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.

Serve as an aperitif or partner with spicy Asian dishes or fish.

So our Buyer Dan has been searching out some new best buys. Of course we love the wines from Sauvignon's Kiwi home, Marlborough, but Dan knows that there's great quality and value to be found in the rest of this gorgeous island. Like The Hour-Teller. Dan found this delicious gem on the East Coast of North Island. The cool climate there really brings out the refreshing herbaceous notes. Combined with that classic Kiwi exuberance, it's a delicious lemony, gooseberry-filled white. Superb enjoyed well chilled in summer, it gets the taste buds tingling in winter too. Spot on solo or with Thai green curry, chicken pie or seafood.

Champion the small grower with this terrifically fresh and grassy white. It’s from Marlborough, which enjoys a worldwide reputation for herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc. Duck ’n’ Pheasant is from a cellar that works with individual growers who lack the facilities to produce their own wine, but don’t want to see their precious harvest become an anonymous component of a big brand.

The grapes were all sourced from vineyards which, thanks to free draining, gravelly soils (and the odd duck or pheasant), give excellent flavour intensity. Quality in 2021 was exceptional, with lovely concentration, all captured in bottle and sealed in under screwcap for guaranteed freshness. A crisp glass on its own, and a tasty partner to salmon, chicken or Thai curry.

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.

Serve as an aperitif 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.