2023 Pyramid Valley Sauvignon+, North Canterbury

Delicate, ethereal, bone-dry sauvignon with subtle power and appealing purity. Pink grapefruit, fresh herbs and a suggestion of wildflowers add extra complexity to a wine that is clearly made with a light touch.

94 points Bob Campbell MW The Real Review

This is really something for the vintage, with sliced apricots, orange peel, dried flowers and flint. It’s medium-bodied with nutty and floral undertones to the flavorful finish of caramel apples. Hints of matchstick and smoke at the end.

94 points James Suckling

Light straw with aromas of gooseberry, fleshy stone fruits and Meyer lemon with hints of grapefruit pith, crushed rock, wildflowers, alpine meadow, guava juice, goat curd and passionfruit cream. Some lightly crushed herbs way back in the distance on the palate, some nice textural slinkiness, porcelain acidity and a wicked 'sucking on a river pebble' savoury line. Woo wee, it's great complex drinking.

94 points Special Value Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion 

Pyramid Valley has become one of New Zealand's most admired wineries, producing wines that express vineyard, season and place with remarkable clarity. Guided by a commitment to organic and biodynamic farming, the estate has built a cult following for wines of precision, texture and authenticity. Sauvignon+ takes a fresh approach to the variety, moving beyond the familiar to create a layered, age worthy white with exceptional complexity and character.

Drawn from organically farmed vineyards in North Canterbury, the 2023 vintage enjoyed an extended growing season that delivered fruit of outstanding purity and balance. Gentle whole bunch pressing, wild fermentation and extended lees maturation build texture and depth while preserving the freshness and mineral drive that define the region. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc of impressive concentration, subtlety and finesse.

The colour is a brilliant pale straw with green highlights. Aromas of preserved lemon, white grapefruit and nectarine are intertwined with elderflower, fresh fennel, struck flint and delicate herbal notes. The palate is beautifully textured, revealing layers of citrus and stone fruit supported by vibrant acidity and a chalky mineral backbone. Gentle lees richness, saline freshness and a whisper of spice carry through to a long, poised finish with exceptional persistence.

A superb companion to grilled crayfish, roasted John Dory, scallops with beurre blanc, asparagus risotto, goat's cheese tart or sushi. Enjoy now for its energy and complexity or cellar confidently for eight to ten years as further depth and savoury nuance emerge.