Ribbonwood, Marlborough Pinot Noir

Made by Framingham winemaker Andrew Brown, Ribbonwood takes its name from the Ribbonwood trees, New Zealand’s tallest, native deciduous tree species, which grow around the Ribbonwood vineyard in Renwick, Marlborough. Sensitive to the environmental responsibility they have for their surroundings, Ribbonwood’s viticulture team have planted more than 1,000 native shrubs and trees to enhance the biodiversity of the vineyard, alongside improving their wastewater management systems. They also use lightweight bottles and recycled cartons to reduce their carbon footprint.

Produced in a modern style, Ribbonwood specialises in making wines from mature to old vines in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. The Sauvignon Blanc vines are grown in the original Ribbonwood Block, near Renwick, which is planted in an unusual east-west direction. This aspect provides shade on the rows' south side and enhances the fruit's gooseberry aromatics. In the cellar, they have dozens of small parcels, each fermented in individual tanks of varying sizes. This allows plenty of room to handle multiple picking times, yeast strains and temperatures, resulting in optimal blending options.

Fresh and expressive, Ribbonwood’s Sauvignon Blanc has racy acidity and passion fruit aromatics. The Pinot Noir is ripe yet vibrant, with summer fruit compote flavours and savoury, dried herb notes from a touch of oak ageing.