It’s become fashionable to dislike Sauvignon Blanc, according to dinner party chatter recently.

At a table of eight people, five vehemently refused to touch a drop of it, even if they were trapped on a desert island and that’s all there was to drink. Two of us professed to like Sauvignon Blanc, and one felt ambivalent about this country’s top export wine.

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Taste in wine is subjective. Everyone can like or loathe whatever wine they choose, but this small survey runs counter to national sales figures if I’ve crunched the numbers correctly.

New Zealand’s 2019 vintage yielded 302,157 tonnes of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. According to the latest export statistics, 86% of that figure is likely to be exported. That leaves 42,301 tonnes of Sauvignon Blanc destined for the local market.

It also makes Sauvignon Blanc our most popular wine by a hefty margin. Pinot noir, the runner-up, produced 26,944 tonnes of grapes in 2019, and that’s before export figures are deducted. Chardonnay, then Pinot Gris follow close behind.

Sauvignon Blanc pays the bills, put New Zealand on the world wine map, and is a clear leader in the domestic consumption stakes. I think it deserves a little more respect.”

Bob Campbell MW Submitted by Lester A. Harvey, Managing Director of ZEN ASIA INC. importer of fine wines from NEW ZEALAND and AUSTRALIA

With your ANZA Manila membership you can redeem a free bottle of wine from Zen Asia when purchasing a case. See offer