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We are big fans of all types of Sauvignon Blanc here at davidjohnhansen.com, so it's a treat to sample six bottles from around the globe in a side-by-side format. Overall, there were clear similarities with these wines, showing grassy/herbal notes along with citrus/tropical fruit flavors, but we were also impressed by how different they were from each other, expressed by variations in texture and minerality.

First and second place bottles were separated by only one point, with the Chilean version barely notching a win over the New Zealand bottle. As usual with this format, we had difficulty determining which wine came from the list of appellations poured, with the exception being the New Zealand bottle, showing lots of intensity and gooseberry notes.

The best value of the night goes to the third-place finisher, an $11 bottle by Indaba from South Africa.

Photography by Andy.

First Place: Prisma Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Casablanca Valley). A striking, extroverted nose that smelled like the essence of green bell peppers and jalapeño, plus hints of smoke and grass. Ali was reminded of "asparagus smoothie", while Andy decided on "bell pepper water." Diane noted that "there's a peach hiding behind the bell pepper", and Andy declared that "Peter Piper just picked this." Concentrated in the mouth, with flavors of limes, lemon, dill, cranberry, mango, ripe pear, and pink peppercorn. Diana felt that it was "almost as limey as it smells bell pepper." Complex, with a light smokiness, featuring a richer texture and more body. Plenty of acidity. Worked well with the goat cheese and gravlax. Matt and Kristin's favorite of the night, with a total of 25 points. David's bottle. About $14.

Second Place: Clos Henri Otira Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Marlborough). Tasters found perfumed scents of baby powder, green banana, grass, Meyer lemon, green mango, and passion fruit. Bright and vibrant, with very good intensity, and additional hints of hay field, lemon drop, chalk, and eucalyptus on the nose. Inviting. Excellent intensity on the palate, having flavors of gooseberry, lemon, lime Lifesaver, dried oregano, and pink grapefruit. Fresh. Hints of minerality. Diana and Andy's favorite. 24 points. Diana's bottle. About $30.

Third Place: Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Western Cape). Like chalky erasers on the nose, plus scents of straw/hay, ice cream cake cones, capers, artichoke hearts, and hints of camp smoke and ammonia. Nice texture, feeling a bit richer on the mouth, but with good acidity to lift it back up, with flavors of white flowers and clementine. David detected a smoked sea salt note. Lingering finish. 17 points. Matt's bottle. About $11.

Domaine Adèle Rouz Quincy 2023. Under-ripe strawberry, crayon wax, dusty wood, dried fig, and orange peel on the nose. Floral. Starts off slow on the palate, seemingly underwhelming at first, but builds in the mouth to reveal flavors of pears, citrus, and brown sugar. David was very impressed by its texture and overall harmony, while Ali found notions of "far away cola." Ali and David's favorite. 13 total points. Andy's bottle. About $25.

Les Légendes Bordeaux Blanc 2022. Grassy on the nose, but also expressed tropical fruit notes, like lychee and passion fruit, then freshly mowed lawn, peppermint, ocean spray, and grapefruit. Showed a freshness that reminded Andy of "clean clothes hanging in the wind", like it's a commercial for Downy fabric softener. Tasters were reminded of tropical fruit flavors, such as mango and passionfruit, but this also had some minerality in the form of slate or river rock and plenty of acidity. A little darker and richer on the palate compared to many of the others, with additional flavors of white mushroom, pineapple, and grapefruit on the finish. Kristin found a "hint of mai tai." Contains 10% Sémillon. 2 points. Kristin's bottle. About $18.

Dry Creek Fumé Blanc 2022 (Sonoma County). Closed and a little weedy on the nose, hinting at fresh thyme and white chocolate. Relatively darker in the mouth, with flavors of orange peel and apples. Hints of marijuana and furniture polish. A little odd. Kristin decided it was innocuous, describing it as a "gallery opening wine", while Matt thought it was funky, saying that "it hits me way different, I just get a little vomit." No points. Ali's bottle. About $16.