Reddit reviews The Science of Sauvignon Blanc

Cat Pee is perfectly normal in highly thiolated Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. To be more polite we might call it Broom (a local shrub that smells like cat pee) or black currant bud. It is a short-lived volatile aromatic and the levels you will find in a 2-3 year old wine will be greatly reduced. This is why Marlborough SBL is often encouraged to be enjoyed fresh and young.

Also - the impact compounds associated with Marlborough Sauv can often be overpowering and don’t age very well. Capsicum quickly becomes vegetal and passion fruit can break down into trucker sweat quickly and estery fruits fade away.

http://www.wineanorak.com/thiolsandbeyond.htm

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/02/thiols-key-to-marlborough-sauvignon-character/

Jamie Goode has a great book called The Science of Sauvignon Blanc which is fantastic - SBL being one of the most heavily researched wines in the world.
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Sauvignon-Blanc-Jamie-Goode-ebook/dp/B00AHI58SO

And this guys gets it:
http://www.geoffkellywinereviews.co.nz/index.php?ArticleID=251

I love what Geoff has to say in this article from a few years back. Of particular interest to me is The Future paragraphs. There have been several shifts in style in Marlborough and I think we are on the cusp of a very good one. Initially the wines which caught the world’s eyes were very grassy and green and acidic and a bit thin. Now we have shifted to these thiol and tropical fruit salad bombs with RS. I think what we are seeing now is a refinement stage. Dialing back and considering restraint and terroir and lees time.

The recent article by Wine Enthusiast highlights this trending:
https://www.winemag.com/2018/02/15/unique-new-zealand-sauvignon-blanc/

And a discussion with Lisa Perroti Brown from a few years back predicts this change:
http://www.mishasvineyard.com/wp-content/uploads/WBM_Oct-12_Advocating-New-Zealand.pdf
Winegrowers asked her about the low scores and she replied that currwnt wines tasted were intense and long lasting but they lacked complexity and balance.

So I’m just rambling now but all this is to say that you can expect this style to persist but hopefully we are looking at the beginning of a more serious Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wine style being celebrated. And hopefully this means a clear separation in the marketplace between huge production and hollow, bulk brands from quality-focused, terroir considerate, thoughtful, authentic wines. And with forays into barrel aging and sparkling we have bright things to look forward to with this awesome grape.