Wine of the week: Matua Sauvignon Blanc 2019
by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On
The Matua sauvignon blanc is Big Wine at its best — varietally correct, cheap, and delicious
A blog reader told me that his Costco was selling the Matua sauvingon blanc for $7 a bottle. I told him to buy cases and cases.
That’s because the Matua sauvingon blanc ($10, purchased, 13.5%) is Big Wine at its best — a combination of best practices in mass market winemaking, economies of scale, and supply chain efficiencies. The result, from Treasury Wine Estates, is a wine that is simple but not stupid and tastes like it is supposed to — and which may be the best Big Wine product on the market.
The 2019 vintage, which seems to be current, is even a little more well done than past efforts — and those made the $10 Hall of Fame. Look for not too much New Zealand grapefruit, a noticeable if slight tropical middle, and a long, clean finish.
Highly recommended and a wine destined for the 2021 Hall of Fame, as well as the short list for the 2021 Cheap Wine of the Year.
Imported by TWE Wine Estates
I’m amazed that someone could grow quality grapes and make a quality wine in New Zealand, put it in a bottle, ship it to the USA, grease the myriad of palms in the distribution chain and sell it for $7 retail. Mind-boggling! It’s my house white, I can tell you that!
I find this stuff, as well as most NZ “Sauvignon Blanc” to be undrinkable and nothing like the SB based wines I grew up on from France. No amount of chilling can overcome is nauseating sweetness. “Hall of Fame?” More like Hall of Shame.