Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2023

Family-owned and fiercely independent, Spy Valley is named for the nearby U.S. satellite monitoring station hidden in New Zealand’s Waihopai Valley. Since the 1990s, the Johnson family has farmed over 180 hectares of estate vineyards once considered too arid and unforgiving for quality wine. Today, Spy Valley is a benchmark for sustainably produced Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and one of the few remaining 100% Kiwi-owned producers in the region.

• WINEMAKER: Wendy Stuckey & Emily Gaspard-Clark

• FARMING: Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand certified; Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) certified

• VARIETY: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

• TERROIR: Estate vineyards in the Waihopai Valley of Marlborough, where stony soils and a dry, windy climate yield low-yielding vines with concentrated fruit.

• VINIFICATION: Fruit harvested at peak ripeness under ideal conditions, then gently pressed and cold settled. Fermented primarily in stainless steel with a small portion in seasoned oak using aromatic yeast strains.

• AGING: Short maturation in tank and neutral oak to preserve varietal freshness

• TASTING NOTES: Intensely aromatic with floral lift, citrus peel, and tropical fruits. The palate is driven by lime and passionfruit, underscored by a chalky minerality and a crisp, mouthwatering finish.

• FOOD PAIRINGS: Goat cheese, ceviche, green papaya salad, oysters with yuzu mignonette

• SCORES: 90 – James Suckling

From our 2025 Bottle Cult Notes:

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc might elicit an eye roll from many tried-and-true wine connoisseurs, but as one of the world's most popular "gateway wines" for early wine drinkers, its deliciousness—when well-crafted—is undeniable. I rarely find myself craving this fruit-cup of a wine, but when I taste it blind, I’m always satisfied by its generosity of flavor, refreshing acidity, and unwavering ability to be exactly what I expect. Few wine styles in the world deliver such consistency and typicity of place. But again, let’s go back to that key qualifier: well-crafted.

Spy Valley Wines straddles the divide of cheap and cheerful to complex and serious. Bryan and Jan Johnson started the winery in the 1990s in the Waihopai Valley of Marlborough, on New Zealand’s South Island. Many believed the area was too hot and the ground too dry to grow quality grapes, but as one of Marlborough’s few 100% Kiwi family-owned wineries, their deep understanding and respect for the land helped them become one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed producers. The Māori called this place Kei puta te Wairau—“The place with the hole in the cloud.” Nestled just up the road from a U.S. government listening post (the “Spy Base”), the valley is shielded from the wind and rain that affect more ocean-exposed vineyards, while enjoying more sun than nearly any other part of Marlborough. Grapes are harvested at peak maturity, gently pressed, and cold-settled prior to fermentation in stainless steel, with a small portion fermented in older barrels to add texture and complexity.

The palate is juicy, fresh, and playful. Lifted floral notes of citrus blossom are met with vibrant hints of passionfruit and lime. The finish brings a slap of minerality and ends with a mouthwatering acidity. This wine is a solid reminder of the easy joy that Sauvignon Blanc can bring. Enjoy it during a relaxing evening, a sunny lunch, or a seafood dinner. —Simi Grewal, DECANT Co-Founder