For piercing, ultra-fresh Sauvignon, Elqui Valley is a top spot. It’s an extraordinary region in the north of Chile next to the Atacama desert. Thanks to snowmelt from the Andes and the wonders of irrigation, green and flourishing vineyards stand out in contrast to their lunar-like surroundings. Alta Tierra is from Viña Falernia, owned by cousins Aldo Olivier and Giorgio Flessati. They have 135 hectares of beautifully manicured vineyards and an ultra-modern cellar. In 2005 their first vintage won a Trophy and put Elqui on the map. This dazzling Sauvignon Blanc displays classic varietal character of elderflower and freshly mown grass with ripe melon and citrus fruit. Enjoy on its own or partner with spicy Asian dishes or fish.

Winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua has made wine all over the world. He's won loads of prizes too. But Bordeaux was where he was born and raised and where he's searched out the grapes for this snappy fresh white. He's worked with an award-winning ecological cellar on Bordeaux's Right Bank, Les Vignerons de Tutiac in the Côtes de Bordeaux. This is where you'll find some excellent clarets, but Jean-Marc was out to prove that white grapes could perform just as well. It's pure Sauvignon Blanc, taken from a variety of vineyards in both Côtes de Bourg and Blaye, each parcel contributing a different character to the wine. Bright, lemony and intense, it's an elegant white, as you'd expect from Bordeaux. Chill and serve with panfried white fish or solo.

Reuilly is a real gem for lovers of classic Loire Sauvignon. It offers the dazzling mineral finesse of nearby Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, but its wines come at a more affordable price. It's a bit of a rescue story, in fact. In the 1970s, its wines almost disappeared and the little that was produced was only enjoyed locally. Enter Claude Lafond – the saviour of Reuilly. He encouraged the planting of vines, established a shared winemaking facility for all Reuilly producers, and built an impressive, modern winery at Domaine Claude Lafond.

Now run by his daughter, Nathalie, the domaine is farmed organically and continues to go from strength to strength – just like Reuilly itself. La Raie is crisp and elegant. Ideal with goat's cheese.

Winzer Krems in Niederösterreich is one of the best known wine addresses for dry white wines in Austria. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling are the typical star grapes here, but the Sauvignon Blanc is equally ravishing and fresh. The soil of its loess terraces, where these grapes grow, brings a rounder, fuller bodied style to Sauvignon Blanc, while minimal intervention in the cellar ensures the purest fruit in the wine.

This crisp white won Gold for its 2016 vintage and the 2020 is tasting just as dazzlingly fresh. Danaris Sauvignon Blanc is a great example of the region's mastery at making elegant, dry white wines; a hugely enjoyable and refreshing glassful on its own or with a spring vegetable risotto or paired with many sorts of seafood.

Since 1980, Jacky Gilson has been a grower and winemaker in the tiny, forgotten Burgundy region of Saint-Bris. In fact, the appellation was only created in 2003. It lies just 10 miles west of Chablis and is the only one permitted to use Sauvignon Blanc in its wines. Jacky himself grows both Sauvignon and Aligoté in his 40 hectares of vines, specialising in tantalisingly fresh, pure, crisp whites.

Hard work in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar makes for very pure fruit whites, big on aromatics and with a core of freshness. Aged on its lees for six months, it has roundness too. Chill and enjoy as an apéritif, with garlicky snails or grilled fish. And from such an exceptional vintage, there is no rush with this wine.