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The best Sauvignon Blancs of 2021

07 January 2022 By Patrick Schmitt

We reveal the 12 top-scoring wines from 2021’s Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters, which saw samples shine from Marlborough and South West France, along with a couple of delicious discoveries from Greece.

The following wines represent the highlights from 2021’s tasting, which featured around 200 Sauvignon Blancs from around the world, with each one judged ‘blind’ over one day in November at 28-50 Wine Workshop & Kitchen in Chelsea.

For the results in full, more information on the competition, and some analysis of the styles of Sauvignon being made today, please click here.

ESTAMPA DEL VIENTO

Producer: Bodega Estampa
Region: Paredones
Country: Chile
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Abv: 12.5%
Vintage: 2018
Closure: Screwcap
retail price: £15.99
Medal: Gold

A light, zesty, slightly smoky, lemongrass-and-lime tasting Sauvignon from Paredones – a coastal area of Colchagua pioneered by Bodegas Estampa, the producer of Del Viento.

NAUTILUS SAUVIGNON BLANC

Producer: Nautilus Estate
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc: 100
Abv: 13%
Vintage: 2021
Closure: Screw Cap
retail price: £16.99
Medal: Master

A benchmark Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, this entry-point expression from Nautilus is lo aded with pear, gooseberry and lemongrass characters, before ending with a long, in tense, citrus zest finish.

PYRAMID VALLEY NORTH CANTERBURY SAUVIGNON

Producer: Pyramid Valley
Region: North Canterbury
Country: New Zealand
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc: 97%, Riesling: 3%
Abv: 13.5%
Vintage: 2019
Closure: Screwcap
retail price: £18.99
Medal: Gold

A lovely bright style of Sauvignon, with layers of fresh fruit, from grapefruit to lime, along with some riper peach and pear notes, and a finish featuring lingering flavours of chalk and lemongrass.

THE PAPER NAUTILUS SAUVIGNON BLANC

Producer: Nautilus Estate
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc: 100
Abv: 13%
Vintage: 2020
Closure: Screwcap
retail price: £24.99
Medal: Gold

Ripe notes of blackcurrant, passion fruit, and peach kernel, along with fresh orange, lemon and chalk all feature in this intensely-flavoured powerful Sauvignon with a tangy, mouth-watering edge.

MORANDÉ GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020

Producer: Viña Morandé
Region: Casablanca Valley
Country: Chile
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc: 100
Abv: 13.5%
Vintage: 2020
Closure: Cork
retail price: £15.49
Medal: Gold

Fermentation in a mix of large oak casks and egg-shaped concrete vessels adds a distinctive, gently smoky, nutty and salty character to this slightly oily Sauvignon, which also displays fresh, mouth-cleansing characters from asparagus to orange and lemongrass.

DURBANVILLE HILLS THE TANGRAM WHITE BLEND

Producer: Distell
Region: Durbanville, Capetown
Country: South Africa
Grape variety: 88% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Semillon
Abv: 14%
Vintage: 2018
Closure: Screw cap
Approx. retail price: £11
Medal: Gold

Named after the Chinese geometrical puzzle consisting of five triangles, a square and a rhomboid, which can be arranged to make various forms and pictures to tell a story, the Tangram is crafted from seven elements, too: three winemakers, earth, wind, fire and water. Selected from three vineyard blocks on the south-facing, cooler slopes to ensure fruit and fragrance, then aged for 10 months in French oak, the resulting wine has gentle smoky oak overlying Galia melon, mango and lime zest aromatics. The juicy, welldefined palate is supported by lively acidity and accented by nutty and sweet spice nuances. Delicious with hard-tomatch foods, such as asparagus or artichoke, or with Asian cuisines. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)

ELGIN VINTNERS SAUVIGNON BLANC

Producer: Elgin Vintners
Region: Elgin
Country: South Africa
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Abv: 14%
Vintage: 2021
Closure: Screw cap
Approx. retail price: £14
Medal: Gold

Nestled in the heart of Elgin Valley, in an amphitheatre of ancient sandstone and shale in the shadow of the Hottentots Holland mountains, Elgin Vintners has expanded the region’s repertoire from the original orchard farms to grape-growing and winemaking. A cool climate it is indeed, which preserves the fruit and aromatics of Sauvignon Blanc. A mid-weight wine full of passionfruit and golden apples with vanilla and nut accents, the wine shows racy acidity in a linear, limey style. Nicely balanced and textural, the wine is an excellent match for savoury mussels marinières or creamy lobster Newburg. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)

DOMAINE DU GRAND MAYNE RÉSERVE SAUVIGNON-SÉMILLON

Producer: SARL Grand Mayne
Region: Côtes de Duras, Southwest
Country: France
Grape variety: 95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon
Abv: 13.5%
Vintage: 2019
Closure: Cork
Approx. retail price: £14
Medal: Gold

Grown on limestone and clay hilltops in this almost unknown part of southwest France, the wine is superb. Yellow plums, passionfruit and greengage are kissed with toasty oak notes and framed by bracing acidity. A lingering, mouth-watering finish with a touch of jalapeño pepper spice makes this an exquisite match for prawns with Thai chili sauce or a green pea, asparagus and mushroom risotto. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)

KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNERS RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC

Producer: Kendall-Jackson
Region: California
Country: USA
Grape variety: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Semillon
Abv: 13.5%
Vintage: 2020
Closure: Cork
Approx. retail price: £16
Medal: Gold

Kendall-Jackson has more than 12,000 acres located on the mountains, hillsides and benches of California’s best cool, coastal sub-regions throughout Sonoma, Napa, Monterey, and Mendocino counties, all farmed sustainably. This wine certainly shows the care and attention given to the vineyards. Mid-weight with racy acidity giving structure, the wine has yellow plum, pineapple and golden apple flavours with vanilla pod accents. Touches of oregano, white pepper and spice add complexity before leading onto a long, sappy finish. A good choice with the turkey or grilled chicken. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)

KTIMA GEROVASSILIOU SAUVIGNON BLANC

Producer: Ktima Gerovassiliou
Region: Papmola, Epanomi
Country: Greece
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Abv: 13.5%
Vintage: 2020
Closure: Cork
Approx. retail price: £28
Medal: Gold

Located about 25 minutes from Thessaloniki in northern Greece, the winery itself is beautiful with extensive glass windows allowing fantastic views across the vineyards. This wine lives up to the idyllic site. Elegant, almost reticent, yellow and green fruits have gentle hints of cream and macadamia nuts. The flavours, waxy texture and medium body are framed by zesty acidity, which lead onto a lingering finish. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)

ECOSYSTEM FUME SINGLE BLOCK KALIVA

Producer: Alpha Estate
Region: Florina
Country: Greece
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc: 100
Abv: 13.3%
Vintage: 2019
Closure: Cork
retail price: £23.5
Medal: Gold

This exciting barrel-influenced expression from Greece’s firstrate Alpha Estate has some smoky, toasty and nutty aromatics like a cool-climate Chardonnay, although the palate shows textbook Sauvignon characters of grapefruit and pear that mingle successfully with the complex oak-and-leessourced flavours.

THE CRAFT SERIES PRIDE & GLORY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020

Producer: Marisco Vineyards
Region: Marlborough
Country: New Zealand
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc: 100
Abv: 13.5%
Vintage: 2020
Closure: Screw Cap
retail price: £29.99
Medal: Gold

An excellent example of oak-aged Sauvignon, combining nutty toasty barrel-sourced flavours with pear, pineapple and lime characters from the top-quality Marlborough fruit. There’s also a touch of rock salt and chalk dust that comes through on the bright finish of this complete, and cellar-worthy Sauvignon.

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