From a stellar producer, this is a nervy, linear wine. A miasma of fresh gooseberry, crunchy minerals, rhubarb, rounded off by a lifted elderflower scent, this is indeed a bright and breezy glass of Sauvignon. Alc: 13.5%. £12.99

Fermented in stainless steel with no oak contact, the 2009 Old Renwick Sauvignon Blanc has a light grassy nose with touches of capsicum and nettle. It shows good definition with touches of apricot blossom developing in the glass. The palate is vibrant and lively, showing more vigor than the bouquet with light green apple, gooseberry and tangible minerality towards the finish. This is lively and revitalizing. Drink now-2013. The wines from Craggy Range were tasted both in Hawkes Bay in January 2010 and then in London six months later. Steve Smith, Rod Easthope and the team continue to furnish consumers with a wide portfolio of terroir-based wines that satisfy both the value and prestige end of the market. Having tasted many of their wines, there is no doubt that they have ‘toned down’ their style, the initial releases being rather hubristic and a tad top-heavy with oak. This sense of refinement has lent the wines greater poise and breeding. Their reds are still their strongest suit, in particular their flagship labels such as ‘Le Sol’ and ‘Sophia’, but do not overlook their Chardonnays that exude great purity and Burgundian poise. Meanwhile their ‘Wild Rock’ entry-level range, which is treated as a completely separate entity to Craggy Range, contains some delightful varietals that form a neat introduction to the delights of Hawkes Bay’s wines.Importer: Kobrand Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300.

From Marlborough vines the 2008 Old Renwick Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc has a more herbaceous bouquet, a Hawkes Bay accent but with an underlying granite element showing through. The palate is more delicate, less herbaceous on the nose with some lovely passion fruit and pawpaw notes towards the finish. There is an attractive transparency here: a perfect foil for some steaming mussels! Craggy Range continue to press forward with their ambitious plans and are rapidly becoming one of the most familiar New Zealand producers both at an entry-level, having successfully penetrated the competitive supermarket shelves in the UK, but also winning plaudits for their array of flagship bottlings such as Le Sol, Sophia and The Quarry. I concentrated on new releases but re-tasted some of the Pinot Noirs that I felt have improved significantly.Importer: Kobrand Corporation, Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7700