I first discovered and enjoyed this wine during the Lidl Winter Wine Tours press tasting and decided to try it again to explore in more detail. Produced in the Awatere Valley, this 2022 Sauvignon Blanc (12% ABV) is part of the Lidl Deluxe core line.
From the winemaker signature ‘Priyanka K’ on the front label, it seems likely that it was produced by Priyanka Kulkarni of Indevin, a leading New Zealand wine producer who actually acquired Villa Maria and associated well-known brands in 2021.
This Sauvignon Blanc offers the typical aromas of passion fruit, gooseberry and lemongrass, complemented by an additional intriguing sherbet-like note. On tasting, there’s an inviting blend of tropical passionfruit and cantaloupe melon flavours. The wine is well-balanced, delivering a very rich fruity profile that diverges from the usual acidic freshness associated with Sauvignon Blanc. It has an enhanced mouthfeel, making it an enjoyable, more mellow, rounded and, might I say, more luxurious example of Sauvignon Blanc.
Priced at £8.29, it’s good value, especially with Lidl’s recent 30% Christmas Holiday discount on 3+ Deluxe wines, bringing it down to just £5.80. It offers a deeper taste experience than the average Sauvignon Blanc and is well worth trying.
