2020 Rippon Sauvignon Blanc Wanaka, New Zealand

Rippon's Sauvignon, from its breathtaking biodynamic vineyards on Lake Wanaka, isn't a crowd-pleaser. Instead it demands your focus—and perhaps well-paired spring or summer cuisine. Wild fermented partially in oak barrels, it has a pungency that's reminiscent of dandelions, wet hay, scrubby local herbs and grasses, along with green tea, lemongrass and green apples. It's the palate that really hooks you. Highly textural, it's slinky, with vibrant acidity. Focused and confident, this could morph into another being altogether in five to seven years.