Auntsfield Sauvignon Blanc Tue, Jul 09, 24 | wine Before Kim Crawford or Cloudy Bay and even before New Zealand was an independent country, Auntsfield Estate was making wine. A Scottish shepherd, David Herd, arrived in Marlborough, New Zealand in 1854 and saw potential for the land beyond a grazing field for sheep. Herd recognized that the landscape, soil and weather provided the ideal conditions for viticulture and ultimately making wine. The first vines were planted in 1873 and wine was made from the grapes of this land until 1931. The vineyard went fallow until the Cowley family purchased Auntsfield Estate in the 2000s. After researching its history, they realized they were stewards of New Zealand's first vineyard, which prompted them to honor the heritage of the land and become a full-fledged winemaking estate. Auntsfield is now run by Ben and Luc Cowley, brothers who are passionate about working with the land and creating exceptional wine. The Auntsfield Estate is located in The Southern Valleys, a sub-region of Marlborough. The climate is drier and cooler than the surrounding areas with a mix of mineral-driven Greywacke rock and Loess clay soil, both of which are recognized for their vine friendly attributes. The wines of this region are riper in style with a thread of minerality and a notable texture. Auntsfield Sauvignon Blanc is an estate, single vineyard wine. A classic and signature expression of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the wine exudes aromas of fresh passionfruit, ripe citrus and lime with notes of dried herbs, lemongrass and a pop of jalapeno. On the palate, it is powerful and elegant. Ripe fruit of peaches and passionfruit are tempered with notes of lime. This wine has a generous weight balanced by an underlying minerality to create a wine with lively tension and textural balance. By Jill Pienta Tags: sauvignon blanc
