2024 Mystery Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Deal No. 6027

Sheep do the winter work in this vineyard. They graze between the rows and feed the soil. The vines are never tilled, and cover crops do the rest. It’s a single, regeneratively farmed site in the lower Wairau Valley. That pocket of Marlborough is known for intense, tropical Sauvignon Blanc. It’s close to the ocean, so nights are cool. That keeps the acidity crisp and adds a salty edge. The makers keep the cellar side simple. The fruit is machine-picked cool, fermented in tank and left on fine lees until bottling. Sam Kim gave it 95 points for its concentration, saline texture and long finish. He found kiwifruit, passionfruit, lemongrass and lime zest. This is unapologetically punchy Sauvignon Blanc, the loud and tropical kind. If that’s your style, it delivers in spades. Expect passionfruit and guava, with blackcurrant leaf, grapefruit and a briny tang. The makers’ own match is sushi, sashimi and seafood dim sum. Keep a couple in the fridge door for the next takeaway night.