Loire vs Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc: Can you tell the difference?

This is quite obviously a Marlborough example: its grassy, green citrussy tones are accompanied by some banana-like notes, tropical hints and a soft, easygoing mouthfeel. It's slightly stony and spritzy, and it turns out to be from one of the most popular brands in the UK.

The lean, green saline aromas place this in the Loire. It's a bit reduced with some sweet-edged green fruit on the palate. There's nothing too complex here, which to me reflects what Touraine is all about.

The aromas of this wine display reduced struck-match, smoky, sulphurous scents with some soft tangerine beneath. It has a mineral touch on the dry finish, which is fairly long. It's so atypical of Sauvignon Blanc, completely dominated by the oak, but for fans of big, smoky wines this may be worth a try.

The soft mango scents and peachy, astringent palate with vanilla seeping out on the finish seem so exotic that I thought this was from Marlborough. I was wrong. This is a lovely Touraine, with barrel fermentation lending additional richness without completely masking the Sauvignon's character.

This wine's appley nose with a touch of creamy peach and some steely, tangy dryness alongside a touch of juiciness on the palate is not a million miles away in style from Sancerre or Menetou-Salon - which is precisely what I thought this could be. Correct region at least. This Reuilly punches above its weight.

A savoury nose with feijoa and lime aromas and slight trace of mineral. The palate is buttery, with a good weight and a racy acidity that cleans everything. A crisp finish for a wine that will improve with time.

This pairing was a close call, and the room was divided, but the slightly fuller character of intense baked apple and fresh, tangy green apple with a lemon and lime zestiness puts this in the Marlborough camp. It was a surprise to find out that this is from the New Zealand operation of Loire domaine Henri Bourgeois, whose own Sancerre was pitched against it. This is a nice wine but the Sancerre has just a bit more definition, length and purpose.

A floral style of Sauvignon, this has a pink grapefruit, lemon and apple character with a touch of soapy bitterness. The lack of exotics and the lean palate place this decent summer-drinking white in the Loire camp.

Greywacke (pronounced ‘Greywacky’) is the Marlborough label of Kevin Judd, one of the region’s pioneer winemakers after having directed the first 25 vintages at Cloudy Bay as their founding winemaker. Judd established Greywacke in 2009, named after the greywacke river stones found in the vineyards of much of the Wairau Valley, from which his fruit is sourced. This wine is made via a spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation in mostly old French oak barrels, with occasional lees stirring. It was transferred out of oak just prior to the following harvest and then left on the lees for a further six months. Rebecca Gibb MW: A highly floral expression on the nose, exuding talc and rose petals, with a more delicate expression on the palate, remaining fine and focused throughout. Very pretty indeed. Roger Jones: A bright, zesty nose welcomes an elegant, seamless palate with restrained fruit, while at the same time offering complex notes of wet stone and guava. Gentle, yet tastes expensive. Phil Tuck MW: Lifted and concentrated with impressive depth, showing a delightful balance between a grassy varietal purity and a subtle oaky complexity. Really well done.

Yet another Touraine, but this time a really exotic example. Dried mango and apricot aromas are followed by a very intense, sweet and floral palate with more dried mango and apricot alongside cream and spices. Although delicious, its straightforward simplicity contrasted with the alcoholic warmth and flavour intensity of Te Mata's Cape Crest to single this out as the Loire example in this pairing.

Gently aromatic, soft and supple, offering herbal, honeyed toast and mineral nuances sustained by nicely evened acidity.