8 Lively Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs Under $20

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

There are two good reasons to stock up on refreshing and aromatic 2020 Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand’s Marlborough region. First off, 2020 had a long, dry growing season—some say the driest on record. With minimal rain heading into harvest, the whites from this year are remarkably concentrated in flavor, making them memorably intense. You’ll want to enjoy these beauties for the next couple of years, including the noteworthy wines in this week’s selection.

Secondly, the 2021 Sauvignon Blancs are starting to hit the market. So far, these whites are showing plenty of promise too. But cold, wet weather dramatically reduced 2021’s yields—many vintners are reporting that their harvests were down by about 30 percent. The resulting wines are lovely and show more citrus and pear notes, rather than the stone fruit and tropical flavors of the 2020s. But going forward, there will definitely be less Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to go around.

Winemaking veteran Anthony “Ant” Moore offers two wines below: his stunning Ant Moore Estate Series Sauvignon Blanc and his Blalolck + Moore bottling. The former is more intense and aromatic, and the latter is a bit more austere and refreshing. The Seeker‘s white was made by another Kiwi winemaking legend, Steve Smith, who let the grapes cold settle overnight before a cool fermentation and four months of lees aging. This gives the intense wine a succulent quality.

Ranga.Ranga.’s Sauvignon Blanc is a lip-smacking example of a white that takes inspiration from the complexity of the Marlborough region; it blends grapes from three different subregions, four different vine clones and rootsocks, as well as five different harvest dates. The result is a quintessential Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that displays fresh citrus, herb and mineral details.

ANT MOORE

Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Estate Series 2020

Score: 92 | $17

WS review: Vibrant, juicy and wonderfully intense, showing off fleshy notes of passion fruit, mango and citrus flavors, with mouthwatering acidity and a touch of saline and lemongrass on the finish. Drink now. 15,000 cases made, 12,000 cases imported.—MaryAnn Worobiec

GREG NORMAN ESTATES

Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2020

Score: 90 | $15

WS review: Remarkably intense, with ruby grapefruit, Meyer lemon and lime zest notes that are energetic and effusive, with floral, herb and candied ginger notes lingering on the sleek frame. Drink now. 3,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.—M.W.

THE SEEKER

Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2020

Score: 90 | $14

WS review: Intense and vibrant, with mouthwatering mango, peach and passion fruit flavors at the core that are succulent and juicy, showing a touch of fresh grated ginger and zest on the finish. Drink now. 22,000 cases made, 22,000 cases imported.—M.W.

THREE BROOMS

Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Single Vineyard 2020

Score: 90 | $18

WS review: Fragrant and fresh, with lemongrass and celery leaf details on a light, fresh frame, with plenty of pops of flavor from the intense ruby grapefruit and lime sherbet notes. Drink now. 18,000 cases made, 17,000 cases imported.—M.W.