Winemaker Notes
Established in 1994, Wither Hills winery lies in the shadow of the majestic Wither Hills, part of Marlborough’s southern landmark range. Our vineyards are strategically sited throughout the Wairau Valley sub region of Marlborough, producing exceptional Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir – varietals that are synonymous with this verdant terrain. Our state-of-the-art winery incorporates both innovation and tradition in our winemaking such as our traditional basket press for Noir. We’re committed to sustainability through our Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand certification, local conservation initiatives, and organic farming practices. Our hands-on approach and meticulous attention to detail ensures that our wines are crafted beautifully, just like the setting around us, and reflects our Turangawaewae (Maori for “place where we stand”).
An icon and leading region of New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, Marlborough has a unique terroir, making it ideal for high quality grape production (of many varieties). Despite some common generalizations, which could be fairly justified given that Marlborough is responsible for 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon blanc production, the wines from this region are actually anything but homogenous. At the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.
The region’s king variety, Sauvignon blanc, is beloved for its pungent, aromatic character with notes of exotic tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and green bell pepper along with a refreshing streak of stony minerality. These wines are made in a wide range of styles, and winemakers take advantage of various clones, vineyard sites, fermentation styles, lees-stirring and aging regimens to differentiate their bottlings, one from one another.
Also produced successfully here are fruit-forward Pinot noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot gris and Gewürztraminer.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.