Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2023

When it comes to good New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Still, there are a few must-haves that, in my eyes, are non-negotiable.

For one, the wine has to be crisp and refreshing with good acids and no sugar. It needs to be easy to drink on its own as well as to pair with summer cuisine like goat cheese salads and grilled watermelon. It also needs to have pristine fruit. So many of these wines are all grass clippings, lacking in what makes Sauvignon Blancs so delightful. It needs the tropical, citrus and stone fruit flavors we crave. Lastly, of course, it also has to have a stellar price. There are too many good cheap ones to overpay for NZ Sauv Blanc.

As easy as it sounds, if you add up all those requirements, you will find that very few New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs make the cut. Why? Most folks chase the increased demand with quantity and not quality. That just leaves the American consumer on their own to have to know where to look.

But luckily, I can tell you with extreme confidence that this wine checks every box.