"Crisp, dry and concentrated sauvignon blanc with nectarine, guava, salty-mineral, capsicum and lemongrass flavours. A serious sauvignon with intensity, length and a backbone of peppery phenolics."

"Distinctive bouquet with aromas of mineral oyster shell, citrus fruits and freshly harvested green herbs. There's a saline air and wildflower seam and some exotic fruits along with apple and heirloom peach. Really fantastic on the palate with flavours that mirror the bouquet amplified and intense. Bold acid line and a leesy vibrant mouthfeel. Well-made and totally delicious with best drinking from 2022 through 2028."

"Sauvignon Blanc is the stock in trade of every self respecting Marlborough winemaker and the vast majority of it tastes juicy, fruity and even with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Here is a wine that bucks that trend entirely thanks to its dry taste, light body and powerful aromas of fresh green plums, gooseberries and herbs. Its refreshingly dry style makes a pleasant change from so many Sauvignons these days and the finish leaves a refreshing impression."

"The classy 2021 vintage is a bright, light lemon/green, vigorous, full-bodied wine, with intense, vibrant, tropical fruit flavours, a herbaceous undercurrent, and a crisp, dry, lasting finish. A wine with a powerful presence, it's benchmark stuff. Certified organic."

"Unlike most Marlborough Sauvignons, the 2021 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc is cropped low and hand-harvested in a bid to increase concentration and restraint, respectively. This is a Scrappy Doo of a wine with its youthful "lemme at 'em" vivacity. It has masses of dissolved CO2, clearly visible on pouring, which provides a slight crackle in the mouth. The wine is citrus-driven, with lemon and lime meeting pineapple and more subtle details of jasmine, green herbs and flint. The finish is powerful and intense, potentially due to the naturally low yields of 2021 adding that extra punch. I'd like to leave this another six months to allow Scrappy Doo to calm down, although I suspect it'll be put on wine lists and sold before then."

"Intriguing and aromatic, this has a singed note to the up-front peach, honeysuckle and jasmine flavors, but the lush core is pure melon, apricot and lemon curd on a fleshy frame. Finishes with candied ginger, marmalade and spice, with fresh, vibrant acidity."

"Section 94 is one of Marlborough's most highly-acclaimed barrel fermented/matured examples of sauvignon blanc. It is also one of the most adventurous wines with a strong savoury, struck flint reductive character. A richly textural and impressively complex wine."

"Impressively deep, with whiffs of smoke, white pepper, honeycomb and orange blossom that melt into apricot, dried mango and lemon curd flavors. Matcha green tea and nutmeg details linger on the long, expressive finish, with a delicate thread of acidity weaving in and out, keeping the flavors fresh."

"Very struck match! You'd either love or loath this. I love it. Star-bright fruit, finely etched. Masses of undertow and mid-palate fruit. Lightly chalky finish. Very appetising and holds its alcohol well. You could enjoy this with or without food."

"This ranks among the country's greatest oak-aged Sauvignon Blancs. Looking for 'texture rather than rich aromatics', Dog Point fermented and lees aged the 2016 vintage for 18 months in seasoned French oak cases. It is a powerful, tightly structured wine, full of potential. Bright, lemon/green it has high concentrated, citrusy, gently herbaceous flavours, showing excellent vigour and complexity, balanced acidity, and a fully dry, lasting finish."

"To emphasize its difference from the classic Sauvignon Blanc, Dog Point's 2016 Section 94 steadfastly refuses to note the varietal on the front label. Which, I should note for TTB purposes, is actually the back label. Whatever. It continues to be a benchmark for the so-called alternative style of Sauvignon Blanc, being barrel fermented with high solids and indigenous yeasts. Wild notes of green onions and sweat dominate the nose at the moment, but I expect them to mellow with time in bottle and reveal the underlying stone fruit and grapefruit elements. It's medium to full-bodied but fresh and vibrant with a crispy, citrusy finish. Unlike most Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, the Section 94 and similar wines can drink well for up to a decade or more from the vintage."

"The intense bouquet is distinctive, funky, and complex. There’s an abundance of ripe grapefruit, mandarin, and lime skin aromas with hints of flint, wet stones, and nutty wine-making notes. A dry, well-structured, full-flavoured wine with citrus characters that persist on the palate supported by salivating acidity, and creamy, toasty elements from lees, and barrel influence. A stylish, youthful wine indicative of the more complex styles of Chardonnay emerging from NZ."

"Seductive chardonnay with white peach, citrus, grapefruit, oyster-shell and subtle spicy oak underpinned by delicious acidity. Intense wine with a lengthy finish. A little bottle age would do it no harm."

"Smoke, hay, dried mango, preserved lemon and buttered toast on the nose. Full-bodied with sharp acidity and a phenolic texture. Tight, concentrated and long. Drink or hold."

"Lovely purity of fruit and expression. Aromas of white and yellow fleshed fruits, a lovely cashew nut layer, mild toasty oak layer. Really lovely mouthfeel and purity. Complex, young, pure, there’s a salty finesse and light floral character. Texas ruby grapefruit. There’s a pith and sweetness. A fascinating wine with layers of complexity."

"Intense sort of Chardonnay here, kind of like sticking your head out of a car window while driving 110km/h, which I’m sure is also the sort of thing a dog would love too. Plenty of struck match, pink grapefruit, oatmeal and bran, BBQ chicken, guava and spice. And more, but that’ll do for now. Tight and tangy, but also bold and packed with flavour, biscuit oak, a mix of ripe lime and stone fruit, flint and funk and a mouth-watering finish of excellent length and energy. Really very good."

"Starts with lovely bran biscuit, flint and wet-stone edged aromas, then masses of citrus and white stone burst in. The flavours are textural and pure, wrapped up in lemon meringue pie acidity. Concentrated and satisfying."

"Full, bright yellow colour, with a powerful bouquet of smoky-toasty oak and reductive characters. Smoked-chicken springs to mind. It’s full-bodied and rich, in-your-face and shot through with vibrant acidity. Long aftertaste. A concentrated wine which has cellaring potential."

"The 2019 vintage is bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant bouquet. Full-bodied, it is still very fresh and youthful, with concentrated ripe stonefruit flavours, hints of toast and butterscotch, lively acidity, and impressive vigour and length. Best drinking 2023+. Certified organic."

"The 2019 Dog Point is one hell of a mouthful of a Chardonnay with its full-bodied, concentrated, vanilla-infused core, offering density and richness of white stone fruit and oak-derived grilled nut and bacon flavours. It would be difficult to call this wine subtle, but what it lacks in demureness, it makes up for in impressiveness. Hailing from Marlborough, its volume is kept in check by natural acidity, creating a fine, precise and lengthy finish. More time in bottle will curb its youthful enthusiasm."

"An appealing whiff of matchstick smoke adds a note of complexity, giving way to lemon meringue, apricot pastry and salted butter flavors on a full but sleek and mouthwatering frame, with a savory hint of sesame seed."

"Dried herb nose and palate, quite savoury and fleshy, crunchy, complex. Ticks a lot of boxes on concentration and finesse. Some fresh and older rose aromas and flavours. Some toasty wood ingress, savoury, dry, lengthy, new and very youthful."  

"Boasting a deep, garnet hue with an alluring, complex, impactful bouquet. Youthful, and slightly oak dominant at the moment but there's aromas of black cherries, layers of meaty complexity plus a spicy, herbal vein, and the oak itself is pleasantly redolent of smoky, bacon-fat and coffee. Medium bodied, fleshy, and textured with salivating salty, freshness, and firm tannins. Instantly engaging, and commands more, and more attention with airtime."

"Medium-bodied, supple pinot noir with floral, red rose, violet, dark cherry and a hint of cassis supported by a backbone of fine, peppery tannins. Accessible now but with good cellaring potential."

"A bit of toasty char, dried herbs, carob and coffee grounds, dried roses and dark cherry. Powerful, dark cherry, damp earthy coffee, slightly bitter things, ripe sooty tannin, sappy acidity, and a firm, long peppery finish. Intense but good. No shortage of character."

"Ripe cherries, red plums, raspberries, baking spices and dried flowers on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with fresh acidity and a velvety texture. Structured and chalky. Flavorful finish with excellent length. A couple of years of bottle age will make this even better, but it's delicious already. Drink or hold."

"Shows salted caramel, maraschino cherry and wild blackberry and blueberry flavors that are plush and robust, with expressive notes of espresso, forest floor, sage, spice and tobacco lingering on a long, velvety frame."

"Dense opulent fruit aromas of perfectly ripe damson and black cherry. The nutmeg and smoky oak barrel notes sit firmly in the background allowing the exuberant fruit and silky, ripe tannins to shine. Already very delicious." 

"The 2019 vintage is deep ruby, mouthfilling and supple. Full of cellaring potential, it has rich, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, gently seasoned with nutty oak, and excellent vigour and harmony. Best drinking 2024+. Certified organic."

"Deep colour with a trace of purple remaining. The bouquet is earthy, smoky, chaffy and woodsy, showing some development, the palate savoury and drying. Dried herbs. A fuller-bodied style for sure, with a persistent note of clove and a relatively firm finish."

"My favorite Dog Point Pinot Noir to date, the 2019 is seductive and savory. While transparent, it shows the depth of color so typical of this small-berried, high anthocyanin vintage. Sourced from the clay-loam slopes of the southern valleys, this offers a full, ripe style, plush texture and rounded tannins that are almost cocoa-powdery, with log-fire-like smoky notes derived from 18 months in French oak. A portion of whole clusters in the ferment (30%) brings a lifted floral character to meet the cherry and plum flavors. The lengthy finish provides a fragrant, complex conclusion."

"Crisp, dry and concentrated sauvignon blanc with nectarine, guava, salty-mineral, capsicum and lemongrass flavours. A serious sauvignon with intensity, length and a backbone of peppery phenolics."

"Distinctive bouquet with aromas of mineral oyster shell, citrus fruits and freshly harvested green herbs. There's a saline air and wildflower seam and some exotic fruits along with apple and heirloom peach. Really fantastic on the palate with flavours that mirror the bouquet amplified and intense. Bold acid line and a leesy vibrant mouthfeel. Well-made and totally delicious with best drinking from 2022 through 2028."

"Sauvignon Blanc is the stock in trade of every self-respecting Marlborough winemaker and the vast majority of it tastes juicy, fruity and even with a hint of sweetness on the finish. Here is a wine that bucks that trend entirely thanks to its dry taste, light body and powerful aromas of fresh green plums, gooseberries and herbs. Its refreshing dry style makes a pleasant change from so many Sauvignons these days and the finish leaves a refreshing impression."

"This ranks among the country’s greatest oak-aged Sauvignon Blancs. Looking for 'texture rather than rich aromatics', Dog Point fermented and lees aged the 2016 vintage for 18 months in seasoned French oak cases. It is a powerful, tightly structured wine, full of potential. Bright, lemon/green it has high concentrated, citrusy, gently herbaceous flavours, showing excellent vigour and complexity, balanced acidity, and a fully dry, lasting finish."

"Section 94 is one of Marlborough's most highly-acclaimed barrel fermented/matured examples of sauvignon blanc. It is also one of the most adventurous wines with a strong savoury, struck flint reductive character. A richly textural and impressively complex wine."

"Impressively deep, with whiffs of smoke, white pepper, honeycomb and orange blossom that melt into apricot, dried mango and lemon curd flavors. Matcha green tea and nutmeg details linger on the long expressive finish, with a delicate thread of acidity weaving in and out, keeping the flavors fresh."

"Very struck match! You'd either love or loath this. I love it. Star-bright fruit, finely etched. Masses of undertow and mid-palate fruit. Lightly chalky finish. Very appetising and holds its alcohol well. You could enjoy this with or without food."

"To emphasize its difference from the classic Sauvignon Blanc, Dog Point's 2016 Section 94 steadfastly refuses to note the varietal on the front label. Which, I should note for TTB purposes, is actually the back label. Whatever. It continues to be a benchmark for the so-called alternative style of Sauvignon Blanc, being barrel-fermented with high solids and indigenous yeasts. Wild notes of green onions and sweat dominate the nose at the moment, but I expect them to mellow with time in the bottle and reveal the underlying stone fruit and grapefruit elements. It's medium to full-bodied but fresh and vibrant, with a crisp, citrusy finish. Unlike most Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, the Section 94 and similar wines can drink well for up to a decade or more from the vintage."

"Alluring scents of ripe citrus and apple, peach, quince and a touch of golden kiwifruit followed by spices and mild toasty barrel layers, vanilla and raw sugar then a gun-flint soil complexity. On the palate – youthful and vibrant with layers of barrel spice and wood underpinning flavours of stone fruit and citrus reflecting the bouquet. Fine wood tannins, medium+ acidity, knocking on the door of full-bodied and a satin texture showcases bot this wines deliciousness now, potential for cellaring and readiness for food. Well made, youthful and best cellared for a while longer with best drinking from late 2021 through 2029+."

"A complex chardonnay with guava, lime and lightly grilled-peach aromas, as well as flint and toasted hazelnut. The palate has an impressively taut and concentrated feel with praline, hazelnut, peach and lemon flavors all intertwined. Good depth."

"Attractive, earthy and spicy aromas are wound seamlessly into bright, red and darker cherries. This is complex and fragrant with dialed-in oak. The palate has impressively red-cherry flavors with succulent acidity and smooth, fluid tannins. Composed finish. Drink or hold."

Restrained but well-layered and pretty aromas combine notes of plum and dark currant with those of spice and violet. There is fine richness to the delicious and appealingly vibrant medium weight flavors that possess a velvety texture, all wrapped in a moderately firm and youthfully austere finale that is sneaky long. This is already lovely though a wine that should easily repay extended cellaring. Worth checking out.