Wine Peeps is an independent wine blog dedicated to helping you get the most bang for your buck in wine. We do this through blind tastings of wine from around the world and calculations of 
A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
By Kori ~ April 21st, 2011.
Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2009 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from the famed Marlborough region of New Zealand.
Our selection criteria include:
- A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
- A price tag of <=$15
- Must be widely available
Kim Crawford Wines, located in New Zealand, was founded in 1996 by owner/winemaker Kim Crawford and his wife Erica. In the beginning, Kim Crawford Wines was one of New Zealand’s first “virtual wineries.†They sourced their grapes from growers across New Zealand, made the wine at other wineries, and managed their sales and marketing from their home in Auckland. In 1998, they began exporting some of their wine to the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Crawfords opened a cellar door (tasting room) facility in Te Awanga in Hawke’s Bay in 1999. Then they opened a state of the art winery and purchased vineyard land in Marlborough in early 2000. Kim Crawford Wines is now part of Constellation Brands.
Regular readers know that we are big fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the country’s flagship wine. And Kim Crawford Wines makes one of our favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. In fact, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc has been Mom’s (LaGayle) favorite wine, period, since we visited New Zealand in 2005. The most amazing thing about Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is its amazing consistency from vintage to vintage. It’s crisp acidity and refreshing grapefruit flavors are especially pleasing to our palates.
“A bouquet of citrus and tropical fruits backed by characteristic herbaceous notes that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is famous for. An exuberant wine brimming with flavours of pineapple and stonefruit with a hint of herbaceousness. The finish is fresh and zesty.†–Winemaker Anthony Walkenhorst
2009 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Extremely aromatic with grapefruit and grassy notes on the nose. More grapefruit, lime, and other citrus fruits come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with very tart acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. Very crisp and refreshing.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Sam’s Club (Seattle, Washington), $13.58; Available elsewhere, $12 to $20
Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, New Zealand Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wine, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25
Agreed. Crawford consistently produces a great sauv. blanc. Their’s is my personal favorite of this varietal. I’ve gotten a few of my die-hard Riesling friends to enjoy a glass of this and they like it too.
Sean,
Thanks for sharing your experience of getting your Riesling friends to try Kim Crawford Sauv Blanc. We’ve had similar experiences. Many people that think they only like Chardonnay or Riesling when it comes to white wines are pleasantly surprised when they actually try NZ Sauv Blanc. Cheers!