The secret to success at Mud House is in the way that the talented team finds the courage to do things in their own way. Vinification is carried out to a unique combination of techniques which have crystallized the style of the estate's racey wines. The salubrious soils and favourable growing seasons of Marlborough also play their role. An abundance of sunshine, warm dry days and cool nights, achieve a wine with an amazing range of luscious fruit characters, crisp acidity and exquisite freshness.

Roaring Meg is a place of great natural beauty, pristine waters and the endowments of clean energy generation, austere terrains and challenging climes, the world's southermost winegrowing region. It is here in the heart of Central Otago, that a co operative of excruciatingly low fertility vineyards are closely managed by the Mt Difficulty viticultural team, to yield meagre harvests of the finest fruit in all Aotearoa.

Sites which have been earmarked on the basis of soil, aspect and microclime, are managed by the Mt Difficulty viticultural team and most dedicated growers, to yield the South Island's finest vintages of Pinot Gris. Selection of fruit is subject to strict criteria, parcels must be exclusively sourced from Bannockburn vineyards, on the south side of Kawarau River in the southern Cromwell basin. Fashioned to an off dry styling, followed by four months on gross yeast lees with weekly stirring to enhance complexity and texture.

Mt Difficulty is one of the most venerable wineries in all Aotearoa, they retain access to some of the oldest vineyards. The propitious vines at McFelin Ridge make a bigger, savoury style of Chardonnay. Destemmed fruit is pressed to a selection of seasoned and new French oak for vinification on full solids to indigenous yeasts, partial malolactic and bottling in March of the following year. Cashews, mineral and flint, perfumed by peach, stonefruits and lime, encased in a brioche of creamy palate textures, resolving on a butternut, juicy jonagold finish.

Mt Difficulty were established 1998, initially releasing a very small range of very limited, but exceptional quality, quantities. Their harvests had long been called upon for bottling under the labels of New Zealand's most conspicuous brands. The joint venture, founded by some of Central Otago's most devoted and skillful growers, has grown into a leading vineyard winery collective, proselytizing the most discerning devotees, everywhere throughout the world of wine. A solid Chardonnay style, structured, opulent, Central Otago in astonishing balance.

Auspiciously centred around the felicitious township of Bannockburn, an area of terrestrial and climactic extremes, Mt Difficulty are a co operatrive of Central Otago's most distinguished growers. Assembled from a compilation of parcels Sauvignon Blanc, picked off the Templars Hill, Mansons Farm and Saffron vineyards, a tenth of the wine is treated to ferments in pre loved oak barrels for a touch of Fumé Blanc. Redolent of lime, quince and pungent hay, four months weekly stirring on gross lees has added serious palate weight while infusing optimal varietal richness.

Mt Difficulty are sourced from resplendent sites at Bannockburn, south of the Kawarau River, under the close scrutiny of a highly accomplished viticultural team. An assemblage of fruit from a number of estate vineyards, Long Gully and Templars Hill, Ferris and Bannockburn Bay, Swansong and Pipeclay Terrace. A stunning nose of white peach, blossoms and bosc pear, luscious fruits to the palate, creamy and full of more ish flavour, gossamer textured and defined. Enriched by lees texture, reined in by lithe acid tang, a rich, minerally, stone fruit driven finish.

Mt Difficulty were established in just the right way, when Bannockburn's most dedicated growers formed a commune to make Central Otago's finest wines. Riesling is sourced predominantly from Templars Hill vineyard, hand picked and fermented to dryness through the action of indigenous yeasts on full solids, rested unstirred on gross yeast lees for eleven months to build exceptional palate weight. Ripe citrus bouquet, peach blossom and linear grapefruit palate, a lovely line and drive, a pithy phenolic structure, works in harmony with the acidity to frame the finish beautifully.

The Mount Riley team practise an earth to bottle discipline of winemaking and viticulture, a totally holistic endeavour which can operate around the clock to get the fruit in on time, right at the most perfect point of ripening. What gives Mount Riley estate it's greatest edge however are it's splendid vineyards which yield immaculate harvests of generously flavoured fruit. Mount Riley make the essential Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, its appeal gains momentum with white wine enthusiasts throughout the world of wine, after every new vintage.

Vineyards which produce fruit exhibiting the most exuberant regional expressions are located at the cooler western parts of Wairau Valley. The free draining soils and extended ripening conditions suit the style of Sauvignon Blanc which is Momo. Over the years, a delightful character of citrus has developed in the grapes grown at this end of the valley. Momo expresses the endowments of a unique mesoclime, a stylish young white exhibiting all the ripe lychee, gooseberry and passionfruit elements which are the hallmarks of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Marlborough is one of the world's most distinctive winegrowing regions, a source of the highest quality fruit, identifiably New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The growing seasons here deliver idyllic ripening conditions, whilst the extensive leaf removal regimens expose the fruit to sunlight, providing excellent flavour development. Matua Valley's winemaking team place considerable time and effort into achieving a Sauvignon Blanc that's fully expressive of Marlborough, showing consistent quality from vintage to vintage, setting the standard for others to follow.

Marlborough is the heartland of New Zealand viticulture and Whitehaven are situated amongst the very best vineyards on Marlborough's golden mile. They source Sauvignon Blanc from over thirty well established and proven sites, to craft a consistent performer on the cross Tasman wine show circuit. Every vintage is a special batch of the very best Sauvignon Blanc, made from the pick of Marlborough's finest fruit. A magnificent match alongside grilled snapper or asparagus recipes.

The winemaking at Mahi is deeply focused on expression of individual terroir, regional blends in the traditional Marlborough style are simply not an option. The Mahi team take aim at a wine that satisfies across the palate, Sauvignon Blanc which offers texture and depth, rather than displaying basic varietal fruit. Selection of site is the key, looking for grapes with layers of flavour, to craft a wine with a sense of time and of place, a wine which challenges you to listen and to contemplate, to comprehend that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are not all created equal.

Brian Bicknell had been making wine around the world for many years. He returned to Marlborough on a mission to isolate vineyards of unique and individual expression, to construct a range of wines which can articulate the wealth of terroir and microclime clime to be found across greater Marlborough. The rose tinged Pinot Gris grape holds a fair amount of tannin, Mahi endeavour to minimize skin contact for a gentler palate. Being a fruit of low acidity, Mahi ferment the juices right through to dryness in a measure of oak, building structure while preserving eloquence.

Fruit from an array of Marlborough vineyards representing a broad cross section of soil types and microclimes, contribute a diverse range of aromas, flavours and textures to Lawson's Dry Hills. The time of picking is crucial to Sauvignon Blanc and the closer a winemaker scrutinizes his fruit, the more optimal will be the decision to harvest. Each site is harvested at optimal ripeness and some are picked in several passes. Rich oak ferments contribute subtle mealy characters and added palate weight.

A Riesling of refined character and exquisite charm, superb, stylish integration and clearly discernible regional varietal eloquence, sourced from the best blocks on the Lawson's Dry Hills Waihopai Valley vineyard. Moderate crop yields and cool ripening mean that the Riesling grapes are first class, harvested only as they develop a concentration of natural fruit sugars and reach optimal flavour development. The perfect match to shellfish, green lipped mussels or freshly shucked oysters.

Sourced from low yielding sites which are managed to yield an exceptional quality of Pinot Gris. Slow ripening mesoclimes and a wonderful level of flavour development, extensive leaf plucking and crop thinning, produce a wine with great complexity and a lovely texture that can only be realized from harvests of the most concentrated fruit, subtle oak treatments, a judicious amount of malolactic influence and extravagant lees stirring regimens.

Spencer Hill make wine because they enjoy the life, the viticulture and the art of winemaking itself. There is no reward like personal fulfillment and Spencer Hill are all about sharing the smile. The limited release Latitude 41 is fashioned from a collation of Nelson River and Marlborough Valley fruit. By combining the best from both districts, the Spencer Hill team have assembled a South Island Sauvignon Blanc of exquisite charm and generous palate weight. A crisp, mouthfilling wine brimming with luscious south sea fruit characters, citrus and vanilla.

Marlborough based Spencer Hill have lead the new wave of New Zealand Chardonnay, claiming multi trophys at the International Chardonnay Challenge, Liquorland Top 1OO, London International and Air NZ Wine Awards. Latitude 41 is assembled from parcels grown to good vineyards in Marlborough and along Nelson River, a full bodied Chardonnay with layers of fruit and bold expression of terroir that speaks of it's origin. A course of ferments in highly vanilla spiced French oak and course of lees exposure, builds structure and adds superb mouthfeel.

The terroir and microclimes of Marlborough yield a tremendous quality of Sauvignon Blanc, fruit which ripens to perfection, translating into wines of intense regional character. Konrad Hengstler delights in formulating a slightly more herbaceous nose than most efforts from Marlborough, in total harmony against a backdrop of unctuous lemongrass and lime characters, persimmons and citrus/ lychee fruits. Bright and zingy, a lively mouthful of pineapples and passionfruit before a lingering, mineral finish. Clean fresh and bright, with a quenching underlying citrus character, finely balanced acid and ripe fruit structure.

Quality is the absolute focus of Konrad, it starts in the vineyard and continues throughout the vinification. Konrad believes that the best fertilizer is the foot of the farmer. Fruit is harvested from vineyards in the Waihopai and Wairau Valleys, where vines are planted to stoney silt soils with free draining loam topsoil. Formulated to a style which demands the most meticulous attention to detail in the vineyard, only the ripest bunches are hand selected, gently whole bunch pressed and stop fermented at the precise moment when the natural sweetness balances the penetrating acidity.

Originally launched as New Zealand's first virtual winery, the Kim Crawford operations go from strength to strength. A meteoric ride to fame, establishing Crawford's credentials as an immensely gifted recoltant viticole. Honest and exuberant in his appreciation of all things wine, meticulous in the art of vinification, the best grapes are sourced for his eponymous label. Kim Crawford excels at Sauvignon Blanc, having scooped the ANZ Wine Awards and Royal NZ Wine Show, by appointment to Air NZ business class.

An attractively perfumed alternative, Pinot Gris is all about texture and flavour. Characterised by nutty stonefruit characters, medium in body with super balance between fruit sweetness and acidity. Matches well with Asian influenced recipes and will leave a lasting impression. Maestro Crawford never loses a trick, his impressive wines attract show awards like a metal detector. As close to a perfumed palate as one can get without being florid, crunchy pear and honeyed almond flavours persist, viscous and moreish like a peaches & apricot frappé.

Adam Jackson bought the first blocks of land at the heart of Marlborough and took up farming in 1855. His wife planted a gumtree along Jacksons Road, it remains a regional icon and can be seen on the Jackson estate label. It was up to the fifth generation of Jacksons to take an interest in viticulture and establish vines. John Stitchbury released his first vintage in 1991, his love of agriculture and passion for making good wine, earning Jackson Estate the Sauvignon Blanc Trophy at the prestigious London International in 1993.

It is a bit of a tradition at Isabel Estate that just before budburst, all the local sheep are rounded up, and the odd goat as well, to be moved off to holding pastures. This is just before the dear ruminants develop a taste for the succulent new shoots which are sprouting. Exposing the ripening bunches to the sun brings on more tropical flavours for a more complete ripeness, this also serves to tame the chilling acidity which can be at teeth dissolving levels in cooler years.

Pinot Gris really loves Marlborough. The challenge is to achieve complete fruit ripeness without the sugar levels going through the roof, which would result in high alcohol and residual sugar, not the style Isabel aims for. In early summer, serious bunch thinning is required, even after laying down lower bud numbers at pruning time. Too much sun on the ripening bunches can thicken and over colour the skins. The Isabel team take great efforts to ensure that each vine is treated to the right amount of sunshine, for perfect harvests of superbly ripened Pinot Gris.

Classically structured with a well established estate styling, Hunter's have won more than 100 gold at international wine competitions, including Marquis de Goulaine Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc in the World at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Jane Hunter is a highly qualified viticulturist with a long family history of wine growing, she worked closely with eminent Australian oenologist Dr Tony Jordan to achieve the quality of harvests which are benchmarks in the world of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Fully Organic Certified grown and made, Huia are focused on hand crafting unique wines which express the effusiveness of Marlborough fruit. The range of sites available to Huia provides some exciting opportunities for vinification through traditional as well as more modern techniques to increase the depth of flavour. Fermented to a dry, adults only styling, elderflower notes, red bell pepper and nettles lift the nose; the palate is exquisitely balanced and refined, the excellence of terroir imparts a structure of rich minerality.

One of Marlborough's oldest and most venerable estates, Highfield was established to grazing and agriculture in 1935, at a time when there was no such thing as Marlborough wine. Following gossip of a successful North Island winemaker surveying local sites for viticulture in the 1970s, Highfield was planted to its first acreage of vine. A rogue clone of Sauvignon Blanc proved so successful, that it became the style around which Marlborough wines are based. A remarkably clean and aromatic, tropical kiwi nose and palate, Highfield endure to this day.

The Greenstone Point vineyards are located on choice soils within the renowned Marlborough winegrowing region. Made famous for it's world class Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough is graced by a picturesque coastline, sheltered bays and scenic harbours. The Greenstone Point winemakers are as fastidious at managing vines as they are at maintaining the natural beauty of the country, putting their philosophy of minimalist intervention into practice. Their devoted efforts are rewarded each vintage by harvests of ripe and intensely flavoured fruit.

Previous vintages have claimed Trophy Citadelles du Vin France and multi Gold Montreal, Singapore and UK, Russia and Japan. A solidly structured wine with exuberant aromas of gooseberry, grapefruit and pineapple, complimented by layers of rich flavour, impressive weight and excellent length. Surely one of the most powerful and intense Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, with one of the longest ever finishes, an array of flavours and bouquet which continue into infinite.

A perennial wine show performer, Goldwater is consistently praised by notable reviewers as one of the finest Sauvignon Blanc to be found anywhere. The philosophy is simple, great wines are born in the vineyard. Goldwater combine old world traditional viticultural practices with modern day methodology to achieve outstanding, world class efforts. Careful site selection, sustainable land management and meticulous vineyard management, including innovative trellising and low yields, translate into crops of the highest quality Sauvignon Blanc.

Goldwater were established 1978, they had the vision to sow one of New Zealand's very first vineyards on Waiheke Island in Hauraki Gulf. They now make their home amongst the coddled blocks of vine in Marlborough's Wairau Valley. To create a Chardonnay of superior palate weight, a number of Burgundian techniques are employed, a rich course of barrel ferments and eight months lees battonage in French oak. Its vibrant peach bouquet precedes a textural palate of toasty creamyness, the temperate tropicality of apricots and lime, impeccably balanced, silky and refined.

The team at Golden Ranges simply can't help themselves, they get excited about Sauvignon Blanc and spend their spare time traversing the vineyards of Marlborough, walking up and down the rows and plucking grapes off the vine. The aim is to collate those parcels which can best display all the exhilarating qualities we know and love about Sauvignon Blanc, luscious fruit flavours and evocative aromas. Abounding with pungent tropicality and fine zesty acids, Golden Ranges is Marlborough at it's finest, moreish and fresh, fruit powered and delicious.

Giesen are one of the most prominent estates in Marlborough, best known for their essential Sauvignon Blanc. Giesen's range of twenty three vineyard locations provide a considerable pallette of flavour profiles to assemble the definitive Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc while allowing winemakers the opportunity to move around the valley harvesting fruit when at its best. Giesen's choice of vineyards contribute to a distinctive style that displays tropically ripe fruit characters as well as the crisper, lively green expressions which are so characteristic of Marlborough.