Clos Henri and Sauvignon Blanc - a match made before our time

When we look at the manner in which we came to be established in Marlborough, the beginning starts from a bit of a disaster really.

When avid botanists brought cuttings of American grapevines to Europe, they did not realise that it would in turn cause the great Phylloxera crisis which laid waste to the entire wine industry in the 1800s.

Sancerre did not escape the blight sadly. But the region, which had, until then, been majorly planted with Pinot Noir, found a new hero, one which had been previously overlooked, in Sauvignon Blanc.

Receiving AOC Classification in 1936 was a major stepping stone for the region and for the Bourgeois Family. Having produced wine already for 8 generations in Sancerre, they were able to take the knowledge they had accumulated and contributed greatly to building the reputation of Sancerre wine producers after World War II.

Resting on their laurels was not in the cards - constant improvement and learning is imperative to creating delicious wines. Thus they arrived in New Zealand 12 years after setting out to find the new slice of terroir to learn from.

The Sauvignon Blanc we produce here is crafted delicately and precisely - our ultimate goal is to capture the true essence of our soils, climate and winemaking heritage. The end goal is to achieve the true expression of 'terroir' which is often expressed in our wines through minerality and finesse.

Marlborough wines with a French accent.

We are proud to grow grapes and make wine in the beautiful Marlborough region whilst maintaining the French origin of our company and this delicious variety!

We look forward to celebrating Sauvignon Blanc Day 2021 with you this Friday 7th May!

With love,
the Clos Henri team