Greywacke, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Fruit was sourced from prime vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys and the central Wairau Plains (specifically Woodbourne, Renwick and Rapaura). Soil types vary from the young alluvial soils of Rapaura and Renwick, which contain high proportions of New Zealand’s ubiquitous greywacke river stones, to the older and denser clay-loams of the Southern Valleys. Most of the vineyards were trained using the divided Scott Henry canopy management system, with the balance on a two- or three-cane vertical shoot positioning trellis.

The 2025 harvest in Marlborough surprised many. After a warm, wet spring that delivered early budburst and healthy canopies, the season turned into one of the driest on record. It was an exceptionally settled and near perfect flowering for Sauvignon Blanc. An El Nino driven warm, sunny summer with warm nights accelerated ripening while keeping disease pressure low. Early, targeted work in the vineyard was necessary to balance yields and ensure concentration and quality, resulting in wines of outstanding quality. The Sauvignon Blanc harvest started on 24th March and progressed steadily into April. Forecasts of heavy rain in early April fortunately didn't materialise, allowing a large portion of the harvest to hang, achieving superb ripeness levels. It was an excellent, if drawn-out, abundant harvest that was notably warmer than average.

The fruit was harvested largely by machine during cool, often cold, night-time conditions, with picking carried out over a three-week period from 24th March at relatively high sugar levels. Grapes were transported directly to the winery in the Omaka Valley and lightly pressed to obtain a modest yield of high-quality juice. After cold settling and racking, fermentation was conducted primarily in stainless steel tanks using cultured yeasts. Individual vineyard parcels were retained on lees until late May, when the final blend was assembled.