Sauvignon Blanc, Blank Canvas, Holdaway Vineyard Marlborough, New Zealand

Julia Harding MW,

Jancis Robinson
17 points
Intensely aromatic and immediately recognisable as Marlborough Sauvignon, both peapod and more exotic passionfruit, plus grapefruit and blackcurrant leaf, even a touch of capsicum. Tastes dry and extremely crisp, though there is a roundness and depth in the mouth from the sweetness of fruit, which is more passionfruit and guava on the palate as it warms up. Treads a fine line between fruit sweetness/intensity and crisp elegance. Chewy finish – from the lees – and extremely moreish in its freshness. Intense but not excessively pungent, with a long, rich but dry finish. It may well age longer but I'd enjoy this while the fruit is so vibrant.

Rebecca Gibb MW, New Zealand Whites: Never Gonna Give You Up, Vinous

94 points
The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Holdaway Vineyard provides a vivid, vibrant, crisp and crunchy expression. It's finely flavoured but not overt: expect a salty note like the sea air, lemon, passion fruit and snow pea flavours lending back up. Despite its assertiveness, it is finely poised and has a much better sense of direction than I do, providing line and length.