I’ll never forget the first time I tried Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc. I was much younger, and at the time a complete red wine evangelist. I sneered at white wine and drinkers of it as an inferior class. As it turns out (unsurprisingly) it was me who was the ignorant one. As soon as Stoneleigh was foisted on me I fell in love – and I’ve never looked back.

Right now we’re basking in the afterglow of the New Zealand Sauvignon boom. For a couple of years you almost didn’t need to check reviews, brand or price – if it was a Sauvignon Blanc coming from New Zealand, odds are it would be pretty enjoyable.

While we’re a bit past the golden days (with great quantity comes disappointing quality), some vineyards have consistently managed to knock it out of the park, and Stoneleigh is one of them.

Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc Review

For those of you who love the hallmarks of a good Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll find everything you’re looking for. For those who maybe aren’t a fan of the grape (or white wines, like I used to be) I suspect you’re going to make an exception for Stoneleigh.

It pours a fairly pale yellow, looking like the intersection between a Chablis and a Cali. chard. It’s an intensely aromatic wine, with big notes of melon, a touch of mown grass, and something that seriously reminded me of the smell I associate with organic honey.

After a sip, Stoneleigh opens into a veritable cornucopia of tropical fruits with passion fruit taking center stage. There’s also a distinct grassiness to it, which is complimented by a kick of grapefruit. It’s wonderfully complex, with a refreshing acidity that offsets Stoneleigh’s touch of residual sugar. There’s enough here to fascinate even the most rabid red fan.

 

8.7
Score

Final Verdict

Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful white wine. Lavish and lush like many of its New Zealand kin, it manages an impressive balance less frequently found amongst its peers. Even if you’re a red wine fan like I was (and remain), Stoneleigh is a wine you will enjoy sipping slow.