"Bright, floral, highly expressive. Impressive blackcurrant scented fruit, intense, all underpinned by racy freshness. Long and mouth-watering" International Wine Challenge 2017

After the most challenging vintage in 20 years, this world class winemaking team decided to make a statement in 2017 after sampling this single parcel wine. For the last 5 years this vineyard has been top rated and this vintage was no different showing an impressive, concentrated, mineral saltiness. With this award winning Single Vineyard wine you will find guava aromas, delicious blackcurrant and floral undertones. The palate is rich and full, with minerality and pasionfruit flavours. A wine born from opportunity and worthy of being the first to carry the Single Vineyard Rapaura Springs title.

The goal was to preserve the fruit flavours to ensure the aromas and flavours are retained. The cool afternoon easterlies, coming from the ocean north of marlborough, drop the temperature at night, aiding flavour development. Harvest takes place in the cool of the night, when the fruit is at optimum ripeness. The chilled grapes are quickly delivered to the winery, the closest in the area. The result: The freshest, most expressive and 'thiol rich' source of grapes, beautifully captured in the resultant wine.

Over 5 years a companion planting program has been run and used in the grape marc (pressed grape skins) as a form of mulch to help build up levels of organic matter in the soil. This, combined with the low cropping levels (2 & 3 cane vines), the winemakers have incredibly concentrated fruit which have a true sense of place and beautifully expressed this premium sub-region.

"This land is only good for raising bulls", said the previous owner of the Bull Paddock. Little did he know, back in the mid 80's, he was selling prime land for growing super-premium Sauvignon Blanc. For centuries, before flood control, the Wairau River would overflow into the Opawa River located in the acclaimed Dillons Point region. The water would rise up onto the land that is now the Bull Paddock vineyard and deposit silt which holds all the nutrients and organic matter that feeds the hungry vines. Today, the soil foun on the front block of this vineyard is 300mm deep and rests over a clay pan. This is where the grapes are sourced for the Bull Paddock Sauvignon Blanc. The soil profile ensures the vines work hard in creating the concentrated characters in the wine.