Cuisine Tasting Discovers Top Marlborough SB Wines

Media Release Issue 120, January 2006
12 December 2006

Cuisine Tasting Discovers Top Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Wines

Cuisine magazine has just announced the results of its annual NZ Sauvignon Blanc tasting. Sauvignon Blanc is hot. By far the country’s most widely planted variety, it is trendy in restaurants, has grabbed nearly half of the bottled white-wine market in supermarkets (well ahead of Chardonnay), and accounts for more than 70 percent of our wine exports. If there’s one grape with which New Zealand can fairly claim to lead the world, it’s Sauvignon Blanc.

Marlborough, home to 85 percent of the country’s Sauvignon Blanc vines, dominated the tasting, making a clean sweep of the Cuisine Top Ten. Two wineries deserve special mention, Saint Clair Estate Wines and Kim Crawford, which together accounted for half of the Top Ten.

The top wine of the tasting for a second year running was Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (RRP $29.95.) The Vavasour Redwood Pass 2006 (RRP $13.95 to $16.95) was the best buy of the tasting.

Neal Ibbotson, Managing Director of Saint Clair Estate Wines, says “Our Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2006 was made from the very best one percent of our Sauvignon Blanc grapes harvested. No oak, no lees, just the best fruit.”

On sale from Monday 18 December, the summer issue of Cuisine retails at $8.90 inc. GST and is available from all supermarkets and good bookstores throughout New Zealand.

Top Ten Tasting Dates for Sauvignon Blanc

AUCKLAND
La Barrique
31 Normanby Rd, Mt Eden, Auckland
Ph: 09-638 5000, www.labarrique.co.nz
Wed 10 Jan 6.30pm
Glengarry Victoria Park
Cnr Wellesley & Sales Sts, Auckland City
Ph: 0800-733 505, www.glengarry.co.nz
Sat 6 Jan 11am-4pm (free)
Waiheke Wine Centre
153 Oceanview Rd, Waiheke Island
Ph: 09-372 6139
www.waihekewinecentre.co.nz
Thurs 11 Jan 7pm
First Glass Wines & Spirits
5 Huron St, Takapuna
Ph: 09-486 6415, www.first-glass.co.nz
Wed 1O Jan 7pm $15
HAMILTON WELLINGTON
Hamilton Wine Company
Upstairs at The Bank, Victoria St
Ph: 07-839 1190
Tues 30 Jan 7pm
Glengarry Thorndon Quay
Ph: 04-472 7051, www.glengarry.co.nz
Sat 6 Jan 3pm-6pm (free)
NAPIER NELSON
Swig
19 Carlyle St, Napier
Ph: 06-835 7999, www.swig.co.nz
Tues 23 Jan 4pm-7pm
Casa del Vino
214 Hardy St, Nelson
Ph: 03-548 0088, www.casadelvino.co.nz
Sun 7 Jan 3pm
CHRISTCHURCH ARROWTOWN
Vino Fino
188 Durham St, Christchurch
Ph: 03-365 5134, www.vinofino.co.nz
Tues 30 Jan 6pm
Allan Hamilton Wine Cellars
Ramshaw Lane, Arrowtown
Ph: 03-442 1026
Thurs 28 Dec 5pm-7pm
WANAKA
Wanaka Fine Wines
19 Helwick St, Wanaka
Ph: 03-443 7539
Wed 20 Dec 6pm

ENDS

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