NZ Sav Blancs – Are they really that bad?

[Matt]

Hi was reading TORBs wine rating webpage (is one of my favourites) and saw that NZ Sav Blancs are right up there with ‘Cats Piss” haha…I had to have a chuckle…being pretty new to the white wine game can anyone suggest some decent sav blancs around $20? (I seem to have a lower budget for whites as reds are my preferred drop)
Maybe im missing something but I quite liked the Matua Valley 2008 NZ Sav Blanc I had on Sunday.

Stuart MacGill seems to like his NZ whites!

Looking to learn more and looking forward to some of your suggestions.
Thanks in advance.

[KMP]

Rocket, the easy answer is that you ignore anything Rick (aka TORB) says about white wine. Red wine, he's fine. He just doesn't have the gene for white wine.

In terms of NZ SBs, I thought that Oyster Bay was all the go in Oz? Geoff kelly has done a recent review of a few NZ SBs that might stir some interest.

Mike

[bacchaebabe]

Ha ha. Rocket, you need to remember that opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one. Best to rely on your own I find, particularly when you know that TORB stands for The Other Red Bigot. Mike's right when it comes to Ric (or Brian's) opinion on white.

However, saying all that, one characteristic of a sv blanc's nose can be cat's piss but also gooseberry, passionfruit, grass and a whole range of other things.

Fortunately most sav blancs are in the under $20 price range as thay aren't oaked and are made reasonably simply and quickly, along with rieslings often being the first wine of each vintage to be released.

So personally, I find Wither Hills, Astrolabe and Dog Point all pretty reliable however I haven't tasted the current vintages of any of these as yet. Some are obviously better than others but it's pretty hard to get it completely wrong with this grape so it's worth exploring and not an expensive exercise.

[Bick]

...Astrolabe and Dog Point all pretty reliable

Agree with those two - very tidy. I had a Lake Chalice the other day that was pretty good too.

[ufo]

Hi was reading TORBs wine rating webpage (is one of my favourites) and saw that NZ Sav Blancs are right up there with ‘Cats Piss” haha…I had to have a chuckle…being pretty new to the white wine game can anyone suggest some decent sav blancs around $20? (I seem to have a lower budget for whites as reds are my preferred drop)
Maybe im missing something but I quite liked the Matua Valley 2008 NZ Sav Blanc I had on Sunday.

Stuart MacGill seems to like his NZ whites!

Looking to learn more and looking forward to some of your suggestions.
Thanks in advance.

Oyster Bay
Montana
Stoneleigh
Villa Maria (Private Bin)

You can buy these around $ 12 - 16 on deals. They are very consistent year after year. Excellent example of young fresh SVs.
Also try LOGAN's Orange SV 2008. It won the best SV of the year in front of all Kiwi SVs by Winestate magazine. $ 20 at cellar door but I found it for $ 17.95 at http://www.discountwines.com/

And don't listen to anybody who talks negative about SV. I am a big red wine fan but I only drink SV as white. It is a fabulous white wine which can be produced at a very reasonable price point with exceptional quality.

[smithy]

As a confirmed fruit tart I love my NZ Sauvies.
Cheap cheerful and always well made....try buying the slightly better $20-25 bracket....
Usually a bit less SO2 which I struggle with , and the better have some oak.
Try Catalina Sounds, Matua, Dog Point, Huau, even Secret Stone etc.
The cheaper Oyster Bay, Serensin, Crowded House etc knock me around and are a bit too acid.
Thats me anyway.
Cheers
Smithy

[TORB]

Rocket,

If I absolutely have to drink a glass of c-through, except for Frog Bubbles or stickies, my tipple of choice is NZ Sauvignon Blank.

Why last year I even had it twice rather than my usual limit of once a year.

[plummy]

Rocket,

If I absolutely have to drink a glass of c-through, except for Frog Bubbles or stickies, my tipple of choice is NZ Sauvignon Blank.

TORB, sorry to be dumb, but as a newbie, will you please explain what "c-through", "Frog Bubbles", "stickies" are, and what is a Sauvignon Blank as against a Sauvignon Blanc?
Thanks in anticipation.
Kim

[Adair]

c-through

White wine - something you can see through.

Frog Bubbles

French Champagne, although bubbles on its own can be simply "sparkling".

Extrapolating - c-through bubbles = white sparkling - probably not French Champagne

stickies

A sweet wine e.g. desert wine

Sauvignon Blank

Sauvignon Blanc that TORB does not like!

Nice break from work!

[Adair]

De Bortoli Sauvignon is my favourite Australian Sauvignon Blanc, while the Te Mata Cape Crest is my favourite Kiwi. Neither are the typical, pungent fruit bombs.

Adair

[Craig(NZ)]

Oyster Bay
Montana
Stoneleigh
Villa Maria (Private Bin)

jeez we really do send the crap to aussie dont we

Id recommend:
St Clair Wairau Reserve
Astrolabes (All)
Te Mata Cape Crest

Unfortunately the 2008 vintage is pretty variable and there is some ordinary Sauvignon Blanc around at the moment but in a top vintage there is no shortage of stuff to drink over the summer.

I had an 08 Astrolabe Marlborough Voyage Sauv a couple of weeks ago and it was brilliant...current kwfc no brainer wine buy as a result

[plummy]

Thanks for the heads-up, Adair.
Kim

[Daryl Douglas]

In terms of NZ SBs, I thought that Oyster Bay was all the go in Oz? Geoff kelly has done a recent review of a few NZ SBs that might stir some interest.

Mike

Mike, I think the sales stats would probably put Giesen at the top of the tree of NZ volume-selling SBs in Australia. I've had it mentioned to me by most of the limited number of casual winedrinkers I know.

I went off SB and blends a while ago now but recall The Ned being a pretty good one in the ~A$18 bracket.

Cheers

daz

[griff]

In terms of NZ SBs, I thought that Oyster Bay was all the go in Oz? Geoff kelly has done a recent review of a few NZ SBs that might stir some interest.

Mike

Mike, I think the sales stats would probably put Giesen at the top of the tree of NZ volume-selling SBs in Australia. I've had it mentioned to me by most of the limited number of casual winedrinkers I know.

I went off SB and blends a while ago now but recall The Ned being a pretty good one in the ~A$18 bracket.

Cheers

daz

A few years back. Mike is right and Oyster Bay it is at the moment.

cheers

Carl

[Matt]

thanks all for your info...so many choices there...a few i have had and enjoyed... Astrolabe and Dog Point seem to be mentioned a lot so i will check them out. (a friend also recommended Dog Point)

the oyster bay...it seems to be a sav blanc staple in Oz at the moment.

[griff]

thanks all for your info...so many choices there...a few i have had and enjoyed... Astrolabe and Dog Point seem to be mentioned a lot so i will check them out. (a friend also recommended Dog Point)

the oyster bay...it seems to be a sav blanc staple in Oz at the moment.

staple is the word and staple is the flavour. Personal favourite is the dog point section 94. Yum!

cheers

Carl

[Waiters Friend]

After all this discussion, and having consumed many of the SBs mentioned, I still have to ask "what's it all about"? I like some of the NZ SBs (let's take Wither Hills as an example) and they are 'front forward ' wines. i.e. 'in your face' . Spy Valley offers a more fruit-pure version. Babich also does it for me. But....

Why do we need to compare these to Australian wines?

Oz produces some unique SB, but it's not our forte`. OK. I'm from WA, so I should theoretically be running a name call of Margaret River SB producers. In practice, I have one - Ashbrook. The Devitt brothers (Tony and Brian) have been producing some of the most pristine and varietal fruit in MR for decades now.

But there are other great Australian examples. Let me know if you want more detail.

[ufo]

Oyster Bay
Montana
Stoneleigh
Villa Maria (Private Bin)

jeez we really do send the crap to aussie dont we

Craig, it looks like you don't carefuly read the original post. it says around $20 for the cost of the wine

[JamieH]

No-one has said Cloudy Bay, i thought the 2008 was the best since 2002 and actually worth paying $34 for imo. Also totally agree with Saint Clair, Dog Point bot section 94 and standard. The Craggy Range single vineyard savvy are always interesting to try. whoops, forgot about the $20 limit. in that case try Mudhouse, Giesen Brothers, Wairua River and one for the Oz Riposte by Tim Knappstein. Also Rocket i can't see what state your from but the New Zealand in a Glass roadshow is coming around in Feb-March with 500 wines and 97 wineries. check it out on www.nzwineevents.com.au

Cheers
Jamie

[smithy]

Agree totally on the St Clair. Lovely stuff.
The Giesen is so so . The Villa Maria Reserve is also pretty smart.
Cheers\Smithy

[Craig(NZ)]

No-one has said Cloudy Bay, i thought the 2008 was the best since 2002 and actually worth paying $34 for imo

Cloudy bay is a pretty sophisticated wine and still one of the smartest around. as the new worlds most famous sauvignon blanc there are plenty of knockers saying it costs too much bla bla at $35 bla bla but then they are happy to queue to pay $500 for a Grange.

I buy one bottle of cbsb every year rain hail or shine

[bob parsons]

Oyster Bay
Montana
Stoneleigh
Villa Maria (Private Bin)

jeez we really do send the crap to aussie dont we

Craig, it looks like you don't carefuly read the original post. it says around $20 for the cost of the wine

For a guy who seems to spend a lot of time writing/reviewing NZ, I would like to tell Craig that the four crappy wines he mentioned are very well received here in Canada.

Thank You

[Rednick]

My Faves

Dog Point
Dog Point Section 94
Cloudy Bay
Astrolabe
St Clair (Wairau Reserve & a couple of the Pioneer Block's as well)

Cheers

Nick

[rooman]

Hi was reading TORBs wine rating webpage (is one of my favourites) and saw that NZ Sav Blancs are right up there with ‘Cats Piss” haha…I had to have a chuckle…being pretty new to the white wine game can anyone suggest some decent sav blancs around $20? (I seem to have a lower budget for whites as reds are my preferred drop)
Maybe im missing something but I quite liked the Matua Valley 2008 NZ Sav Blanc I had on Sunday.

Stuart MacGill seems to like his NZ whites!

Looking to learn more and looking forward to some of your suggestions.
Thanks in advance.

If you are after a refreshing wine with crisp acidity, which is why most people drink SB, I believe you are better off exploring the kiwi pinot gris. As luck would have it, I am back in NZ for the weekend for a friend's birthday party and we have just made a really good dent in a bottle of Palliser Pinot Gris. Excellent drop, white peaches and nectarines, lovely crisp wine, perfect for summer.

[Matt]

thanks for all you suggestions ev1...yeh ive oftened walked past the cloudy bay thinking its too expensive but am now curious to do a comparison.

[Rawshack]

There's nothing wrong with SB apart from the fact that everyone is drinking it.

It has a time and a place (goats cheese salad being a good time), but it's driven by fashion, and anyone who's seen my wardrobe will know that fashion and I are not on first name terms.

As Coco Chanel said, style remains but fashion doesn't. The trend for Malborough SB will soon dissipate.

[Craig(NZ)]

For a guy who seems to spend a lot of time writing/reviewing NZ, I would like to tell Craig that the four crappy wines he mentioned are very well received here in Canada.

Ok, sorry Aussies you have to share it with Canada

Oyster Bay, Montana (varietal and res), Stoneleigh and Villa Maria (Private Bin) all too me seem to lack precision, just a little to fat and clumsy. I have never been able to work out why Oyster Bay is such a 'trendy' label.

My opinion only, people of course entitled to theirs!

[Wayno]

Oyster Bay, Montana (varietal and res), Stoneleigh and Villa Maria (Private Bin) all too me seem to lack precision, just a little to fat and clumsy. I have never been able to work out why Oyster Bay is such a 'trendy' label.

Because oysters are cool.