Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Yum! Oyster Bay is a quintessential Marlborough Sauvignon. It packs a tremendous, mouth-watering fruity punch which is a delight either on its own or with light fish dishes. Whereas sometimes a younger example can feel a little too sharp, Oyster Bay seems to get it right, and the 2008 - which is what you'll tend to be able to find in most retail outlets - is pretty delicious even though it's had no time in the bottle.

The aroma is equally memorable and you know long before you open your mouth what your tongue can expect. Gently floral but nicely ripe to the nose, with that whack of white and green fruit and a very smooth finish.

Not bad for 7 quid, and if you shop around, they are usually docking 25% off this stuff to shift a bit more quantity. I've seen it reduced in Waitrose to Tesco to Majestic. Its not alone though, they are not singling this one out. What I'm saying is if you fancy a try on this, but 7 pounds is a bit rich, you can probably shop around, wait a while, and grab it for a fiver instead. You can probably see similar examples doing the rounds, Villa Maria or Montana for example, and similar price brackets and reductions, and they are all comparable. But I must admit I've tried them all and I can't split them, so Oyster Bay can't be that shabby as this is pretty good quality company.

Of course, you need to cross check against the French or Chilean Sauvignons, which is a slightly lengthier, though equally enjoyable, process!