HALF PRICE SPECIAL! ... REALLY?

ATIRU 2018 MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC

Liquorland have this on their shelves marked down from $22* to $11. Is it worth $22? No way. Is it worth $11? Definitely but only if you like the style which is far removed from the popular mainstream Marlborough taste.

This is quite textural and full bodied with the palate weight you're more likely to find in New Zealand Pinot Gris. If you like those you'll rate this much higher than I do. 

GRAPE VARIETIES: Sauvignon Blanc
REGION: Marlborough, New Zealand
A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: $11
FROM: Liquorland
RATING: 3/5

* What annoys me about this most of all is that this is a Liquorland controlled label. So they are determining, what appears to me to be, a vastly inflated regular shelf price. The market isn't setting the price, they are. 

A TRIFECTA OF SAUVIGNON BLANCS

TANGAROA $8.55  RATING: 4/5 from me

AMIRI $6.90   RATING: 4.5/5 from me

SILVER MOKI $6.65   RATING: 4/5 from me


They are all from Marlborough's 2017  vintage, they are all sauvignon blancs weighing in around the 12% a/v mark and they are all to be found on Dan Murphy's shelves. I suspect they've all come from the same marketing thinktank - ''Let's do a label design based on a Maori word and then explain it all on the back label". Read them and you'll see what I mean
Thankfully they are all very drinkable and exactly what you're hoping for from a budget priced NZ savvy. Don't laugh but the most important thing to remember is to drink them quickly. We tend to road test wines over at least two days, often more, and these all fell apart on day two. The Tangeroa and Amiri opened brilliantly but were really flat the next day. The Tangeroa had the most palate weight but the Amiri starred with it's zing. The Silver Moki won't disappoint but the others are better.

HALF PRICE SPECIALS INVITE SCEPTICISM

Dan Woolworths are at it again with a "buy one get one free" offer.
Is this worth $17? Definitely not although the packaging might suggest otherwise. Which for my money makes a half price special something to be wary about.
Is it worth $8.50? Definitely providing you ignore the meaningless back label. This is a thowback to the old herbaceous Marlborough style. With the added factor of a palate weight which suggests some yeast lees lurking about. If you like that style you'll rate this far higher than I have. 



TE RUA BAY 2017 SAUVIGNON BLANC





GRAPE VARIETY: Sauvignon Blanc
REGION: Marlborough, New Zealand
A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: $8.50 [based on a regular price of $16.99 and "buy one get one free"]
FROM: Dan Murphy, Australia
RATING: 4/5 from me 

PALOMAR CREEK 2017 MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC

I just had to buy it. After all, what's an import like this doing on a retail shelf in a country that makes outstanding white wine? And at this price? After tasting it I still have no idea. It's a superb retro throw back to the days of herbaceous NZ sauvignon blancs. More paspalum and capsicum than tropical fruit. Huge intense flavours that would welcome a 50/50 mix of ice if you wanted to enjoy a couple of glasses and drive.

GRAPE VARIETIES: Sauvignon Blanc
REGION: Marlborough, New Zealand
A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 3.99 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 5/5 from me 

Brancott Estate 2016 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

JUST £5.06 from Sainsbury's for a short time only.
Yes, Sainsbury's have this on promo for £6.75 at the moment. They also have a 25% off sale running which brings the price down to a crazy £5.06 

Back in the day this used to be called Montana. While the name and the style has changed* the price is about the same as it was 20 years ago. It's one of those high profile, well made wines [think Oyster Bay, Ned, Villa Maria, Matua] that you should always look out for when it's  being specialled. The promo price for these brands used to be around £6. Nowadays, with the fall in the value of the pound, £7 looks like a good deal which I saw at Tesco a couple of weeks ago. This price really is crazy


4.5/5 rating from me 
* the 2016 is a bit of a blast from the past with far more herbaceous character than I've seen for awhile. There's still tropical fruit but expect a bit of grass as well.

Hurry for this 3 for £12 offer from Tesco

Tesco have a really interesting wine range. 
This is one of their many own labels which I wouldn't worry too much about at its regular £6 asking price. But they currently have a 3 for £12 offer [ending 15/5] which elevates it to a must buy if you're looking for an every day Marlborough sauvignon blanc 
5/5 rating from me at this price 

I really wouldn't bother with this one

There's nothing wrong with this wine but nor does it have "all the hallmarks of classic Marlborough sauvignon" as the back label claims. It's perfectly pleasant but there are far better wines to be had at, or below, this price.

Glenridge Point 2016 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
2.5/5 rating from me 
£6.50 from Sainsbury's

First 2016 NZ Sauvignon Blanc we've tasted and it's a beauty

Here we are in the third week of 2017 and we've just seen and tasted our very first Marlborough from the 2016 vintage. Now given that there are still 2014 releases sitting on UK retail shelves as well as most of 2015 I'd suggest the glut of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs is a long way from being over.

That's a problem because the great majority of these wines are meant to be young and fresh with all the primary fruit flavours shining through. Which is exactly what happens with this one. The fruit though is a throw back to the grassy herbaceous releases that dominated before the passionfruit, tropical fruit style took over in popularity. This 2016 is a welcome change along with its dazzling fresh vitality.

And the brand? Well I haven't been keeping this a mystery. It doesn't have one. This is the ultimate generic label available through Lidl at just £5.59. That gives it a 5/5 rating from me