’

Day grew up in Johannesburg on a small farm, the pull of the vine drawing him to the Cape after leaving school. He graduated from Stellenbosch University with a BSc in Viticulture & Oenology and from there he worked at various local estates as well as abroad in St-Emilion, Barossa and Napa Valley. It was in 2008 that he landed at Klein Constantia under the guidance of Adam Mason, taking the reins as winemaker in 2012; a high note was being named Tim Atkin MW’s Young Winemaker of the Year for 2016.

Home to renowned sweet wine Vin de Constance, the majority of the production at Klein Constantia is actually Sauvignon Blanc (approximately 50% currently, with more blocks coming into production soon). Among seven iterations of the grape is a collaboration with Pascal Jolivet, called Metis. The estate Sauvignon Blanc 2021 was made from 42 different vineyard parcels, each fermented separately before blending. This was achieved through a custom built tank farm. Day says they ‘have gone completely back to the basics’ with winemaking by working hyper-oxidatively with juice at crush, and 100% wild fermentation.

Carmen Stevens

From a young age Carmen Stevens dreamed of becoming a winemaker, an almost impossible wish in a country that was still in the stranglehold of apartheid. Through sheer grit she was finally accepted to Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute. She graduated in 1995 as the first person of colour to qualify as a winemaker in South Africa, then becoming the assistant winemaker at Distell as well as winemaker for Tukulu Wines. After this, she spent some time at Welmoed Wines, before clinching the title of head winemaker of Amani Vineyards.

In 2011, Naked Wines, a UK online wine retailer and community of member ‘Angels’ who pay to support independent winemakers, launched a campaign to help Stevens kickstart a solo career. It was a startling success, with £120,000- worth of her wine being pre-ordered. In 2014, she launched her eponymous brand, and in 2019 she registered her winery as the first 100% black-owned winery facility in the country.

From her Stellenbosch cellar she produces a number of wines, among them a perennial favourite, the Carmen Stevens Sauvignon Blanc. Since she started her label she has been sourcing fruit for it from the same vineyard, 22-year-old vines grown in the maritime climate of Durbanville on weathered shale. For the 2019 vintage she blended in a wooded portion ‘to take the edge off the acidity’ and won the award for Best Wooded Sauvignon Blanc by local wine authority Winemag.co.za.

‘I love the challenge of working with South African Sauvignon Blanc,’ Stevens says. ‘It’s like a child that demands all the attention. So every morning during fermentation I go and greet the Sauvignon ferments first!’

Elunda Basson – Steenberg

After completing her studies at Stellenbosch University, Elunda Basson worked harvests in both California and Champagne. Upon returning home it was to Franschhoek winery Rickety Bridge for two vintages before embarking on 19 years at the country’s leading alcoholic beverage group Distell. During this tenure Basson worked with Nederburg, The House of JC Le Roux and Pongrácz, before joining Steenberg as cellarmaster in 2019.

‘I approach winemaking by sticking to the basics while still being authentic to the wine’s sense of place,’ says Basson.

And what a place. Located in the foothills of Table Mountain, the Constantia Wine Valley (the oldest wine-producing area in South Africa) has its own particular microclimate. The region receives about 1,000mm of rain per year (more than Sancerre, which averages some 850mm according to climate-data.org), making irrigation unnecessary. The average temperature in Constantia at the height of harvest is about 20°C, and of the 421ha under vine in the region (see constantiawineroute.com), almost half is Sauvignon Blanc. At Steenberg they make the most of this Sauvignon bounty.

‘We pride ourselves on producing several different styles from the same terroir,’ says Basson. To this end she produces four Sauvignons: a sparkling, an estate blend, a wooded version, and The Black Swan, a vineyard selection produced with extended lees contact in tank. There is also the super-premium Magna Carta, which blends Sauvignon and Semillon.

‘We try and vinify each of our blocks separately to allow us the opportunity to select only the very best to go into The Black Swan,’ Basson says. ‘We believe this wine to be the most naked expression of Sauvignon from our farm.’

Rudger Van Wyk – Stark-Condé

‘Wines should always bring you back to the glass. Balance and drinkability are key,’ says winemaker Rudger Van Wyk of Stark-Condé, located in the alpine-like valley of Jonkershoek in Stellenbosch. In a very short time, Van Wyk’s wines have garnered high praise from top critics. He was also awarded the Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year 2018. He grew up in a small town on the Western Cape’s Garden Route – and from there the iconic vines of Stellenbosch beckoned.

He achieved a degree in Viticulture & Oenology from the University of Stellenbosch, and in his fourth year was approached to take part in the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme – an internship programme. Van Wyk landed a prized position at Kanonkop with Abrie Beeslaar. ‘He drove home the mantra of excellence in winemaking,’ says Van Wyk.

Van Wyk also spent some time at Nitida Wine Estate in Durbanville honing his white winemaking skills with a focus on Sauvignon Blanc. In his second year of internship he hopped on a plane to do a harvest in Burgundy, after which he got the job at Stark-Condé.

Stark-Condé is a medium-sized, organic enterprise with vineyard elevations ranging from 150m-600m above sea level. The more premium wines come from lofty sites on the slopes, such as the Round Mountain Sauvignon Blanc: a single vineyard on decomposed granitic soils with an elevation of 400m. He says: ‘At just under 30, the block is almost the same age as myself, so there’s a lot of personality and character flowing through those vines!’

Riandri Visser – Cape Point Vineyards

So obsessed is she with Sauvignon Blanc that Riandri Visser’s dog is called Sauvignon, while her two cats are named Sancerre and Loire. She is the winemaker at Cape Point Vineyards. Set against the slopes of the Chapman’s Peak mountain range, the estate’s granitic soils are planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Gris, the wide blue band of the Atlantic ocean beyond, less than 2km away. Visser says she can smell the ocean in her cellar.

The fascination with Sauvignon kicked off for her when visiting Sancerre after completing her degree. Back on home soil, her first winemaking job was at Tierhoek in the Piekenierskloof, ‘on a small farm in the middle of nowhere’. This was followed by a stint at Tokara in Stellenbosch. ‘After the 2014 harvest, I received a call from Duncan Savage, who was then the winemaker at Cape Point Vineyards, asking if I could come in for an interview,’ she says. The rest is history; she quickly climbed the ropes from assistant winemaker to officially being appointed as winemaker in 2016.

‘When you respect, understand and stay true to terroir, cultivar and vintage, you can capture the wine’s soul,’ says Visser when asked to describe her approach. Going full circle, she now splits her time between South Africa and Pascal Jolivet in Sancerre, where they are working on a project together to showcase Sauvignon Blanc from Coteaux du Giennois as well as a Pouilly-Fumé; both will launch in 2022.

Thys Louw – Diemersdal

Something of a savant with Sauvignon, for more than 25 years now this Durbanville winemaker has been devoted to all possible expressions of the grape. Thys Louw grew up on his family estate, where he says the Louw family has been making wine since 1885. Before settling into his role there, he was mentored at Buitenverwachting in Constantia by great white winemaker Hermann Kirschbaum. As a sixth-generation wine-farmer, Louw says wine has always been a part of his life.

‘I came to work on the farm in 2005 and immediately wanted to make Sauvignon. My father said, “not so fast, you’ve got to show me what you can do”. He gave me eight rows to harvest. Fortunately, I got it right – this is still our Diemersdal Eight Rows and that wine opened the way for me to begin specialising with the grape.’

Diemersdal is a big operation, harvesting close on 3,000 tonnes of grapes with a substantial range of white and red wines, and eight different Sauvignon Blanc offerings, including a Noble Late Harvest sweet wine. ‘Having volumes to work with, I can push boundaries,’ says Louw. Along with the commercial lines, the portfolio also includes idiosyncratic expressions: the Winter Ferment, made in July from Sauvignon Blanc juice frozen at harvest in February, as well as the skin-contact, spontaneous-ferment Wild Horseshoe. Augmenting this is the Diemersdal Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, wine produced near Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island but bottled under the South African brand; and the kingpin, The Journal, an oaked Sauvignon.

John Seccombe – Thorne & Daughters

‘When crushing Sauvignon Blanc during my first harvest, I knew I was exactly where I wanted to be,’ says John Seccombe of Thorne & Daughters, an own-label project he runs with his wife Tasha. This was in 2002 at Newton Johnson Family Vineyards. Since then, he’s worked harvests in England, Languedoc, the Barossa and California. When falling pregnant with their first daughter, the couple headed home to the Cape to raise her. Seccombe took on various gigs at local wineries before starting Thorne & Daughters in 2012 in a corner of Chris Alheit’s cellar near Hermanus.

The wines are now made at Gabriëlskloof, Bot River. For their range of nine wines they source grapes from 15 different growers. The Snakes and Ladders Skurfberg vineyard Sauvignon first made an appearance in 2019. They use archetypes of childhood to name all of their wines. ‘The board game is a good representation of the highs and lows of such an extreme site,’ Seccombe says. ‘It’s at the edge of viability for vineyards and the rainfall is extremely low.

He adds that he never expected to be working with Sauvignon Blanc again, ‘but when I saw the vineyards, I was hooked’, referring to the 27-yearold bush vines located high up in the Citrusdal mountains. So isolated is the vineyard that at harvest time Seccombe and his team pitch tents alongside it to get some sleep in-between picking and transporting. When it comes to winemaking, Seccombe uses his baseline approach of no additives, oxidative juice handling, native yeast, old barrels and full malolactic.

RJ Botha – Kleine Zalze

After graduating from Stellenbosch University, RJ Botha, cellarmaster at Kleine Zalze, had an internship at Château Angélus in Bordeaux. On his return home he took up the post of winemaker at Nitida Wine Farm in 2007, where he truly cut his teeth with Sauvignon Blanc.

In 2010, he was named Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year. Botha has been with Kleine Zalze since 2012, putting in a decade of hard work that saw it named Winery of the Year in the 2021 Platter’s Wine Guide. This was followed by a gold medal at the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon 2021. ‘We’re never going to be New Zealand: South Africa’s strength is the diversity of styles we can achieve with Sauvignon Blanc,’ Botha says.

A huge advocate for the variety, Botha is also the chairman of Sauvignon Blanc SA, the association charged with promoting the category and hosting the annual Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 as well as numerous other events, including the aim of bringing Concours Mondial du Sauvignon to South Africa.

‘Winemaking plays a big role with Sauvignon – it’s not only the vineyard doing the talking,’ emphasises Botha. He employs the most meticulous protective methods to retain the aromas and flavours, with the use of dry ice [to prevent oxidation and preserve freshness] already beginning in the vineyard.

In an ongoing quest for quality, enter Project Z – a set of experimental wines intended to improve the estate’s Vineyard Selection and Family Reserve ranges through the findings. The wines proved too good to blend away into others. New to the Z range is the Sauvignon Blanc 2020, from a shale-rich corner of a vineyard on the estate’s Faure farm.

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On 22 March 2022, the 2019 vintage of Château d’Yquem will be released. This is a later launch than normal, following Pierre Lurton’s announcement last September that the new release would be held back in order to launch LMVH’s new ‘Lighthouse’ project.

At a tasting in London on 9 February 2022, cellarmaster Sandrine Garbay and LVMH’s sales and marketing director, Mathieu Jullien, introduced the new concept, the 2019 vintage, and a range of older vintages for comparison.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Château d’Yquem 2019 plus four older vintages

Making Yquem accessible

The Lighthouse project is yet another initiative attempting to solve the age-old conundrum of how to encourage wine lovers to drink more sweet wine.

The quality of the finest Sauternes, Tokaji or Trockenbeerenauslese is not in doubt, neither is the appeal of the wines, once tasted. The issue is when and how often consumers find the right occasion to open a bottle and discover the nectar within.

LMVH’s new approach is based on the premise that every wine consumer should have the opportunity to taste Yquem once in their lifetime.

The thinking is that youthful Yquem has a hugely appealing charm with sweet, ripe fruit expressed in its most vivid way, so the best time to introduce consumers is when the wine is at its freshest. This approach may not appeal to some sweet wine purists, but the allure of the 2019 vintage was nonetheless very evident at the tasting.

This Lighthouse programme sees Yquem being served by the glass at top restaurants and venues around the world. So far these include Caprice at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong, Cipriani in Venice, and Spago in Beverly Hills. Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Annabel’s, Portland and NoMad are taking part the UK.

Sommeliers are encouraging diners to sample the wine either before or during their meal, rather than at the end. Costing £40-£70 a glass, it will be interesting to see how the initiative pans out.

A change in direction

What was clear from the tasting is that Yquem remains at the pinnacle of the finest sweet wines in the world. Sandrine Garbay, who first joined Yquem as a quality controller in 1994, introduced the 2019, along with the 2017 and its dry sibling Y d’Yquem, before moving on to Yquem 2007, 1999 and 1989.

Garbay emphasised how Yquem has gradually changed from the Alexandre de Lur Saluces days, with maturation in wood reduced from three years in 1989 to just two in 2017 and 2019.

‘Yquem is now more focused on preservation of fruit intensity, making the wine more open when young,’ she said.

The estate has stepped up its drive towards organic viticulture, with the entire estate operating under organic principles from 2020.

Verdict

The 2019 Yquem is hugely impressive and a joy to drink. I have no doubt that any consumer tasting the young wine will remember it, but it remains to be seen whether the Lighthouse approach delivers the benefits anticipated.

In some ways, it seems a shame not to be able to see how Yquem evolves and changes over the decades.

The 2007 vintage was a stunning example of Sauternes at the top of its game, while 1999 showed how good Yquem can be even in a difficult vintage.

1989 provided an insight into a previous era of wine production, yet excited with mellow, mature flavours, while still having the energy to age for another two decades.

See tasting notes and scores for Château d’Yquem 2019 plus four older vintages:

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With the signing off by the Austrian minister of agriculture, sustainability and tourism, Elisabeth Köstinger, Wagram becomes Austria’s seventeenth DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus), following Wachau and Ruster Ausbruch in 2020, and Carnutum in October 2019.

‘This was not an easy nut for the winemakers of the Wagram region to crack,’ said Chris Yorke, CEO of the Austrian wine marketing board, Austrian Wine, ‘but after comprehensive discussions and much thought, the Wagram region is now able to join the DAC family.’

Alongside DAC status, Wagram is adopting a pyramidal quality scheme similar to that followed by other Austrian wine regions, consisting of three categories: Gebietswein (regional-wide wine), Ortswein (village wine) and Riedenwein (single-vineyard wine).

Thirteen grapes may be used to make Gebietswein-level wines: Chardonnay, Frühroter Veltliner, Grauer Burgunder, Grüner Veltliner, Gelber Muskateller, Roter Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Weißburgunder, Riesling, Blauburgunder, St. Laurent, and Zweigelt. Wines may be monovarietal, blends, or Gemischter Satz (field blends).

Only seven varieties are instead allowed to produce Ortswein: Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner, Weißburgunder, Riesling, Blauburgunder, and Zweigelt. These village-level bottling must be monovarietal and should display the name of one of the 27 permitted communes.

Sitting at the top of the quality pyramid, Riedenweine are made with fruit from a single, officially approved vineyard. The category allows for the use of the region’s leading grape varieties only, Grüner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner and Riesling.

Regardless of category, the DAC decrees that all DAC white wines should be dry and show no dominant oak flavours.

Alongside the new protected designation of origin, the amendments of Austria’s wine regulations also affected the country’s sparkling wine (Sekt) and the Kremstal region.

In a bid to ensure that the Austrian origins are clearly communicated to the drinker, labels of the country’s sparkling wines with designation of origin (Sekt g.U.) must now show the terms Sekt Austria, Sekt Austria Reserve, or Sekt Austria Große Reserve. ‘By employing the designation ‘Sekt Austria’ for sparkling wines with all-Austrian origins, we are creating a clear position and profile for these premium wines, which come in three classes,’ explained Yorke.

All Sekt are expected to be made with grapes of Austrian origin, from a single federal state in the case of Sekt Austria and Sekt Austria Reserve, and from a single village or vineyard for the Große Reserve category. Furthermore, Reserve and Große Reserve may only be made through the traditional Champenoise method, with a minimum period of maturation on the lees of 18 and 36 months respectively.

Meanwhile, the Kremstal region gained nine legally defined Ortswein (village) origins: Krems, Stein, Rohrendorf, Gedersdorf, Stratzing, Senftenberg, Furth, Höbenbach, and Krustetten.

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Duckhorn Portfolio said it has acquired about 20 hectares (50 acres) of Napa Valley vineyards via separate deals.

This includes 16ha of the Stanly Ranch vineyard in Los Carneros and the 4ha Red Wing vineyard in St Helena, said the group, listed under the ‘Napa’ ticker on the New York Stock Exchange.

‘As our portfolio has evolved to include 10 renowned luxury wineries, our commitment to having a robust estate vineyard programme continues to be central to ensuring the exceptional quality of our wines,’ said Duckhorn’s CEO and president Alex Ryan.

At Stanly Ranch, Duckhorn said its new vineyards constituted two, 8ha plots planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sitting adjacent to its Migration winery and another 4ha of vines already owned by the group.

‘Featuring Haire clay loam soils and a cool climate influenced by the site’s proximity to San Pablo Bay, The Duckhorn Portfolio’s Stanly Ranch vineyards are ideal for Burgundian varietals,’ said the group.

It plans to use its new vines for Migration’s cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines.

Further north, Duckhorn said it has sourced Sauvignon Blanc from the Red Wing vineyard in St Helena for more than 15 years.

It plans to replace a block of Merlot in the vineyard with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, ‘to support demand for Duckhorn Vineyards’ acclaimed Sauvignon Blanc’.

This wine will also benefit from grapes sourced from the next-door Alton Family Vineyard, after Duckhorn said it has signed a long-term lease deal.

Duckhorn will rename Red Wing the Wolfe Vineyard after the property’s previous owners. It also plans to rename the Stanly Ranch vineyards.

Financial details of the deals were not disclosed.

Duckhorn Portfolio said its estate vineyard programme now includes nearly 121 hectares (298 acres) in Napa Valley.

It said it also has 202 hectares (500 acres) in other north coast California appellations, plus 33 hectares (82 acres) in the Central Coast’s Mt. Harlan appellation and eight hectares (20 acres) at the Longwinds Vineyard on Red Mountain in Washington State.

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What are the key differences between the two well-established sweet wines made with botrytis-infused grapes?

The perfect mesoclimate for botrytis

The smooth onset of botrytis cinerea on white wine grapes requires certain growing conditions. Humidity in the early morning combined with aerated, sunny afternoons in autumn is a must for the fungus to remain benign and develop complex flavours as the berries shrivel to a perfect status.

Needless to say, both Sauternes of south Bordeaux, France and the Tokaj of northeastern Hungary enjoy the ideal terroir for botrytis, allowing the noble fungus to puncture microscopic holes through grape skins and nurture some of the world’s top expressions of these golden, lusciously sweet wines, which are capable of ageing for decades.

In the case of Sauternes, the cooler tributary Ciron feeds into the warmer Garonne, creating misty mornings in its communes and allowing the onset of botrytis in autumn. Meanwhile, the warm, sunny afternoons reduce the moisture and prevent the fungus from going rogue.

Likewise, the Tisza and Bodrog rivers that meet in Tokaj are the reasons behind the foggy autumn mornings that trigger the inception of botrytis, with the sunny and breezy afternoons safeguarding the healthy development of the fungus.

Despite sharing a similar mesoclimate, producers of Sauternes and Tokaji Aszú are using different grape varieties and taking a diverse approach in winemaking to create their own versions of ‘liquid gold’.

Choice of varieties

Sémillon is the primary grape for Sauternes due to its thin skins, which are highly susceptible to botrytis. The grape tends to provide a rich, textured body in addition to beeswax, citrus and honeyed stone fruit flavours to the sweet wine. Sauvignon Blanc is its crucial blending partner, providing fresh acidity and a lift to the palate. Sometimes Muscadelle is also added to provide further aroma complexity.

Furmint, on the other hand, is the diva of the Tokaj wine region. This versatile variety has the ability to go from bone-dry to lusciously sweet, with the high, mineral acidity being its ‘hallmark character’, according to Caroline Gilby MW, wine writer and consultant specialising in Central and Eastern European wines.

Also read: Furmint – A versatile variety to watch

When making Tokaji Aszú, Furmint is ‘typically supported by Hárslevelű and Muscat to add fruitiness and fragrance’, says Gilby.

Production methods

Making naturally botrytized wine can be costly and extremely labour-intensive, as it demands careful, manual selection in the field. The shrivelled berries have to be picked by hand only when they are ready. Also, producers may risk insufficient onset or even no-show of botrytis when the weather condition is less ideal.

The classic production method of Sauternes involves carefully pressing these precious, noble rot-infected berries, before painstakingly going through a slow fermentation process, often in partial or all-new barriques, until the alcohol level reaches around 14%.

Also read: Best Sauternes and Barsac 2020 wines tasted en primeur

Winemakers in Tokaj, however, adopt an ancient, arguably more flexible approach in extracting the botrytis flavours.

In fact, the first written records of the Aszú (the Hungarian word for shrivelled and botrytis-affected berries) method can be traced back to 1571, far before noble rot was recognised as a legitimate method of making sweet wines in France.

‘Sauternes are made from berries that are still juicy and can be pressed and fermented. The Aszú berries, however, are so raisined and dry. If you try to press them, you get a trickle of thick syrup, so sweet it barely ferments at all,’ explains Gilby.

Therefore, in order to extract sweetness and flavours, Aszú producers have to soak the sweet paste of botrytis-influenced, shrivelled berries in either grape juice, young wine or fermenting must. The wine is then aged in barrels under oxidative conditions for at least two years.

Indeed the word ‘Puttony(os)’ used as a unit to describe the sweetness of Tokaji Aszú refers to the bucket traditionally used to collect Aszú berries. Though today the sweetness of Tokaji is no longer measured by the number of Puttonyos added but based on residual sugar, said Gilby.

Read more: What is Aszú and why is it special?

Tell them apart in blind tastings

If we are to blind taste quality Sauternes and Tokaji Aszú, what should we look for to tell them apart? Stephen Brook, contributing editor to Decanter, provides his thoughts.

‘In the past, the various quality levels of Aszú – 3, 4, 5, and 6 Puttonyos – were defined by strict rules requiring minimum levels of residual sugar, acidity, and sugar-free extract. They no longer exist in a rigorous form, so there is now a far greater stylistic variation among Aszú wines. But two trends are discernible,’ says Brook.

‘First, the wines are far sweeter than they used to be. The same is true of Sauternes, but Aszú wines have a much higher acidity, giving them a different character. Moreover, most Aszú wines used to be deliberately oxidative. There was much debate about whether oxidation was intrinsic to Aszú, but today few would argue that case.

‘So Aszú wines are no more likely to be oxidative in style than good Sauternes. In short, it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell the two wines apart, although the higher acidity and raciness of Aszú wines remains a major difference.’

Of all the columns I’ve written this year, this one should have been the easiest to write: open my tasting notes file, sort by year 2021, sort by score, select the top ten highest scoring wines, copy and paste. Go to the pub.

But it’s not that simple. Some wines are technically perfect and undeniably excellent, wines I respect greatly that deserve their high scores – but on a personal level, they leave me a little cold.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ top 10 Rhône wines of 2021

There are others, however, that – despite their flaws, eccentricities or peculiarities – have made an indelible mark, a vivid memory that raises a smile.

Clearly these are the wines that mattered most to me this year, so that’s why they feature on this list.

Far from being a quick piece to rattle off at the end of the year, I luxuriated in recalling each wine as I looked over my notes.

It’s a task, like tidying old photographs, that always takes much longer than it strictly needs to.

How a wine makes its mark

What makes a wine plant a seed in my mind when I taste it, growing into such a vivid memory?

Firstly, it can never be boring. Some wines can be balanced, concentrated and taste of where they come from – yet have little to say.

A genuine fine wine is one we want to talk about and return to, whether it has perfect balance or not. Often a wine makes an impression when it surprises us, or when it reveals something new.

For me, it was the unexpected harmony of a 10-year-old Condrieu, and several wines that transcended their difficult vintages.

These are wines that open doors and suggest new pathways of exploration. What all the wines on this list have in common is that they are not just wines of place; they are more than that.

They are confident enough in themselves to be more than just classic examples of their style. It is this strength of character that makes them so exceptional and so memorable.

Much of this is down to the winemaker. The mantra that ‘wine is made in the vineyard’ gets louder each year. But wine doesn’t make itself, it will always bear the fingerprints of a winemaker, whether they like it or not.

Standing out from the crowd

I’ve been lucky enough to taste some exceptional Cornas this year from some of the the best-known estates in the appellation – but the one that lodged itself most deeply in my mind was Philippe Pacalet’s.

He’s not from Cornas, or even the Rhône – and he doesn’t own the vineyards. But this wine is an original vision of Cornas, one of such beguiling scent and refinement that it made a deep impression.

Similarly, the Châteauneuf-du-Papes of iconoclast Mounir Saouma are so atypical but so brilliant that they cast the region in a new light.

If you don’t know Château des Tours, which features in this list, then the name of its sister estate might be more familiar – Château Rayas. All the wines of owner Emmanuel Reynaud have such a strong house style that they are unmistakable, no matter the appellation. Sometimes, nothing else will do.

This Vacqueyras was a wine that was far from perfect, but one with great charisma and personality.

And sometimes that’s more important.

See tasting notes and scores for Matt Walls’ top 10 Rhône wines of 2021:

Related content:

Rhône 2020 En Primeur: full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Walls: 10 exciting estates to know in Cornas

Walls’ hidden gems: Moulin de la Gardette, Gigondas

Aged Condrieu – how it develops plus 40 wines tasted

The latest edition of The World Atlas of Wine (8th edition, £50 Mitchell Beazley) states that in the eastern part of the Loire valley, Sauvignon Blanc ‘can make better, certainly finer and more complex, wine than anywhere else in the world’.

Although perhaps a bold statement, there is no doubt that with the festive season approaching, demand for the crisp, aromatic and food-friendly wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé will leap. But there are a number of other appellations close to Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé with very similar wine styles, often at significantly lower prices.

Scroll down for Andy Howard MW’s top Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé alternatives

What are the key names to look out for and what should enthusiasts expect from these Sauvignon Blanc alternatives?

The style of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé is shaped by the cool, marginal, continental climate, requiring an extended growing season to deliver full ripeness. Soils are another key factor, with the significant presence of the Kimmeridgian – a combination of clay and limestone marl dating back to the Jurassic period. In fact, the eastern Loire shares much of its geology with Chablis and the Côte des Bar to the northeast, and the significance of terroir can be seen when comparing Sancerre and Chablis – despite being made from two distinctly different grape varieties, the wines can often be confused when tasted blind.

Sancerre lies on the left (western) bank of the Loire, with Pouilly-Fumé on the right. The appellations share many similarities, with wines showing fresh, pronounced grassy aromas, bright citrus acidity and a mineral character on the finish. Sancerre is perhaps more intense and precise with aromas of white flowers, while Pouilly-Fumé often displays pithy, zesty fruit characters as well as a flinty (‘fumé’) note on the palate. The restraint shown by eastern Loire Sauvignon Blanc is very different to the pungent, more tropical expressions that are often found in New Zealand and Chile.

Nearby options

Closest to Sancerre – in both location and quality – is Menetou-Salon, a significant AP of 390ha (for its white wines) created in 1959 and located on Kimmeridgian soils. Menetou-Salon can be a match for Sancerre with a slightly more forward fruit and aromatic profile, often influenced by a higher iron content derived from the sandstone found here. Morogues is the only commune that you will commonly see on labels, having attached its name to Menetou-Salon, and it is a source of some of the AP’s best wines.

Further west, one reaches the smaller APs of Quincy (303ha, all white) and Reuilly (128ha for whites). Quincy was France’s first appellation for white wine, granted in 1936. Both of these APs are undergoing a revival and many of the wines deliver Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé quality at a significantly lower price. Being closer to the Atlantic, the maritime influence is rather more pronounced, with soils a combination of sandy gravel terraces and limestone slopes. Both Quincy and Reuilly have similar wine styles with more herbaceous notes than Sancerre, backed up with very firm acidity.

Another up-and-coming appellation is Coteaux du Giennois (115ha for white), with some of the best wines coming from vines grown on similar soils to Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé. Leading producers Clément and Florian Berthier bottle three distinctive single-vineyard expressions – Marne, Caillotte and Silex – with each one highlighting specific terroir.

One should not overlook Touraine Sauvignon, as producers rein in the more New World exotic, pungent style with some decidedly-Sancerre lookalikes. In addition, there are a number of ‘entry-level’ Sauvignons labelled Val de Loire and Vin de France, which deliver the crisp, focused, mineral style that both Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé fans will enjoy.

Andy Howard MW’s top Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé alternatives

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UK fans of New Zealand wines may benefit from the two countries’ newly announced trade deal, according to officials.

Full details haven’t been disclosed, but the UK government said it would remove tariffs and other ‘barriers to trade’ on a range of New Zealand goods.

‘High-quality New Zealand products loved by British consumers, from Sauvignon Blanc wine to Manuka honey and kiwi fruits, could be cheaper to buy,’ said the government.

It’s the latest chapter of the UK’s efforts to reach new trade deals with countries around the world after leaving the European Union.

Provisional ‘continuity’ deals had been signed with several countries prior to Brexit, to essentially mirror existing EU arrangements, but the UK has been negotiating more formal trade agreements.

‘It’s great to see the UK government reach ‘agreement in principle’ with New Zealand for a Free Trade Agreement,’ said Miles Beale, CEO of the UK’s Wine & Spirit Trade Association.

‘New Zealand wine supports thousands of jobs right across the supply chain in the UK, from bottling all the way to hospitality and retail,’ he said, adding that ‘New Zealand wine is the sixth largest wine category by value and growing’, in the UK.

‘We look forward to seeing the final details of what has been agreed but commend both nations on this significant progress.’

Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers, said, ‘The agreement is very positive for the New Zealand wine industry. We understand the agreement will mean significant progress for wine, including a specific wine annex.

‘This will help remove technical barriers to trade and minimise burdens from certification and labelling requirements.’

He added, ‘The UK is New Zealand’s second largest export market for wine, with exports valued at over $400 million over the past 12 months. The agreement will reduce trade barriers and remove tariffs on New Zealand wine exports to the UK, which will make a big difference for many within our industry.’

However, there are several factors that can influence the price and availability of particular wines.

While the UK is a major market for New Zealand wine, recent reports have raised concerns about a shortage of Sauvignon Blanc following a smaller-than-usual harvest and rising global demand.

In the immediate term, all eyes in the UK wine trade will also be on chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget announcement next week, on 27 October.

There have been unconfirmed reports of a tax change that could offer some benefits to English sparkling wine.

Yet the WSTA has also warned of alcohol prices hitting an all-time high this Christmas, partly due to higher inflation, and has reiterated its call for a duty tax freeze, as reported by Decanter.com earlier this week.