Rohe Blind River Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough

Rohe Blind River Sauvignon Blanc

Rohe, meaning territory in Te Reo Māori, is a range of wines created to showcase the unique flavours of Marlborough. Marlborough’s sub-regions are yet to be fully understood, each district offers distinct flavours and aromas. Through crafting wines exclusively from each winemaking sub-region the Rohe range of wines highlight the individual sub-regional flavours and share our perspective of this remarkable region we call home. Made in individual quantities, each bottle features a bespoke illustration of a Marlborough sub-region.

Sub-region

Blind River is the driest, coolest, and most windswept sub-region in Marlborough. Grapes grown here develop unique and intensified flavours as the grapevines are naturally restricted. The soils in this region are typically free draining, with a diverse composition of stone materials.

Winemaking Notes

The 2023 growing season started with above average bunch numbers in most districts in Marlborough. Unsettled and cooler weather over flowering resulted in loose and lighter bunches, with the net effect of producing average yields across most varieties and regions. The weather around the time of veraison was unstable, and at times threatening. We just missed out on the destruction of the cyclone that hit the east coast of the North Island. The weather then settled into a pattern reminiscent of the harvests in the early 2000s. The nights were particularly cool, and this helped to arrest any small levels of botrytis that had started in the early unsettled weather. It was a vintage where patience was rewarded and those who waited harvested fully ripe grapes with concentrated flavours and classic acidity. Once perfectly ripe, the Blind River Sauvignon Blanc was carefully harvested and gently pressed before individual parcels were batch fermented in stainless steel with selected yeast strains to retain the aromatics and fruit characters unique to this sub-region.

Cellaring Recommendation

This wine is immediately expressive but will continue to drink well for the next five years

2023 Tasting Note 2022 Tasting Note 2021 Tasting Note