2025 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Organic, Marlborough

The ’25 vintage Sauvignon is a lasting reminder of the legacy of Dog Point co-founder and chief winemaker, James Healy, who died in February this year. His last vintage was a cracker quality-wise and the man, who was instrumental in the ground-breaking Cloudy Bay Sauvignons of the 90s, produced a gently complexed and intensely fruited style built on citrus, lime-peel aromas, baked apple, spice and spring blossom florals. This is the first time that this Sauvignon Blanc has been made with 100% wild yeasts, something that is set to continue. A flinty, slate complexity comes into view on the palate, tensile and tangy, fleshy through the middle, holding citrus and apple at its core with a dusting of fresh cut herbs, dill and green tea. As dry, crisp and as fresh as they come, delightfully so. Thank you, James!

95 points Jeni Port for Wine Pilot

Aromas of grapefruit, brine, green olives and limes. Medium- to full-bodied, linear and vibrant, with definition. Restrained exuberance and a touch of salinity in the finish. 100% indigenous yeast fermentation. Impressive handmade wine considering the volume. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap.

94 points James Suckling

Taut, new, pure fruited, ripe and salivating with aromas and flavours of grapefruit and lime, white peach and hay. A dry wine on the palate with a backbone of acidity engaging the palate and sending a flourish of flavours throughout. There’s a light fine lees quality, saline quality and lengthy vibrant finish. Best drinking from mid to late 2026 through 2032+.

94 points Cam Douglas MS

Zingy with salty lightness and a flinty edge, this rather delicate style inhabits a middle ground with floral notes and cloudy apple juice flavours rather than anything overtly herbaceous. Subtly long and zingy, the length is currently interrupted by some harder chalky phenolics and flinty reduction, but it will settle somewhat with time in bottle 13 Oct 2025 Drink 2026–2028

92 points Stephen Wong MW therealreview.com

From some of the oldest organically farmed vineyards in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc offers a more refined and quietly complex take on New Zealand’s signature style. Founded by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, both deeply involved in the region’s formative years, Dog Point has built a cult following for wines that emphasise vineyard character, low intervention and balance. Careful canopy management and hand harvesting help shape a Sauvignon Blanc that feels textured, mineral and expressive rather than overtly pungent.

A pale straw colour with bright green flashes glints in the glass. Aromas unfold with lime zest, grapefruit and green apple layered with gooseberry, fresh herbs and a subtle smoky flint note. There is an appealing composure to the bouquet, vibrant yet finely detailed.

The palate is dry and energetic, delivering citrus and orchard fruit flavours framed by lively acidity and a gently chalky mineral line. Nuances of passionfruit skin, saline freshness and soft phenolic texture build through the mid palate, leading to a long, clean finish that feels both refreshing and quietly structured. Delicious now for its clarity and drive, this organic Sauvignon Blanc will continue to evolve attractively over five to eight years, gaining savoury nuance and added complexity.

Grilled prawns dressed with lemon, fresh summer salads spread across the table, or roast chicken with herbs as evening light softens. A spin of Crowded House Woodface or something breezy from Unknown Mortal Orchestra drifting through the background, the wine bringing cool Marlborough brightness into the rhythm of the night.