Wine: Savvy operator

With the popular appeal of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, it is hardly surprising that someone was going to try to make this summery quaffer into a fizz. The reason it has not been done before is that aromatic sauvignon blanc is a tricky grape to make into a sparkling wine compared to chardonnay and pinot noir.

So Lindauer devised a crafty method to make its fizzy Kiwi sauvignon taste appealing and retain the fresh pungent aromas. The key lies in how the fizz was created. Some 85 per cent of the wine is made up of Marlborough sauvignon blanc 2010, the rest is 14 per cent chardonnay and 1 per cent pinot noir.

The Marlborough sauvignon blanc element is not made sparkling by the traditional method, but the remaining 15 per cent of the recipe have been fermented a second time in bottle with a further 18 months ageing on lees to add complexity. The two cuvées were then blended together and carbonated before bottling.

I was expecting it to taste rather sickly, but found the new fizz quite appealing, vibrantly high in acidity and well-made. I am not sure if it will catch on, but it makes a change for sauvignon fanatics.

For those who love pure still sauvignon blanc – I have scoured the shelves for the best buys from across the world for summery satisfaction.

Sparkling sauvignon

Marlborough, New Zealand: LINDAUER SPARKLING SAUVIGNON BLANC

(£9.95, Waitrose)

Very prominent pungent gooseberry, sauvignon blanc aromas; very fresh, zippy with high acidity, a touch fleshy on the mid-palate, creamy finish.

Still sauvignon

Rapel, Chile: ANAKENA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

(£6.99, Henderson Wines, Edinburgh; Luvians, Cupar; Harrisons, Crieff)

Not as pungent as a Kiwi sauvignon, but there are hints of tropical fruit, a ripe fruit palate and a fresh finish. Great value.

Southern France: PAUL MAS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

(£7.99, Henderson Wines; Luvians; Harrisons; Waitrose; Majestic)

Even better if you like your sauvignon blanc really fresh, minerally with a grapefruit tang. Made by Jean-Claude Mas, a modern master with a family business going back 100 years.

Charentes, France: NAKED GRAPE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009

(£7.49. Waitrose)

More ripeness than you would get from the Loire, but still satisfying crispness. This is a crafty modern cuvée made by sancerre growers from Loire working in the warmer Charentes region north of Bordeaux.

Marlborough, New Zealand: GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

(£13.50, The Wine Society; Luvians; WoodWinters, Edinburgh, Bridge of Allan)

Outright winner in our tasting: superb aromatic pitch, poised, juicy and tangy.

Elgin, South Africa: LA BARRY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010

(£9.99 each for 12 or £11.08 a bt, L’Art du Vin, Dumfermline)

My favourite Cape sauvignon; very sleek gooseberry fruits, minerally undertones showing a good balance; from the old apple growing region of Elgin.

Loire, France: PASCAL JOLIVET ATTITUDE 2009

(£9.95, Henderson Wines, Edinburgh; www.slurp.co.uk; www. imbibros.com)

Beautifully made fresh, vibrant sauvignon blanc from Sancerre’s modern guru Jolivet, who makes superb minerally styles – this comes from his new 12 hectares in Touraine. Delicious with roast fish and asparagus.