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: 2010 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc
By Kori ~ May 12th, 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 2010 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc from the 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
Regular readers know that as far as white wines go, we Wine Peeps love Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. But as far as Mom (LaGayle) is concerned, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine period. And, Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc is one of her favorite go-to wines.
The Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc is consistent from vintage to vintage and widely available. It is crisp, refreshing, and an excellent sipper no matter whether you are sitting on the deck on a sunny afternoon or curled up with a book on a winter’s evening.
In the 1940’s, Nikola Nobilo emigrated from Croatia and planted some of the first commercial grapevines in New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers responsible for the worldwide popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
“Pale yellow with brilliant clarity. Very evident aromas of pineapple, passion fruit and melon. Fresh, crisp and clean with zesty flavors of ripe tropical fruits and zingy acidity. A beautifully balanced wine with great presence and mouthfeel. Enjoyable on its own as an aperitif, or pairs well with any lighter seafood dish, lemon herb chicken, or summer salads.†–Nobilo
2010 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, pear, and grassy aromas. Grapefruit, grass, and lime come through on the palate. Dry and light to 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: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $9 to $15
Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, New Zealand Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wine, Wines Under $10, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25
This is one of my favorite wines. Thanks for the history about Nikola Nobilo – I had wondered about the name (not very New Zealand-ish), but never bothered to research it online. I completely agree that New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are the best in the world. Cheers!
Pamela,
Glad you found the background info on Nobilo interesting. Keep enjoying those NZ Sauv Blancs. Cheers!
While I do enjoy NZ Sauvignon Blanc, I would disagree on qualifying them as best in the world, the amazing thing about this wine is that you know exactly what you are getting when you’re buying it, regardless of producer except for a few exceptions , for better or worse.
I certainly would suggest 3 different examples.
1- Chat. margaux Pavillon blanc
2- Alphonse Mellot sancerre
3- Didier daguenau pouilly-fume’ ( any of them ).
Of course, there are plenty other world-class examples.
itsoffal,
While all of us Wine Peeps enjoy NZ Sauv Blanc, it is my mom (LaGayle) who considers them the best wines in the world. They are her absolute favorite. Thanks for sharing other world-class examples of Sauv Blanc. Cheers!
Hi Kori,
Please say hello to your mom.
I had not noticed that fact.
Nobilo, since my visit to New Zealand is my first choice. I recently found bottle with screw top and with cork(or substitute)in the US. The label looks identical to the naked eye. Is there some sort of adultration going on? Or it comes in both type of bottles?
Ram,
I, too, have seen bottles of Nobilo with cork and screwcap. I believe that they are transitioning to screwcap but some cork is still on the market right now. The bottle of 2010 that we had for this post was sealed with screwcap. Cheers!