Written by: Jamie

Updated: December 31, 2023

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  • 2022 Matua Sauvignon Blanc Wine Review | Marlborough Magic?

2022 Matua Sauvignon Blanc Wine Review | Marlborough Magic?

I’ve reviewed quite a few Sauvignon Blancs from Marlborough, New Zealand over the last couple of months and the bars been set pretty high!

Today, I’ve got the 2022 Matua Sauvignon Blanc next to me. It’s a wine I’ve been wanting to try for a long time and I’m excited to get tasting.

I’m expecting a dry, fruity wine with big notes of tropical and citrus fruits. Managing the vibrant acidity of the grape is always key with these wines and I’m interested to see how they’ve gone about this.

It costs around $12 which puts it in direct competition with the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, which I reviewed very favorably. This is a wine I really enjoyed and for me it’s the benchmark for budget SB from this region. 

So how will it fare in the face of some fierce competition? Let's find out!


Table of Contents

Wine Specs

  • Price: $12 (can be found for as little as $9)
  • Vintage: 2022
  • ABV: 12.5%
  • Location: Marlborough, New Zealand
  • Winemaker: Matua Wines
  • Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Matua SB bottle and glass

Appearance

It’s a pale lemon color with a hint of green. It’s fairly standard in appearance for Sauvignon Blanc of this young age.

Though this isn't a comment on the appearance of the actual wine, I thought I should acknowledge the temperature sensitive snowflake icon on the wine bottle. It turns blue when it gets cold enough to serve. It's a nice touch that ensures occasional wine drinkers still get the best experience out of the wine.

Matua color in glass

Nose

There’s nothing subtle about the nose of this wine and it’s got tropical aromatics in abundance. 

Marlborough SB is sometimes derided by critics for its simplicity and lack of finesse but I think that's unfair.

The aromas are practically leaping out of the glass like a tropical fruit salad. There’s some guava and passion fruit and also a little pear and grapefruit rind. It's very fruity, very aromatic, and a very welcome smell. If most of this translates onto the palate then we should be in good shape here.

Matua SB front bottle label


Tasting

The first thing that strikes me is the fullness in the mouth of this wine. It’s got a lovely weight and texture to it that separates it from most similarly priced SB from Marlborough.

It starts with guava and pear and then turns into pink grapefruit and gooseberry. The finish is tart and of reasonable length for a cheap wine. 

It’s very crisp and acidic with a nice freshness to it. It’s fairly simple and I don’t get that nice ‘wet flint’ mineral quality with this that some nice Sauvignon Blanc has.

back of Matua bottle


Score

I paid $12 for this which is on the higher end of the price range. I’ve seen it for $10 and I think it might be available for even less.

At $12, it’s in competition with the Kim Crawford SB, which is a slightly better rounded wine. Kim Crawford costs a bit more at approximately $15 but it’s well worth the extra few bucks.

However, at $10 and less, the Matua SB is a solid wine that pairs really well with light fish dishes. It's got great acidity for cutting through creamy or buttery sauces too.

Today, I score the Matua Sauvignon Blanc 7/10. 

It's a bright, slightly tart, New Zealand SB that has a lovely texture to it. It's great value if you find it around $10.

Wairau River SB is also available at this price point. It's a wine I gave the same score in a recent review.


How do you score this wine? What notes did you find? Let me know in the comments section!

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About the Author Jamie


I'm Jamie (James to some), professional over-thinker and aspiring pun champion. I'm fluent in emoji, sarcasm, and song lyrics.

I'm a certified cork dork wine obsessive and wineturtle.com is my megaphone.

I have the WSET Level 2 (with distinction) in Wine and I'm currently enrolled in level 3. I've also co-written a book on wine.

I look for value in wine and I'm always on the look out for the next hidden gem.



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