Winemaker Notes
#8 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 of 2020
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is famous for packing a bit of a punch. But our take on this all-time classic has hidden depths. There’s a complex soul beneath that savage bravado. Ripe Wairau Valley fruit, a touch of fermentation on the skins, and a quick tour inside oak and acacia barrels has added layers of flavor and texture. This is one wine that won’t give it all away on the first sip.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This Sauvignon sees a bit of skin contact and a short time in oak. The result is a highly aromatic nose that’s unmistakably Marlborough but with individuality. There are aromas of gooseberry, pineapple rind, lime, black currant and grass, with a flicker of toasty oak at the back. The mouthfeel deftly balances a creamy texture with zippy acidity. There’s fresh lime and a saline edge to the finish. A food-friendly bottling, this could handle a wide range of richer dishes. Editors' Choice.
Recognized for its distinctively herbaceous and aromatic, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand is perfectly suited to the grape with its maritime climate, plenty of rainfall and abundant sunshine. Producers have almost unilaterally embraced cutting-edge winery technology, resulting in clean, high-quality wines at every price point from wallet-friendly to premium. Sauvignon blanc is at its best in Marlborough but thrives throughout as the country. It is New Zealand’s most planted and successful variety, also accounting for an overwhelming majority of its exports.