Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Leaps out of the glass with effusiveness, featuring flavors of apple blossom, Key lime, Honeycrisp, lemon thyme and fresh grated ginger. Notes of passionfruit, pineapple and lemon candy linger on the long, expressive and mouthwatering finish. Drink now. 295,000 cases made, 75,000 cases imported.

It must be difficult being Cloudy Bay, because fame brings extra scrutiny and the questions, "Does this brand offer value for money in the context of the wider region?" In 2023, the Sauvignon Blanc silences its critics. Its vineyard may be much larger than it once was, but it delivers - dry, clean and elegant, with classic characteristics and the bonus of welcome structure on the finish. It may not be the most flamboyant on the nose, focusing more on the herbal rather than tropical spectrum (whether that's elderflower, gooseberry or classic passion fruit), but that seems to be a function of the vintage. The 2023 is long, fragrant and exactly what you want from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but with an extra layer of class.