I’ve read a lot of stuff about the decline of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve even thought the same things myself. How can such a consistent, almost unwavering wine style persist? Won’t people get sick of it, just like they did with Chardonnay? But then the taste-buds kick in.

When @winealliancemoz mentioned he had a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc coming in, I wondered if there was any  room in the market for another one.

Turns out there is.

Little Beauty’s winemaker is Eveline Fraser, formerly head winemaker at the famed Cloudy Bay. That’s a good calling card for starters.

Nice front & rear aspect

The label, too, is a winner for me, with a glossy front and well formed behind, replete with QR code. Deserving of a Harper’s Wine & Spirits Design Award in 2010.

Whether QR codes will gain any traction is open to debate. They may languish down there with RSS, unless a new generation of smartphones has QR readers built into the camera. And the masses figure out what they are.

Nonetheless, the nerd in me loves it. The URL and QR code have the potential to take you beyond the label and learn a little bit more about the wine. Good old brand engagement.

What about the wine?

Back to the wine. All the hallmarks of what made Marlborough burst onto the scene about 15 years ago. Passionfruit, gooseberry, citrus, refreshing zestiness. Notably, this is a 2009 and the extra year in bottle has allowed all the flavours to mellow and integrate. In terms of texture, there’s a little bit of creaminess which is really nice. It softens out all the bright tropical and citrus flavours. It may be down to some lees stirring or partial malolactic fermentation.

A benchmark Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and along with Kevin Judd’s Greywacke (also ex-Cloudy Bay), one of the top to come out of New Zealand in the last year or two.