Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the New Zealand wine industry’s engine room, with the variety dominating our plantings and the wine the most successful export. For a long time, there were detractors of the style, saying the wines had less dimension and style variation that made them ‘boring to drink more than one glass of’. If anything, it was faddish and trendy to adopt this stance, but in these modern times, it doesn’t hold true, and it certainly isn’t wise to have this approach. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has evolved to be sub-regionally expressive, and winemaking can highlight the best qualities of the variety that make it refreshingly appealing. Also, there is a far greater appreciation of the styles of Marlborough Sauvignon on the world stage, and their uniqueness. And of course, the industry is aware on how reliant it is on the success of this variety, to enable the viability of the industry in New Zealand as a whole, so negative commentary is regarded as damaging. However, critical analysis has always been welcomed, and that is why the category has continued to evolve and retain its global popularity.
Although Waipara Hills originated as a Canterbury company, being part of the Mud House umbrella under Accolade has given it access to Marlborough fruit. The Waipara Hills Sauvignon Blanc has always been a quality representation of place and variety, as well as vintage. Here, I review the 2017 wine, from a ‘challenging’ vintage, but one deemed a successful one. www.waiparahills.co.nz
