"A wonderfully expressive sauvignon, the immediately appealing bouquet shows feijoa, green rockmelon, lime zest and sweet basil aromas, followed by a juicy palate that is bright and flavoursome. The wine offers terrific fruit purity as well as refreshing acidity, and finishes long and delicious. At its best: now to 2019" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit,  Dec 2017

A delicate, pale green/gold in the glass, this iwine offers perfumed floral notes and hints of passionfruit that are underpinned by aromas of grapefruit and gooseberry that add zingy, citrusy notes and combine with hints of capsicum to enhance the nose. Classic tropical fruit and herbal notes have been derived from the careful selection of various areas of our best River Terrace vineyard blocks in the Upper Wairau Valley. The full flavours and tight structure of the palate reflect the intrinsic quality of the Wairau Valley vineyards. The wine has a broad spectrum of flavours, from ripe tropical through gooseberry, which is supported by a refreshing acidity and perfectly balanced residual sugar.

The 2017 Vintage in the Upper Wairau was typified by warm daytime temperatures, tempered by cool nights. An ideal summer ensured great vine health and fruit condition through to end of March. These conditions were ideal for creating strong varietal flavours while retaining fine acidity and elegance in the wines. Harvesting of fruit was carried out in the second week of April.

The fruit was harvested at maximum flavour as assessed through frequent tasting in the vineyard by our winemaker. It was very gently pressed to avoid harsh phenolic extraction and allowed the juice to cold settle. The clear juice was fermented at low temperatures using a range of yeast renowned for their ability to enhance the Sauvignon Blanc aromas. A balanced amount of residual sugar was left in the wine to complement the acisity and to add palate weight and structure.