Astrolabe 2020 Taihoa Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough)

A stellar example of the beauty that emerges from Marlborough Sauvignon after a few years in bottle (and from an excellent vintage to boot), this pale-gold-hued bottling is heady with an opulent perfume of crème brûlée, passion fruit tart and lime compote, with a wet stone-mineral component behind. The palate follows through with balanced richness, buoyed by limey acidity. Baked fruit and honeyed notes are present but the focus here is more on that acid-texture tightrope, which makes for delicious drinking. It is long, poised and exceptionally food friendly. Christina Pickard