Kim Crawford

To say that this is a “crowd pleaser” is to belabor the obvious—given the commercial success of this wine. Yet, there’s a reason for its popularity that squares with a high estimation of quality, namely, excellent balance and interplay between zesty citrus fruit notes and notable sweetness. I suppose there are wine snobs out there who look down on this style, but they can’t do so while also praising German Riesling Kabinett wines, and they couldn’t pass a polygraph test when denying they would like to have a financial stake in this. 91 Michael Franz

Kim Crawford, the founder and winemaker, has long moved on to other endeavours, but this benchmark Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc continues to flourish under the current winemaker, Dave Edmonds. His attention to detail in the vineyards and at the winery, combined with a current focus on sustainable practices, vineyard block harvesting, and small lot fermentation, has kept the brand at the forefront among its fans. Its pale yellow colour belies its intense aromas of citrus and tropical fruit with a crushed herb underlay. Juicy, full flavoured, and bursting with passion fruit and melons, this is made for steamed mussels, fresh oysters, and summer salads.