Three to try

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Majestic Wines, £24). The wine that started it all off. It remains an international flagship for New Zealand wine.

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough (Majestic Wine £24.99). A very different expression of the variety, with an intense nose resembling lemon sponge cake, lime, grapefruit and passionfruit.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection, Marlborough (Sainsburys, Morrisons, £12).

Villa Maria is one of New Zealand’s largest wine producers and has a whole range of wines that won’t break the bank.

needs well-drained soils. These are exactly the conditions that exist in its original home, the Loire Valley of France, and especially its famous appellation – Sancerre.

Didknow?you

New Zealanders call South Island ‘the mainland’ as it’s the larger of the two

In Marlborough, the vineyards lie in a rain shadow sheltering them from the westerly winds and rain. There is plentiful sunlight, and because the nights are cool the grapes ripen slowly, retaining acidity and developing intense flavours. The autumns are dry, giving them longer on the vine than in France, allowing additional flavour development. The soils are mainly well-drained, with lots of gravel.

Fruit and flavour

So, what makes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc such a winner? It has pronounced aromas which give an herbaceous element, combined with grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, and most notably passionfruit. On the palate the wine will be dry, high in acidity (and thus refreshing), light-medium bodied and the best examples have a long, lingering finish. Above all, it’s very reliable, from entry-level wines found in supermarkets to premium examples, the same recognisable style prevails.