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Top Sauvignon Blancs priced over £15
Following the drinks business Sauvignon Blanc Masters held late last year, we round up the top examples priced over £15 that took home a Gold medal, or the ultimate accolade of a Master.
Served blind and assessed without prejudice about their country of origin, 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.
In total 157 wines were judged by our panel, with wines that scored over 90 points awarded a Gold medal. Exceptional wines that scored 95 points or more were given the ultimate accolade of a Master, which was bestowed upon just one wine in the competition.
Here, we round up the wines that were priced £15 and over, and that were awarded a Gold of Master medal.
Click through to see which wines were rated highly by our judges…
To see a full report on the competition and all of the wines that won a medal click here.
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.
Dandelion Vineyards, Wishing Clock of the Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc Adelaide Hills 2015, Australia
What the judges said: “Attractive notes of lemon and grass on the nose. Palate more green with notes of green leaf, a touch of bell pepper and grapefruit. Long and persistent finish.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Unoaked
Price category: £15-£20
Medal: Gold
Kellerei Kaltern, Premstaller Alto Adige Sauvignon DOC Alto Adige 2014, Italy
What the judges said: “Ripe and herbaceous on the nose with notes of apple and tropical fruits. Creamy texture on the palate with spice and maturity. Classic balance of fruit and herbs with a clean, long finish. Really good.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Unoaked
Price category: £20-£30
Medal: Gold
Reyneke, Reyneke Reserve White Stellenbosch 2013, Western Cape
What the judges said: “Prominent aromas of flint and burnt match on the nose. Deliciously smoky palate with a slightly oily texture and touch of citrus. A complex and characterful wine.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Oaked
Price category: £15-£20
Medal: Gold
Gem, Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008, New Zealand
What the judges said: “Notes of smoke, toast and tinned asparagus on the nose. Evolved palate with notes of ripe orange, smoke and toast. Complex in character and very interesting.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Oaked
Price category: £20-£30
Medal: Gold
Marisco Vineyards, The Craft Series Pride and Glory Marlborough 2011, New Zealand
What the judges said: “Tight knit aromas of lemon, grapefruit and toast on the nose with hints of stone fruits, pineapple and smoke. Big on the palate with notes of pineapple, grapefruit and a touch of cream and toast. Fresh and cleansing on the finish. Long and complex.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Oaked
Price category:£20-£30
Medal: Gold
Vinultra, Little Black Beauty Edition Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, New Zealand
What the judges said: “Herbaceous, earthy aromas on the nose with notes of currants and spice. Opulent and complex on the palate with plenty of weight. A well balanced wine with a long finish.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Oaked
Price category:£20-£30
Medal: Gold
Marisco Vineyards, The King’s A Sticky End Marlborough 2013, New Zealand
What the judges said: “Golden in the glass with notes of ripe peach, fig and raisined fruit on the nose. Concentrated on the palate with notes of fig, honeysuckle, nectarine and a touch of very ripe orange. Some grip on the palate. Characterful, refreshing and long on the finish.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Sweet
Price category: £15-£20
Medal: Gold
Jackson Family Wines, Stonestreet Aurora Point Sauvignon Blanc Alexander Valley 2012, USA
What the judges said: “Bright and attractive in glass. Gentle notes of oak on the nose with a touch of creaminess and hints of pineapple and lemon beneath. Ripe palate with a touch of blackcurrant leaf, restrained oak and warm notes of cream and toast. Long and fresh on the finish.”
Style: 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Oaked
Price category:£30-£50
Medal: Master