Awards

The Marlborough Region can claim to have started the modern New Zealand wine industry. The first vines were planted there in 1973 and winemakers quickly adopted modern techniques to produce high quality wines. In the late 1970s, Marlborough began to export Sauvignon Blanc, proving to the world that New Zealand could create fine wines.

Marlborough is New Zealand's largest grape-growing and wine-making region

As the wine industry in New Zealand matured, site selection became more important and more vines were planted in Marlborough. In the 1990's Marlborough overtook Hawke's Bay as the country's largest growing region. Currently, more than two thirds of New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc vines are grown in Marlborough. Within Marlborough over 65% of the planted vines are Sauvignon Blanc.

Marlborough is widely considered by many critics to produce the world's best Sauvignon Blanc

Hot summers, cool winters and fertile soils have made Marlborough the wine capital of New Zealand. The longer, cooler growing conditions in the southern regions of New Zealand promote stronger and more vibrant fruit flavors and balanced acidity levels. Marlborough's long growing season helps foster the gradual, even ripening of the grapes. Relatively low rainfall during ripening protects the grapes from developing botrytis and other fungal diseases. The region's free-draining, stony soils help grape growers to control the growth of their vigorous vines for optimum quality of the fruit.