Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, is usually a crisp crowd-pleaser. But not only have some of the garden-variety bottles gotten insipid; the prices of the more famous ones have spun out of control. Have you seen how much Cloudy Bay is lately? (Over $20!) I’ve got two new go-to Marlborough SBs: Oyster Bay and Nobilo—both clean and citrusy, with lots of mineral taste in the Nobilo, and both available for under $12, sometimes even under $10.
Oyster Bay and Nobilo Sauvignon Blancs, $10.99 each
Mmmm, Oyster Bay…
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/451238
Man, Babich is far and away better, for a similar price. The flavors are so much more concentrated and bright, with approachable acidity.
Nobilo SBs are great. Not a big fan of Oyster Bay though. A current favorite is Kim Crawford. Big, grassy, asparagus and citrus. Best served cold.
Ms. Goldman seems to know her wines. I have never gone wrong by following her advice. At these prices how could you go wrong?
I’ve tried almost every NZ SB I’ve seen, and I’ll agree with Dan G that Kim Crawford my favorite. For what it’s worth, Babich has a sourness that’s off-putting to me.
I think Nobilo is excellent, discovered this last year. Oyster Bay is what turned me into a white wine drinker (before that, I was strictly red)
I like the Kim Crawford and the Oyster Bay. I think they’re both incredibly good wines for the money.
You know, I deliberately didn’t mention kim Crawford because I felt like it had gotten a little flat – not llively. Used to buy it by the fistful at Costco, but no more.
Looks like Kim Crawford was bought out (Constellation Brands in 2006) which may account for the increase in production and uneven quality.
Wasn’t thrilled with Oyster Bay SB ($9) when I tried it recently. Cloudy Bay was always pricier than most–20NZ$ in 2001 when I was there, and the US$ was worth twice what it is today.
Matua Valley (http://www.matua.co.nz) also produces yummy and good value NZ Sauvignon Blanc.