2021 Fincher & Co Sauvignon Blanc Awatere Valley Marlborough 750 ml

Given the pedigree behind Fincher & Co’s Awatere Sauvignon Blanc, we’d expect great things: It’s made by a Master of Wine and one of New Zealand’s most respected winemakers, and it hails from 2021—one of the greatest-ever vintages in the region. 

But the score it won from Decanter goes WAY beyond what anyone would expect for a wine at this astoundingly low price: 95 points, which cements it as one of the best in its category.  To put that praise in perspective, the magazine has also given the same rating to blue-chip Sauvignon Blancs from all over the world, including Domaine de Chevalier Blanc ($99), Jonata Flor ($75), and Cos d’Estournel Blanc ($140). 

This Sauvignon Blanc is not just from Marlborough—New Zealand’s hotbed of Sauvignon Blanc—but the region’s coldest, driest, windiest subregion: the Awatere Valley. 

Awatere is a much tougher place to grow grapes than most of Marlborough, but when Liam Steevenson MW looked to create a label highlighting the unique terroirs of New Zealand’s most famous region, the decision was easy—he knew he’d found the place. To help him realize his vision, he partnered with Ben Glover, one of the most acclaimed winemakers in the country.

At the start of his career, Glover was one of the inaugural Len Evans Scholars, which is one of the most competitive awards in the world of Australian and New Zealand wine. He’s only gone on to greater glory since, including recognition from Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine—which is a bit like a Down Under Saveur—and scores like the one today’s Fincher & Co earned from Decanter.

This is everything we want from New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc—plus a stunner of a score.