A rich palette for the palate
In the mid 1980s, the world’s eyes and palates were drawn to a maritime province at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, thanks to startling Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough’s Wairau Plains.
Thirty-five years on, those lean and stony river flats are covered in verdant wines, producing fresh, lively and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. But they are increasingly rivalled by neighbouring subregions, including the Southern Valleys and Awatere Valley, each bringing a unique flavour profile to the ongoing story of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
The Wairau Plains, where most of the Sauvignon Blanc is grown, is a mix of stony river flats and deep alluvial soil – depending on proximity to the Wairau River. In the famed Rapaura “golden mile”, river stones reflect the heat and light back into the vine canopy, producing distinctly tropical fruit flavours. Wairau Sauvignon Blanc is “traditional and classic”, says Master of Wine Emma Jenkins. “The wines have a lovely blackcurrant leaf and citrus element and are vibrant with a lot of finesse.”
The Southern Valleys sit to the south of the Wairau Plains and encompass a rolling area of hills and valleys leading to productive high country sheep and beef farms. Grapes grow on the flats and on the hillsides, where the soils are loess and clay. These older soils produce rich and intense flavours, including citrus and stone fruit. “There is a shift in soil structure as you move away from the stony river bed and that is reflected in the wines which have more weight and texture on the palate,” says Emma.
Further to the south lies the Awatere Valley, dominated by snow-capped Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku in the Inland Kaikoura Range to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. Grapes grow right to the coast and are very influenced by the strong coastal breeze. The Awatere Valley is the driest and coolest climate of the three regions, and its river terraces have alluvial gravel while limestone and sandstone soils provide some influence. Fruit from this region is described as being grassier and greener, with fresh herb characteristics and sometimes a stony minerality.
“It’s an easy one for people to get their heads around – the wines have heightened aroma and there is a distinct basil and tomato leaf aroma,” says Emma. “It really is a most arresting Sauvignon Blanc, full of vitality – there is a real zenith out there.”
It has only been in the past 10 years that such regional variations have tracked a clearer path in the mind of drinkers, she says. For so long people simply identified with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but now they are starting to look for regional variations.
Emma enjoys Sauvignon Blanc that has been crafted with a sense of place and texture that makes her want to explore and enjoy. “Sauvignon Blanc gives me a sense of summer and spring,” she says. “If I’m sitting outside on a hot summer’s day with freshly mown grass and all those summer aromas around, that’s what Sauvignon is in the glass. Marlborough’s amazing landscape, its beautiful light and climate are all beautifully reflected in Sauvignon Blanc.”
Instantly recognisable as soon as it is poured, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has changed the way the world drinks. Share your uniquely Marlborough stories using #sauvblancday #winemarlborough and #nzwine and check out www.sauvblancday.nz
This article was first published in April 28, 2020
