08-Sep-2017
The Awatere River Wine Co. is Louis Vavasour’s continuation of his family’s legacy of working on the Marlborough land and his parent’s innovative venture in planting the first commercial grapevines in the Awatere Valley in 1986. The label represents fine Marlborough wine, especially that of the Awatere Valley. 2017 was a cooler year affected by rain, but careful growers and producers picked before the rains or afterwards when they had passed, taking the action of strict selection. Louis’ winemaker Andrew Parley describes taking both these paths in the production of the 2017 Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé. The rosé fruit was picked before the rains, and while the Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc stayed out through the rains, the fruit remained healthy and was picked when the weather was drier, with any botrytised fruit discarded. Here are my reviews of these wines. www.arwc.co.nz
