It has been called “summertime in a glass” and its impact has been compared – perhaps a little unkindly – to being hit in the mouth with an old peasant’s shoe.
The vino in question is one of the most immediately recognisable in the wine world – sauvignon blanc. Originating in France, where it is still justly celebrated in wines such as Pouilly fumé and sancerre, it really made its mark in a country that’s about as far away from the Loire Valley as you can find.
It was winegrowers in New Zealand who discovered, in the 1970s, that the grape adapted amazingly well to conditions in the South Island. By the 1980s, the country was producing a sauvignon blanc that, as wine writer Oz Clarke says, was so revolutionary that the world of wine would never be the same again.
As our round-up shows, in the 21st-century, New Zealand is still producing crisp, exuberant and vibrant sauvignon blancs with that bold gooseberry and exotic fruit flavour that almost explodes in the mouth.
But it’s also flourishing elsewhere, in Australia, South Africa, California and closer to home in Romania, Italy and in its original home on the banks of the Loire. With spring nearly here, there’s no better wine with which to welcome the sunshine.
How we tested
Many of the wines were tasted as accompaniments to a light lunch or early supper, some salad-based, including fish or seafood and others slightly spicy. Several were tasted with appetizers such as paté and prosciutto, while others were enjoyed by themselves as an aperitif before lunch or dinner.
The best sauvignon blancs for 2023 are:
- Best sauvignon blanc overall – Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc 2022: £23, Sainsburys.co.uk
- Best sauvignon blanc for a spring picnic – Mad Fish sauvignon blanc 2022: £9.50, Tesco.com
- Best sauvignon blanc to pair with seafood – Astoria Suade sauvignon blanc 2021: £13.13, Honestgrapes.co.uk
- Best value sauvignon blanc – Zana Romania sauvignon blanc 2021: £9, Ocado.com
- Best sauvignon blanc for a touch of oak – Triplex sauvignon blanc 2021: £15.99, Laithwattes.co.uk
- Best sauvignon blanc for welcome minerality – Journey’s End V6 sauvignon blanc 2019: £18, Ocado.com
- Best sauvignon blanc for depth of flavour – Two Rivers convergence sauvignon blanc 2022: £16.50, Leaandsandeman.co.uk
- Best sauvignon blanc for fruity intensity – Astrolabe Awatere Valley sauvignon blanc 2022: £13.99, Waitrosecellar.com
- Best sauvignon blanc to pair with a salad – Napa Cellars sauvignon blanc 2022: £18,99, Thepipstop.co.uk
- Best sauvignon blanc to pair with spicy food – Domaine des Patureaux Pouilly fumé 2021: £17.99, Majestic.co.uk
- Best sauvignon blanc for an elegant aperitif – Seifried Estate sauvignon blanc 2021: £14.99, Waitrosecellar.com
- Best sauvignon blanc for an everyday drink – La Belle Angele sauvignon blanc 2021: £9.99, Majestic.co.uk