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The Sunshine Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is a $7.99 Aldi exclusive.
The grapes are sourced from Estate vineyards in the Wairau Valley of New Zealand’s South Island.
The Wairau Valley is the Northernmost grape-growing region in Marlborough and follows a river that runs the island’s width.
The back label mentions Estate vineyards but does not mention whose Estate. Sunshine Bay is a brand name.
I did a Trademark search (OK, I’m a wine nerd) and found the name belonged to a family-owned winery that has been in business since the 1970s.
Value-priced Sauvignon Blanc is a relatively easy wine to make, most of the work is done in the vineyards. There are no special winemaking techniques that need to be performed.
Expensive Sauvignon Blanc is a different story they can get complicated and technical, but are often age-worthy.
This young Sauvignon Blanc is nice and easy, pick the grapes at the right time, ferment them in stainless steel tanks, and then do a bit of aging in stainless steel before long the wine is ready for bottling. The alcohol content is 12.5%.
The Sunshine Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Tasting Notes
The color is pale wheat yellow with a hint of green. The nose is classic New Zealand Sauv Blanc, tropical fruit, a little grassy, melon, grapefruit, peach, pear, stone fruit, honey, and lightly floral. The Sunshine Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is balanced yet full of flavor.
This Sauvignon Blanc tastes like pineapple, lemon, grapefruit, and tart apple. The mid-palate shows ripe peaches and pears, along with lime, with an array of tropical fruit. This wine is not flavor-challenged.
The acidity is well-controlled, it gives the flavors a backbone to unfold but never gets sharp.
The Summary
- The Sunshine Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is an easy review if you like a bright and juicy Sauv Blanc then this wine is for you.
- Its sub-ten-dollar price tag just makes it better.
