Love Block Sauvignon Blanc

Love Block Sauvignon Blanc is a certified organic Marlborough, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in a 750ml bottle at 12.5%–13.5% ABV. Scoring 90 points from Wine Spectator on its 2023 vintage and earning Gold at the Women's Wine & Spirit Awards for its 2022 release, this expression from winemaker Kim Crawford consistently lands above 90 points across vintages, placing it among the top tier of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12.5%–13.5%  |  Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand  |  100% Sauvignon Blanc  |  Winery: Loveblock (Kim & Erica Crawford)

Production & Heritage

Loveblock was founded by Kim Crawford — the same winemaker behind the globally recognized Kim Crawford Wines label — alongside his wife Erica Crawford. After selling his namesake brand, Kim turned his focus to organic viticulture in the Awatere Valley and lower Waihopai sub-regions of Marlborough. The wine is produced under full organic certification with a low-intervention philosophy: only organically certified yeasts and fining products are permitted, and total sulphur levels are capped at 100mg/L. Loveblock also pioneered the use of green tea tannin extract (Ti Premium) as a natural preservative in their no-sulfur-added TEE expression, signaling a broader commitment to pushing boundaries in natural winemaking. Fruit from the two sub-regions delivers both the aromatic intensity of warmer Waihopai and the mineral, structured backbone typical of the cooler Awatere Valley.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The bouquet opens with lifted white peach and pineapple, moving into layers of guava, elderflower, and passion fruit. Underneath sits a subtle gunflint and briny minerality, framed by sweet meadow grass.

Taste: The entry is rounded and textured, with ripe pineapple and cantaloupe giving way to Cape gooseberry, sweet basil, and a flash of lemon-lime at mid-palate. A warm stone minerality builds through the peak, balanced by prickly, linear acidity and a creamy, almost chalky mouthfeel that keeps the tropical fruit from tipping into sweetness.

Finish: Long and distinctively Sauvignon Blanc in character — citrus pith, crushed mineral, and a chalky bite persist well after each sip. The lifted acidity drives the finish forward, keeping it fresh and structured rather than soft.

How to Drink Love Block

Serve well chilled between 7–10°C (45–50°F) in a standard Sauvignon Blanc glass to concentrate the aromatics without muting the minerality. This wine drinks beautifully on its own as an aperitif or alongside food. For a Classic Wine Spritzer, the acidity and tropical character hold up well against soda water and a twist of lime. In a Hugo Spritz, Love Block's elderflower notes naturally amplify the cocktail's signature flavor without fighting the prosecco component. A White Sangria built on this wine benefits from its stone fruit and citrus backbone, which integrate cleanly with fresh summer fruits.

Best For

• Gifting a wine lover who values organic and sustainable production
• Summer dinner parties where a crowd-pleasing but serious white is needed
• Introducing someone to premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc beyond mainstream labels
• Pairing with a fresh seafood spread or raw bar

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Love Block Sauvignon Blanc taste like? It delivers a textured palate of tropical fruit — pineapple, cantaloupe, and guava — layered with sweet basil and ripe peach, balanced by prickly acidity and a long mineral-driven finish. The overall impression is more structured and elegant than many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, with a chalky, creamy mouthfeel.

How does Love Block compare to Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc? Both are premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, but Love Block is certified organic with a low-intervention winemaking approach, while Cloudy Bay follows a more conventional production path. Love Block tends to show a fuller, more textured mid-palate and pronounced minerality, whereas Cloudy Bay is widely regarded for its crisp, herbaceous, citrus-forward profile.

Is Love Block good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the combination of ripe tropical fruit, creamy texture, and driving acidity makes it an engaging stand-alone pour that doesn't require food to show its best, though it pairs exceptionally well with lighter dishes.

Where is Love Block made? Love Block is made by Kim and Erica Crawford at their Loveblock winery in Marlborough, New Zealand, with fruit sourced from organically farmed vineyards in the Awatere Valley and lower Waihopai sub-regions.

What foods pair well with Love Block? Fresh oysters and shellfish complement its briny mineral notes. Grilled white fish with herb butter echoes the basil and meadow grass aromatics. A goat cheese salad with stone fruit mirrors the peach and cantaloupe on the palate. Thai green papaya salad matches the wine's acidity and tropical character. Seared scallops with citrus beurre blanc align with its creamy texture and lemon-lime finish.

What sizes does Love Block come in? Love Block Sauvignon Blanc is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Love Block worth the price? Love Block positions as a premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc — a step above widely available commercial labels, reflecting its organic certification, sub-regional sourcing from Awatere Valley and Waihopai, and consistently high critical scores above 90 points. For drinkers seeking a serious, terroir-driven New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, it represents strong value within the premium tier.

Why Love Block?

What separates Love Block from the crowded field of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the intersection of pedigree and principle. Kim Crawford's track record as one of New Zealand's most influential winemakers lends credibility, but it is the organic certification and strict low-intervention winemaking — sulphur capped at 100mg/L, organically certified inputs only — that define the wine's character. The dual sourcing from Awatere Valley and lower Waihopai delivers a complexity rarely found at this level: tropical intensity from one site, mineral structure from the other. Consistent scores of 90 or above across the 2021, 2022, and 2023 vintages confirm this is not a single-vintage success but a reliably excellent expression of what organic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc can achieve.