Kim Crawford, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Kim Crawford Wines was established in late 1996 when Kim and Erica Crawford created two wines from fruit grown in Marlborough. The Crawfords sold the company to Constellation in 2005 and handed the reins to their experienced winemaking team, now led by Chief Winemaker Dave Edmonds. The current winemakers and viticulturists continue the classic Crawford philosophy and style. Control over grape supply has always been essential, and Constellation maintains good contracts with growers in the region, ensuring consistency of quality and style. From the 2022 vintage, the winery has moved to using lightweight bottles as one of several sustainability initiatives.

Kim Crawford is renowned for their Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, blended from over 200 separate parcels sourced from their extensive vineyard holdings, as well as growers throughout the Wairau, Awatere, Blind River, Waihopai and Omaka Valleys. The age range of the vines (up to 20 years old) brings a mix of youthful exuberance, fruit, and depth of flavour to the wine.

In selected vintages, Kim Crawford releases the ‘Spitfire’ Sauvignon Blanc. It is named ‘Spitfire’ to commemorate the World War II fighter aircraft base in nearby Blenheim, where they source fruit for this wine. Often hailing from a single vineyard, the small parcels selected for the blend are intensely flavoured. The Pinot Gris is sourced and blended from sites across the North and South Islands and offers a crisp, lively, aromatic option with a little more body and ripeness. The Pinot Noir is a blend of Marlborough and Central Otago sites, giving the winemaking team a great range of flavour profiles to work with and deliver Kim Crawford’s signature red berry and spice notes.