Clos Henri, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2017

Run by the ninth and tenth generations of the Bourgeois dynasty of Sancerre fame, this estate is situated in the southern foothills of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, its 110ha incorporating loess-covered clay and heavier blue-grey clay sections alongside a terrace of free-draining Greywacke river stone. High-density planting and dry farming ensures vine vigour is controlled and the vines send their roots deep into the soil. Fermented 85% in stainless steel and 15% in old French oak, aged eight months with lees stirring, this is unusual, in a statuesque style. An opulent, baked lemon nose is followed by a full, rounded palate with citrus and white peach, touches of flinty mineral, a little buttery richness in the body. Food needed: seafood pasta, white or cheesy sauces. Drinking now but will undoubtedly benefit from a couple of years in the cellar.