A classic budget-friendly NZ sauvignon blanc — iconically classic, really — this has every hallmark that Marlborough is known for. Overripe pineapple? Check. Edge of fresh-cut grass? Check. Modest ammonia note? Check. There’s a load of sweetness to go along with all of this, tempering any hints of herbaceousness and percolating a touch of coconut as things warm up a bit. At $13 a bottle, you can’t complain too much about any of it, particularly on a hot day.

B+ / $13 / pongawine.com

2020 Ponga Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough

$13

8.5

Rating

8.5/10

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