Winemaker Notes
Matahiwi Estate suggests pairing it with grilled flounder, or fresh oysters for the complete experience!
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
A varietal nose offering gooseberry and citrus. The palate offers some nice weight too but there's good tension and freshness. Pithy finish.
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James Suckling
A very fresh and zesty sauvignon, offering flinty and fresh passion fruit and limes and flowing to a smoothly fleshy, mango and peach palate.
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.
At the southern end of the North Island about an hour drive from New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington, Wairarapa’s producers are mainly small-scale, lifestyle winemakers. The region holds less than 3% of the country’s acreage under vine but nearly one tenth of its winemakers.
Considering topography, soil and climate, Wairarapa is similar to Marlborough except that it is better at producing Pinot noir. Martinborough is a main subregion.