9 Fantastic New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs Under $25

For Sauvignon Blanc fans, there are many New Zealand whites to choose from, and that includes versions from the country’s leading Marlborough wine region. Where do you find exceptional examples? One tip: Look for well-known wineries and seek out their special bottlings. While Kiwi winemakers don’t often put the word “reserve” on their labels, there is a growing number of single-vineyard and distinctive, high-quality bottlings made using wineries’ finest vineyard or barrel selections. That quality is on display in this week’s lineup, which features whites imported to the United States in sizeable figures, which should make them easier to find. Even better, all are priced $23 or less!

When Dutch explorer Abel Tasman came to New Zealand and mapped its coastline in 1642, he gave the land the name of Staete Landt, in tribute to the governors (or staete) of the Dutch Republic. The name eventually became Nova Zeelandia and, later, New Zealand. Much later on, in 1998, winemaker Ruud Maasdam named his winery Staete Landt, connecting past to present. Today, Maasdam sources Sauvignon Blanc grapes from parcels throughout Marlborough, vinifying each parcel’s harvest separately; he then blends these wines to make his cuvées. That includes the Map Maker bottling, below, which is intense with tangerine, lemon and lime zest notes.

This lineup also includes the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2023, the top scorer, which is lush and expressive with mango, lemon and ginger notes. Read on to get our score and full tasting note for this excellent New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and eight others!

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