Tasting Notes: Riverby Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Riverby Estate Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful Sauvignon from the vineyard adjacent to the famous Cloudy Bay. The wine is full of tropical fruit flavours with a real finesse. A very good quality Sauvignon.
Food Matching:
Pair with goats cheese or blue cheese, ravioli with tomato sauce, grilled or roasted lamb or grilled fish.
Producer/Region:
Riverby Estate derives its name from the tranquil Opawa River. The river winds through the Marlborough Region of New Zealand. The river’s rich resources were invaluable to the local farmers as well as the source of their favourite meal; the Rainbow Trout.
In the 1930s Opawa River was diverted to stop Blenheim from flooding and the landscape was changed forever. That is to say, its redirection inadvertently transformed Riverby Estate into one of New Zealand’s finest wine growing properties.
However, Riverby Estate now shows no sign of the Opawa, apart from the tales of long-time resident Peter Matthews. He relays the stories of his father Ellis catching trout where the river once flowed.
As a result it is ideally positioned in the very heart of Marlborough, New Zealand. Situated at Jacksons Road, Blenheim, immediately adjacent to renowned Marlborough Vineyards; Cloudy Bay, Stoneleigh and Allan Scott.
A 2.4 ha block of Riverby Estate, known as Picnic Paddock, was planted in 1990 with Sauvignon Blanc clone UGD 1 with north-south-aligned rows. The vines are trained to the Scott-Henry trellis system. Together with vine trimming and leaf plucking during the growing season. An open grapevine canopy was created with ample sunlight and wind penetration.
This ensured that the fruit has the desirable Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc varietal characteristics, without too much herbaceous. Viticulture practices are used to ensure that the yield is below 9.5 tonnes/ha, thus ensuring fruit with intense varietal flavours.
