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Slideshow
Top 10 best value Sauvignon Blancs
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is undoubtedly one of the biggest success stories in recent years, but it’s Chile that is leading the way for good value examples of the variety.
While Sancerre has long been a staple of fridges and wine lists around the world, the vivacious, aromatic expressions unleashed by the New World in particular have catapulted this grape variety to a whole new level of consumer awareness. The latest report to July 2014 from the Wine & Spirits Trade Association shows that, in the UK at least, Sauvignon Blanc remains on a firm upward trajectory. What’s more, commanding a well above average off-trade retail price of £6.08 per 75cl bottle (compared to £5.27 for Chardonnay), this is far more than just a volume driver.
As the drinks business Sauvignon Blanc Global Masters proved, there there are plenty of good value, quality bottles to be discovered, however Chile seems to be taking the lead in terms of good value, budget buys, dominating our top 10.
Here we list the Sauvignon Blancs that won a medal in the competition, and that were pleasingly priced at £10 and under.
Click through to see which budget buys were judged worthy of praise by our judges…
About the competition
The Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business, and is an extension of its successful Global Masters series for major international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.• With Sauvignon Blanc entries from around the world, in total nearly 150 wines were judged blind by a group of Masters of Wine and senior buyers.
Quinta de Maipo Palo Alto Sauvignon Blanc Chile 2014
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked
Country: Chile
Quinta de Maipo was founded in 2010 as a division of Conch Y Toro with the aim of bringing developing a “multi-origin” concept by integrating wineries from both Argentina and Chile. Palo Alto is one of Maipo’s Chilean wineries based in the Maule Valley, which is overseen by head winemaker Héctor Urzúa.
“With Palo Alto I wanted to show the Maule Valley’s great versatility, by carefully looking for the different areas that not only produce the best expression of each variety but also give our wines a unique stamp: Intense, brilliant color that captivates with their fruit, good body and outstanding freshness”, says Héctor Urzúa.
Four Seasons Wines Ritu Sauvignon Blanc 2014, India
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked
Country: India
While India is not a country whose wines have as yet made it into the mainstream, Four Seasons’ Ritu Sauvignon Blanc appears to be making headway.
Established in 2006 and based in Bangalore, Four Seasons produces wines from grapes grown in the Sahyadri Valley in Maharashtra. It is a subsidiary of United Spirits Limited (USL) and largely produces and markets its wines to the Indian market under two names; Zinzi and Four Seasons.
Marisco Vineyards The Ned Sauvignon Blanc 2014, New Zealand
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked
Country: New Zealand
A long-standing favourite of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, The Ned picked up a silver medal in the Sauvignon Blanc Masters. Produced by Marisco Vineyards, which also produces The Kings Series, this 100% Sauvignon is produced from grapes grown in the Waihopai Valley of Marlborough.
Following a particularly warm start to the growing season in September to November, paired with a cooler-than-average end from January to April, the 2014 vintage resulted in a wine with “concentrated flavours of mandarin and musky pink grapefruit”, according to Marisco.
Viña Valdivieso Valdivieso Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Chile
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked
Country: Chile
Chile makes its second appearance in the top 10 thanks to Viña Valdivieso’s Reserva Sauvignon Blanc.
Valdivieso’s history dates back to 1879 when Don Alberto Valdivieso founded Champagne Valdivieso, the first production house for sparkling wines of Chile and South America. Since then Viña Valdivieso has become a leader in the domestic and South American markets, having expanded into both European and Asian markets.
Based in Lontué in the Curico Valley, Viña Valdivieso’s Winemaker Reserva range is made up of wines produced from the best fruit of the best vineyards of each variety.
Viña Casa Silva Casa Silva Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Chile
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked
Country: Chile
Staying in Chile, next we have Viña Casa Silva’s Cool Coast Sauvignon, the first of its kind produced from fruit grown on the coast of Chile’s Colchagua Valley. This is where the Silva Family first started its work in 1997, despite having a winemaking heritage that stretches back to 1892 to St Emilion in France.
Emilio Bouchon was the first of the family’s ancestors to make the move from Bordeaux to Chile in 1892, making wine from the beginning. However it was not until 1997 that Mario Pablo Silva, the oldest son of the fifth generation, and his father, Mario Silva, began marketing wines under their own label – Casa Silva.
Lismore Wines NZ Flying Kiwi 2014, New Zealand
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked
Country: New Zealand
Made from grapes harvested in the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, The Flying Kiwi comes from Lismore Wines, owned by Graeme & Barbara Thompson, who have been involved in the marketing of New Zealand wines internationally for more than a decade.
The wine is gently pressed and fermented slowly in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures to preserve the unique varietal characteristics of Marlborough Sauvignon.
Sumaridge Estate Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2014, South Africa
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked
Country: South Africa
South Africa has long been known for being excellent value, if you know where to look. This Sauvignon Blanc from Sumaridge Estate proved popular with our judges, who awarded it a silver medal.
Owned by the Bellingham Turner family, Sumaridge is located between two imposing mountain ranges in the Western Cape’s Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and from cool maritime breezes thanks to its proximity to the Atlantic Coast. As well as its Sauvignon, it also produces a sparkling wine make from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, a Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rosé and two blends.
Santa Rita Estates Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Chile
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked blends
Country: Chile
The fourth wine from Chile, judges were won over by Santa Rita’s 2014 Sauvignon which is made from 98% Sauvignon Blanc and just a smidge of Semilon,
Santa Rita, part of Santa Rita Estates, is one of Chile’s oldest founded in 1880 by Domingo Fernandez, although the property’s records date back to 1814. According to legend, Gneral Bernardo O’Higgins and 120 of his patriots took refuge in the estate cellars while fighting got independent during the Battle of Rancagua in 1814, hence of this wine.
Santa Rita was acquired by Santa Rita Estates in 1980.
Maison Ginestet Marquis de Chasse 2013, France
Medal: Silver
Style: Unoaked blends
Country: France
The only French wine to have won a media, and be priced £10 and under, was Maison Ginestet’s Marquis de Chasse 2013 Sauvignon.
Produced from fruit grown in clay-limestone hillsides in Bordeaux, it is a dry, crisp, fruity and floral wine with notes of pear and citrus on the nose.
Nederburg Wines Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2014, South Africa
Medal: Gold
Style: Unoaked
Country: South Africa
Produced from grapes harvested from vineyards in Durbanville, Stellenbosch, Paarl and Darling, Nederburg’s Winemaster’s Reserve Sauvignon scored highly with our judges, who awarded it a gold medal.
Having harvested the grapes by hand, the fruit is crushed and cool-fermented in stainless steel tanks for two to three weeks. Crucially, a proportion of the grapes were kept in skin contact before free-run juice was drained, to better extract the distinctive flavour and quality of the Sauvignon variety. The wine has a distinct notes of tropical fruit flavours and a subtle herbaceous character.