Three recommended New Zealand sauvignon blanc white wines

Young Uck Kim, wine collector

I still chuckle at the notion of ‘cats pee on a gooseberry bush’ whenever I think of sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. It should have been Marlborough's Gerald Ratner moment but wine lovers took the comment to heart and it's probably done more for sales than anything else in the last few decades.

Sauvignon is traditionally an acidic, refreshing style and for years that was played on heavily by the producers and merchants in Sancerre, but in the early 1980s, the Marlborough wine makers redefined acidic altogether. What they did was transformational in fact, because they managed to simultaneously dial up the fruit alongside the acidity and the result was a wine so refreshing that you didn't even need a shower on a hot day.

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Seriously, their wines should have been called Opal Fruits because they really did make the mouth water. Marlborough sauvignons really were the Kinky Boots of the wine world and they introduced a whole new audience to wine, but what I like most of all is that they didn't dumb down on price. It meant that if you wanted to try these stunning whites, you had to spend a few bob more than normal so they also introduced more people to the idea of spending a bit more on wine than any other wine region has ever done.

Gerard Richardson MBE is a wine columnist for Newsquest

So, if you like the acidity high, the fruit mouthwatering and your wallet isn't closed as tightly as a duck's backside, these are definitely the ones for you. But as we slip into the autumn don't forget they are fabulous food wines and good for all year round, not just when the mercury is high.

One word of caution however, due to a combination of shipping issues and a low harvest yield, the decent Marlborough sauvignons are going to be in short supply this Christmas, so don't wait until the fat man is in sight to place your order folks.

Tanners New Zealand Sauvignon

Seriously one of the best value Marlboughs on the market. Gorgeous aromas of white peaches with ripe tropical fruit flavours on the palate and a crisp, clean finish. A cracking aperitif but superb with shellfish and creamy cheese,,, yes, cheese!

Tanners £11.50

Dog Point Sauvignon

Dog Point Sauvignon

Strange name, fabulous wine! It's got lashings of exotic fruits and a lovely acidic finish but the palate is just a wee bit creamier or softer than most of its cousins and I love it.

Oxford Wine Co £16.99

Tiki Estate Sauvignon Blanc

Wow, this one is lively. Gooseberry fruits literally jump out of the glass and the palate is packed with a fruit bowls worth of peaches and passion fruits. Yeah, its got that traditional crisp finish as well. All in all, this is a crowd pleaser folks.

Oddbins £14.50

• Gerard Richardson is a wine columnist for Newsquest. Follow him on Twitter @gerardfinewine