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Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2015: The results

Sauvignon Blanc has carved a comfortable niche for itself with producers and consumers alike. But is it time the grape upped its game?

Riding a wave of heightened consumer awareness, Sauvignon Blanc can, at present, do no wrong in the eyes of UK consumers.

Currently the UK’s top-selling white variety, Sauvignon Blanc has seen its sales increase in volume by 7% to 793 million hectoliters and in value by 8% to £637m in the 12 months to 20 June 2015 in the UK off-trade, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s (WSTA) 2015 Q4 report.

The average price of a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc meanwhile sits at £6.03, comfortably above the UK average of£5.46 (WSTA).

Capable of producing wines with unmatched vibrancy and freshness, Sauvignon Blanc is grown i abundance the world over, from its classic French heartland of the Loire Valley to New World regions of Chile, South Africa and New Zealand.

In cool to moderate regions Sauvignon Blanc results in high acid wines with classic herbaceous flavours reminiscent of green bell pepper, grass or nettles, alongside the aromatic fruitiness of passion fruit or elderflower.

In warm to hot climates, notes of peach and grapefruit are common, while successfully aged Sauvignons can develop vegetal aromas of asparagus and peas, despite the variety generally being consumed young.

The results of the second Drinks Business Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters are a testament to the increasing quality of Sauvignon Blanc being produced worldwide, with New World examples proving more than a match for the handful of entries from France.

Of the 157 wines entered from 11 different countries, including Greece, Italy, New Zealand, Romania and Australia, 139 received a medal.

Served blind and assessed without prejudice about their country of origin, the wines were arranged according to their price band as well as style, from low-priced to high, blended to 100% Sauvignon, and unoaked to oaked, to make the competition as fair as possible.

About the competition

In a crowded wine competition arena, The Drinks Business Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters stands out for its assessment of wines purely by grape variety rather than by region. Divided only by price bracket and, for ease of judging, whether the style was oaked or unoaked, the blind tasting format allowed wines to be assessed without prejudice about their country of origin.
Wines were scored out of 100, with those gaining over 95 points being awarded the top title of Master. Those earning over 90 points were given a Gold, those over 85 points a Silver and those over 80 points a Bronze. The wines were judged by a cherry-picked group of Masters of Wine on 8 December at York & Albany in Camden. This report features only the medal-winners.

VALUE FOR MONEY
What the competition did show was the outstanding value on offer within the category, with seven of the 14 wines awarded a Gold medal priced under £15.

Of our Gold medal-winning wines, nine were from New Zealand, one each from Italy, Australia and South Africa, and two from Chile. Brancott Estate’s 2015 Sauvignon from Marlborough represented particularly good value, retailing at just £10, alongside Framingham’s 2014 Ribbonwood Marlborough Sauvignon.

Examples from Chile also delivered impressive value for money, with Coastal Vineyards’ Sauvignon Blanc Paredones from the Colchagua Valley DO and Santa Carolina Winery’s Specialties Sauvignon Blanc, both in the £10 to £15 category, each taking home a Gold.

A total of 65 wines were awarded a Silver medal and 59 a Bronze.

And while New Zealand took home the lion’s share of medals across the board, in the face of strong competition from Chile and South Africa, it was a US producer that scooped the competition’s highest accolade of a Master, reserved only for wines that are deemed outstanding by all judges.

This was bestowed upon Jackson Family Wines’ Stone Street Aurora Point from the Alexander Valley, which sits at the higher price point of £38.

Producers are evidently working hard to stand out in this commercially important category.

But with the majority offering stylistically similar wines to an increasingly crowded middle market, it can be difficult for producers to edge ahead. As Hugo Rose MW noted, Sauvignon Blanc “has to be spectacular to be above average”.

He added: “Sauvignon Blanc has to deliver at fixed points: the varietal character, a decent palate, crisp and good length. It doesn’t need to do much more than that to meet a market specification.

“There’s a lot in the middle so to shine above, it has to be able to so something very special, but I think the solid middle from a commercial point of view is no bad place to be.”

TALKING POINT
Indeed, while the quality and commercial acumen of Sauvignon Blanc remains high, a need to eschew the humdrum and elevate complexity and finesse within the category was a key talking point among judges.
“You reach a point where just being a Sauvignon Blanc isn’t enough – how far can you go with it?” asked Adrian Garforth MW.

“If you want to take a Sauvignon Blanc up to the next price point you need to play with oak or with other grapes. More of the same isn’t enough. You have to introduce something else.”

This, Garforth suggests, could be through creating more innovative blends or greater experimentation with oak or lees contact. Often used to give Sauvignon Blanc more body and flavour, the use of oak is particularly common in the US, where the style is labelled Fumé Blanc.

Garforth’s comments echo those of Richard Bampfield MW, who shared his belief that oak may be the key to Sauvignon Blanc reaching its full potential, referring specifically to examples from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux at a tasting held in London in November last year. Alluding to a belief that unoaked Sauvignon as a style has its limitations, Bampfield said it would inevitably have a “price ceiling”.

This, he suggested, was something that Sauvignon Blanc producers in regions such as the Loire and Bordeaux should address.

However while oak can elevate a wine’s complexity and structure it also “tends to bring out the strengths and the weaknesses of a wine”, noted Rose, with producers running the risk of over-oaking their wines and stripping out the variety’s trademark fruit freshness.

BLEND POTENTIAL
For Jo Locke MW, buyer at The Wine Society, blends are a more effective way of expanding upon the grape’s potential.

“In my experience, blending a small proportion of something else rather than using oak can also provide the same complexity without masking the fruit,” she said, adding that the danger in oaking Sauvignon Blanc is that you risk “losing too much of the grape” in an bid to create a “more complex and interesting” wine.

“Occasionally it works, but it’s not easy to get right. Where people are doing it successfully they are doing it with older oak and bigger barrels so it minimises the oak impact. Or you can blend it with a small proportion of something else – a little bit of Semillon will add breadth and complexity without sacrificing the character to oak,” she points out.

Rosemary George MW commented that “there’s no such thing as an over-oaked wine: it’s under-fruited”, stressing that “oak cannot be added for the sake of it”.

Despite the difficulty in its use, six of the 14 wines awarded a Gold were oaked, with the only Master of the competition also an example of oaked Sauvignon.

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, wine educator with the WSET, said the success of oaked wine in this year’s competition proved that the variety could benefit from an “additional layer”.

She added: “We felt overwhelmingly that the oaked wines, at all price points, were very good. It shows you that Sauvignon Blanc needs a layer of something, whether that’s older oak with micro oxidation or oak flavours. If it’s done well it adds depth, complexity and richness.”

NEW WORLD
Oak aside, the increasing quality of Sauvignon Blanc emerging from New World regions was another talking point. While Old World Sauvignon from the Loire has long ruled wine lists the world over, and will always be the grape’s spiritual home, producers from the New World have increasingly muscled in.

According to Beverly Tabbron MW, head of wine training at Hallgarten Druitt, consumers have “traded down” since the financial crash in 2008, with sales of Sancerre dropping, widening the opportunity for New World producers.

“Sancerre has that cachet but the prices are going up and we have less,” she said.

“There’s still demand but I know, with us, sales of Sancerre have gone down since the 2008 financial crash. People have downtraded. It comes down to the same old thing: you can’t label Sancerre and Pouilly- Fumé as Sauvignon on the bottle. The average consumer doesn’t know Pouilly- Fumé and Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc.”

In comparison, New World regions are riding high on heightened consumer awareness of the grape, thanks largely to the runaway success of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

“New Zealand did Sauvignon Blanc a great service,” noted George. “That’s what put it on the map. It was this wonderful new flavour that no one had come across before.”

The region’s distinctive passion fruit, gooseberry and elderflower profile has become the region’s trademark, with Marlborough its shining star. Currently New Zealand is the UK’s leading country by average bottle price, commanding an average of £7.37, according to Nielsen – well above the UK average price of £5.46.

The judges (l-r): Adrian Garforth MW, Hugo Rose MW, Lauren Eads, Beverly Tabbron MW, Patrick Schmitt MW, Rosemary George MW, Barbara Abraham MW, Jo Locke MW, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Roberto Della Pietra

DRIVING FORCE
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc meanwhile, remains the driving force in the UK market holding a 39% share of the category, according to New Zealand Winegrowers. But while New Zealand may have set the bar, complacency among producers could prove costly, warned Garforth, with other regions rising up the ranks.

“My nervousness for New Zealand is they get lazy and keep putting out wines at £7 to £10,” he said. “I think the reason people support that price point is that it overdelivers. New Zealand has to over-deliver to support that premium. All the other guys are working overtime to catch up.”

Expanding on this, Locke added: “I don’t think New Zealand has all its own way. There’s really serious competition from all over. It’s still an easy sell but actually there is a lot more out there.”

Acknowledging the variety’s potential within blends, Cherutti-Kowal highlighted the strong examples emerging from the New World.

“There’s some great Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blends coming out of North West Australia, and from traditional regions, and a little bit from New Zealand and Chile. They are taking a classic and putting a twist on it,” she said.

While the results of this year’s competition were undoubtedly positive, there was a feeling that for Sauvignon Blanc to reach the next level, producers need to bring another dimension to their wines. Whether that is through oak experimentation, blends or increased lees contact, the grape’s potential to raise its offer is clear, as is demand for variety within its ranks.

“I think producers have to up their game,” said Garforth. “With Sauvignon Blanc we are only scratching the surface. You can make a really great wine but not by being a Sauvignon Blanc alone. You have to play with it a little. It needs something else, a bit of funk, and when you get it right it’s great.”

Click through the following pages to see the full table of medal-winning wines

100% Sauvignon Blanc – Sparkling

Company Wine name Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Sileni Estates Cellar Selection Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand 2015 Bronze

100% Sauvignon Blanc – Unoaked

Company Wine name Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Pernod Ricard UK Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Gold
Sileni Estates Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand 2015 Silver
Viña Undurraga Aliwen Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Chile 2014 Silver
Viña Siegel Siegel Special Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Chile 2015 Silver
Viña Santa Carolina Santa Carolina Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Chile 2015 Silver
Pernod Ricard UK Brancott Estate Terroir Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand 2013 Silver
Domaine Tabordet Pouilly-Fumé Val de Loire France 2014 Silver
Lutzville Vineyards Southern Point Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape South Africa 2015 Silver
Riebeek Cellars Collection Sauvignon Blanc Swartland South Africa 2015 Silver
Viña Ralco Curis Valley Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Curico Valley Chile 2015 Silver
De Grendel Wines De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape South Africa 2015 Silver
Carmen Sauvignon Blanc Premier Reserva Casablanca Chile 2015 Silver
Casas Del Toqui Terroir Selection Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Valley Chile 2014 Silver
De Bortoli Wines Deen Vat 2 Sauvignon Blanc Riverina Australia 2015 Silver
Viña Maipo Vitral Sauvignon Blanc Central Chile 2015 Silver
Lidl UK Cimarosa New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Marlborough New Zealand 2014 Silver
Joseph Verdier Domaine de la Colline – Sauvignon Touraine Loire France 2014 Silver
Cono Sur Reserva Especial Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca Valley Chile 2014 Silver
Marques de Caceres Excellens Sauvignon Blanc Rueda Spain 2014 Silver
 Coastal  Extra Special South African Sauvignon Blanc  Durbanville/Darlington  South Africa  2015  Bronze
 Viña Maipo  Reserva Sauvignon Blanc  Maule  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Doña Paula  Paula Sauvignon Blanc  Mendoza  Argentina  2015  Bronze
 La Compagnie Rhodanienne  Vin de France Voiturette  Languedoc-Roussillon  France  2014  Bronze
 Wingara Wine Group  Deakin Estate Sauvignon Blanc  Murray Darling  Australia  2015  Bronze
 Rietvallei Wine Estate  Rietvallei Wine Estate Sauvignon Blanc  Robertson  South Africa  2015  Bronze
 Carmen  Wave Series By Carmen Left Wave Sauvignon Blanc  Leyda Valley  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Lidl UK  Cimarosa South Africa Sauvignon Blanc  Western Cape  South Africa  2014  Bronze
 Namaqua Wines  Namaqua Sauvignon Blanc  Western Cape  South Africa  2015  Bronze
 Namaqua Wines  Cape West Sauvignon Blanc  Western Cape  South Africa  2015  Bronze
 Calmel and Joseph  Villa Blanche Sauvignon Blanc  Languedoc-Roussillon  France  2014  Bronze
 Viña Undurraga  Sibaris Sauvignon Blanc  Leyda  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Monte da Ravasqueira  Monte da Ravasqueira Sauvignon Blanc  Alentejo  Portugal  2014  Bronze
 Virgin Wines  Watchman’s Bay Nelson Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Bronze
 Zimmermann Graeff Muller  Invenio Chilean Sauvignon Blanc  Central Valley  Chile  2015  Bronze
 Viña Maipo  Mi Pueblo  Central Valley  Chile 2015  Bronze
 Vins & Vignobles Dourthe  Dourthe No 1  Bordeaux  France  2014  Bronze
 Riebeek Cellars  Partnership Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc  Swartland  South Africa 2015  Bronze
 Leo Hillinger  Leo Hillinger Sauvignon Blanc  Neusiedlersee  Austria 2014  Bronze
 Kaiken Wines  Terroir Series Sauvignon Blanc  Uco Valley  Chile  2015  Bronze
 Helderberg Winery  Helderberg Wijnmakerij  Stellenbosch  South Africa 2014  Bronze
 Monte da Ravasqueira  Monte da Ravasqueira Sauvignon Blanc  Arraiolos  Portugal  2014  Bronze
 Maison Vialade  Family Selection Sauvignon  Languedoc-Roussillon  France  2014  Bronze
£10-£15
 Framingham Wines  Ribbonwood Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Gold
 Marisco Vineyards  The King’s Favour Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Gold
 Craggy Range  Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc, Te Muna Road  Martinborough  New Zealand  2015  Gold
 Coastal Vineyards  Sauvignon Blanc Paredones DO Colchagua Valley  Paredones  Chile  2014  Gold
 Santa Carolina  Specialties Sauvignon Blanc  San Antonio Valley  Chile  2015  Gold
 Accolade Wines  Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2013  Silver
 Cederberg Private Cellar  Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc  Cederberg  South Africa 2014  Silver
 Drylands Winery  Drylands Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Kono NZ LP  Tohu Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2015  Silver
 Aresti Chile Winery  Aresti Trisquel Sauvignon Blanc  Leyda  Chile  2014  Silver
 Cortes de Cima  Cortes de Cima Sauvignon Blanc  Alentejo  Portugal  2014  Silver
 Australian Vintage  Nepenthe Altitude Sauvignon Blanc  Adelaide Hills  Australia  2015  Silver
 Carmen  Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva  Central Valley  Chile  2014  Silver
 Framingham Wine Company  Framingham Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough  Marlborough  New Zealand  2015  Silver
 Hunters Wine  Hunter’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2015  Silver
 Sileni Estates  Sileni The Straits Marlborough SB  Marlborough  New Zealand  2015  Silver
 Cono Sur  20 Barrels Sauvignon Blanc  Casablanca Valley  Chile  2014  Silver
 Santa Carolina  Viña Casablanca Nimbus Sauvignon Blanc  Casablanca Valley  Chile  2015  Silver
 Virgin Wines  Whites Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Domaine Laporte  Le Bouquet Sauvignon Blanc  Loire Valley  France  2014  Bronze
 Matetic  EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc  Casablanca Valley  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Noble Hill Wines  Noble Hill Sauvignon Blanc  Simonsberg-Paarl  South Africa  2015  Bronze
 MontGras  Amaral Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Block No 7  Leyda  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Il Roncal  Il Roncal Sauvignon  Fruili Venzia Giulia  Italy 2014  Bronze
 Domaine Gerard Fiou  Sancerre Blanc ‘Domaine Gerard Fiou’  Sancerre  France  2014  Bronze
 Spy Valley Wines  Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2015  Bronze
 Accolade Wines  Waipara Hills Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough   New Zealand   2014  Bronze
 Limestone Coast Winery  The Hidden Sea Sauvignon Blanc  South Australia  Australia  2014  Bronze
 Little Beauty  Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2013  Bronze
 De Grendel Wines  Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc  Leyda  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Kellerei Kaltern  Alto Adige Sauvignon DOC  Alto Adige  Italy  2014  Bronze
 Lawson’s Dry Hills Wines  Lawson’s Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2015  Bronze
 MontGras  MontGras Amaral Sauvignon Blanc  Leyda  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Bodegas Castelo de Medina  Sauvignon Blanc Vendimia Seleccionada  Valladolid  Spain  2014  Bronze
 Craggy Range  Sauvignon Blanc Avery Vineyard Marlborough  Marlborough   New Zealand  2015  Bronze
 Bird in Hand  Bird in Hand Sauvignon Blanc  Adelaide Hills  Australia  2015  Bronze
£15-£20
 Dandelion Vineyards  Wishing Clock of the Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc  Adelaid Hills  Australia  2015  Gold
 Montes Wines  Montes Outer Limits Sauvignon Blanc  Aconcagua Valley  Chile  2014  Silver
 Domaine Alban Roblin  Sancerre Alban Roblin  Loire  France  2014  Silver
 Mud House Estate  The Woolshed Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough, Wairau Valley  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Gonzalez Byass UK  Jackson Estate Stich  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Beau Joubert Vineyards  Beau Joubert Sauvignon Blanc  Stellenbosch  South Africa  2015  Silver
 Heirloom Vineyards  Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc  Adelaide Hills  Australia  2015  Silver
 Viña Maipo  Gran Devoción Sauvignon Blanc  Casablanca Valley  Chile  2014  Silver
 Viña Arboleda  Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc  Valle de Aconcagua  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Alpha Estate  Alpha Estate Sauvignon Blanc  Amyndeon, Florina  Greece  2014  Bronze
 Alpha Estate  Alpha Estate Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Fermented  Amyndeon, Florina  Greece  2014  Bronze
£20-£30
 Kellerei Kaltern  Premstaller Alto Adige Sauvignon DOC  Alto Adige  Italy  2014  Gold
 Ackerman  Sancerre N7 Donatien Bahuaud  Loire Valley  France  2014  Silver
 Jascots Wine Merchants  Sancerre Les Comtesses  Sancerre  France  2014  Silver
 Giesen Wines  Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Single Vineyard Selection: The Matthews Lane The Fuder  Marlborough  New Zealand  2012  Silver
 Viña Maipo  Viña Canepa Reserva Famiglia Sauvignon Blanc  Casablanca  Chile  2015  Bronze
 Zonin 1821  Tenuta Ca Bolani Aquilis Sauvignon Friuli Aquileia DOC  Friuli  Italy  2014  Bronze

100% Sauvignon Blanc – Oaked

Company Wine name Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
 Lidl UK  Chevalier de Fauvert Pays d’Oc Sauvignon Blanc  Languedoc-Roussillon  France  2014  Silver
 Mission Estate  Reserve Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
£10-£15
 Hunter’s Wine  Hunter’s Kaho Roa Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2013  Gold
 Overhex Wines International  Survivor Sauvignon Blanc  Swartland  South Africa  2015  Silver

Harwood Hall

 Harwood Hall Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2010  Silver
 Australian Vintage  Nepenthe Petraea Sauvignon Blanc  Adelaide Hills  Australia  2014  Silver
 Viña Valdivieso  Single Valley Lot Reserva Sauvignon Blanc  Leyda  Chile  2015  Silver
 Ohau Wines  Ohau Woven Stone Sauvignon Blanc  Ohau  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Viña Valdivieso  Winemaker Reserva Sauvignon Blanc  Curico  Chile  2015  Bronze
 Viña Valdivieso  Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc  Leyda  Chile  2014  Bronze
 Reyneke  Reyneke Sauvignon Blanc  Stellenbosch  Western Cape  2014  Bronze
 Elephant Hill Estate & Winery  Elephant Hill Sauvignon Blanc  Hawke’s Bay  New Zealand  2014  Bronze
£15-£20
 Reyneke  Reyneke Reserve White  Stellenbosch  Western Cape  2013  Gold
 Cederberg Private Cellar  Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc  Elim  South Africa  2014  Silver
 Elephant Hill Estate & Winery  Elephant Hill Reserve Sauvignon Blanc  Hawkes Bay  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Sustainable Wines  Ohau Gravels Sauvignon Blanc  Ohau  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Larry Cherubino Wines  Cherubino Pemberton Sauvignon Blanc  Pemberton  Australia  2015  Silver
 Larry Cherubino Wines  The Yard Channybearup Sauvignon Blanc  Pemberton  Australia  2015  Bronze
 Santolin Wines  Santolin Individual Vineyard Sauvignon  Yarra Valley  Australia  2014  Bronze
 Viña Santa Rita  Santa Rita Floresta Sauvignon Blanc  Central Valley  Chile  2013  Bronze
£20-£30
 Gem  Gem Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2008  Gold
 Marisco Vineyards  The Craft Series Pride and Glory  Marlborough  New Zealand  2011  Gold
 Vinultra  Little Black Beauty Edition Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2012  Gold
 Marisco Vineyards  The Craft Series Pride and Glory  Marlborough  New Zealand  2013  Silver
 Castelfeder KG  Sauvignon Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT ‘RAIF’  Alto Adige  Italy  2014  Silver
£30-£50
 Jackson Family Wines  Stonestreet Aurora Point Sauvignon Blanc  Alexander Valley  USA  2012  Master

100% Sauvignon Blanc – Sweet

Company Wine name Region Country Vintage Medal
£10-£15
 Sileni Estates  Sileni Exceptional Vintage Pourriture Noble  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Marisco Vineyards  The Ned Noble Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2013  Silver
£15-£20
 Marisco Vineyards  The King’s A Sticky End  Marlborough  New Zealand  2013  Gold

Sauvignon Blanc blend (min 80%) – Unoaked

Company Wine name Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
 Marlborough Valley Wines  Tukituki Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Marlborough Valley Wines  Extra Special Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 La Moneda  La Moneda Sauvignon Blanc  Central Valley  Chile  2015  Silver
 Viña Santa Rita  Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc  Central Valley  Chile  2015  Silver
 Viña Concha y Toro  Reservado Sauvignon Blanc  Central Valley  Chile  2014  Bronze
£10-£15
 Mission Estate  Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
 Saint Clair  Founders 78 Sauvignon Blanc  Marlborough  New Zealand  2014  Silver
£15-£20
 La Motte Wine Estate  La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc  Cape South Coast  South Africa  2015  Silver
 Silverado Vineyards  Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc  Napa Valley  USA  2014  Bronze

Sauvignon Blanc blend (min 80%) – Oaked

Company Wine name Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
 Paul Cluver Wines  Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc  Elgin Valley  South Africa  2015  Silver
£10-£15
 Wingara Wine Group  Katnook Estate Sauvignon Blanc  Coonawarra  Australia  2014  Bronze
£15-£20
 Jackson Family Wines  Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc  California  USA  2013  Silver
£20-£30
 Jackson Family Wines  Matanzas Creek Winery Bennett Valley Sauvignon Blanc  Bennett Valley  USA  2015  Silver

4 responses to “Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2015: The results”

  1. Richard Smart says:

    I was surprised that the article did not mention Oz Clarks comments at the February NZ Sauvignon Blanc celebrations.

    Why is SB so successful with consumers? It is distinctive and recognisable, important virtues for consumers who are made to feel inadequate by the plethora of wine styles and wine writers comments. Here is to distinctive and recognisable varieties. Which might be next, for red and white varieties respectively. Is it Pinot noir now, then Gewurztraminer?? Indeed.

    I asked a leading Marlborough SB producer recently “what is the next variety after Sauvignon Blanc for Marlborough?” Thoughtfully he added “More Sauvignon Blanc”. In response to my query, how come, he said, “You know, there are still some Chardonnay drinkers out there”. QED. Richard Smart

  2. Mike Froud says:

    Why does the headline refer to 2015 rather than 2016, I wondered? Also, is it possible to publish an example of the bottle stickers on the Drinks Buisiness website, so that wine lovers know what to look for on the shelves?

    1. Neal Baker says:

      The tasting took place towards the end of last year, and I’m afraid we can’t publish the stickers without running the risk of people downloading them and using them without our permission.

  3. Joanne Winterbottom says:

    Interesting story, thanks. Small correction on the Australian regions (could be a typo).There is no ‘North West Australia’ wine region – the north west is hot as Hades and iron ore and tropical savannah country. The region I think you are referring to is Margaret River, which produces fine SSB and SBS wines. It is in the southern part of the state of Western Australia.

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