Winemaker Notes
From the lower terrace of our Te Muna Road Vineyard in Martinborough, this wine is sourced exclusively from several parcels of vines growing on stony, limestone influenced soils.
Pale lemon straw. Vibrant aromas of nectarine, green apple, honeysuckle and a hint of nettle. Lovely precision on the palate with a core of zesty fruit and a long satisfyingly dry textural finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: For more than a decade, Craggy Ridge has been that has scored high on my list of favorite New Zealand wine producers. The 2019 Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc is one of their best wines to date. TASTING NOTES: This wine is focused, bright and pleasing. Its pert aromas and flavors of dried citrus peel, whispers of grapefruit skin, and a touch of nectarine should pair its famously with lightly-grilled peaches, Teleme cheese, and a mix of garden lettuces. (Tasted: August 27, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
A very fresh, lithe and juicy feel to this sauvignon with bright, juicy green passion fruit and green mangoes taking center stage, amid fresh, stony resolve. Drink now. Screw cap.
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Decanter
From the cool-climate of Martinborough, intense aromatics carry zesty grapefruit, tangerine and ripe peach alongside fresh earth notes. These continue on the crisp, mineral palate, where exceptionally bright lemon verbena meets fresh-cut grass, giving way to clean, harmonious finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This vintage of Craggy Range’s classic Martinborough SB favors grassy, green herbal notes, woven with zesty lemon-lime, passion fruit and seashell nuances. As it warms in the glass, it offers more generous fruit. The palate is zesty, with green herbal notes riding straight through to the finish. There’s a lovely balance of texture and acidity with length and freshness, it’s just a baby, and could benefit from another year in the bottle.
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Wine & Spirits
Complete and complex, this sauvignon has layers of earthy citrus flavor, from spicy grapefruit zest to tangy orange pulp. The fruit texture is succulent while the acidity offers a bitter edge to keep it firm and structured. Pour it with citrusy fluke crudo. Best Buy
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Wine Spectator
There’s a sense of intensity and polish to the vivid flavors of pear, peach and lemon meringue, set on a supple body, with juicy acidity that gushes on the finish, accompanied by details of matcha and dried ginger. Drink now.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Part of the Wairarapa region in the southern end of the country’s North Island, Martinborough is a bucolic appellation full of artisan, lifestyle wine producers. Above all else, their goals are to tend vineyards for low yields and create wines of supreme quality. Pinot noir is the main grape variety here, occupying over half of the land under vine.
Comparing topography, climate and soils, the region is nearly identical to Marlborough except that it produces top quality reds on the regular.