Marlborough Country - Some Serious Sav Blancs

This was what I’d been waiting for. The Sauvignon Blanc vineyards of the Marlborough valley, which supposedly has the best climate and most sun in all of New Zealand. Even for someone who has seen plenty of rolling grape hills in France, the extent vineyards go here to ensure impeccable wine is impressive to say the least.

Almost every row has nets shrouded and tied with bread clips (biodegradable) and staples to keep the birds out and create what looks like a large sausage casing around each row. Huge turbines spin warm air down to fight off a deadly morning frost at ground level. These giant propellers loom over the whole valley and make quite a ‘wooping’ noise pollution. It was already becoming clear that in New Zealand, unlike some other wine-producing countries, there is no preciousness about how the stuff is produced. Like Australia had long left romance behind, what counts in New Zealand is how the stuff tastes.

Here on the Speedy vineyard, David used some innovative techniques. We expected nothing less from such a charismatic science teacher. David had arranged to take mussel shell waste off the hands of the local fishing and processing industry. He laid these crushed seashells between the rows to act as a mulch, suppress weeds, and most of all, reflect sunlight back off the ground and into the lower branches where bunches grow in the belly of rows. Next year he may try another experiment to retaining ground heat by spraying other patches of soil black or running warm water line to fight frost.

Dave ages their Sav Blanc in dead oak for buttery finish that’s less intense than Chardonnay.

The Speedy’s wine is very young. They are only selling it to friends for now since the vines are less than ten years old and they are still experimenting. When David was first showing us around he remarked that it may have not been the best time for their investment to start producing Sauvignon Blanc, since the last two years have seen a worrying level of over-production in Marlborough. The world is now quite familiar with this very pungent wine, whose price is at last softening.

One day we went over to the neighbor, Andy to help with his medieval-decorated vineyard. When I first met Andy I knew he was the work-hard and play hard type, where we would start early, finish late, but be entertained throughout. The girls were sent to continue stapling and pinning, while us men were going to tear out an old fence and put in a new one to keep the sheep and cows up the mountain away from the vines. As I rode up on the back of his quad bike early that morning, I’ll never quite forget how awake you become when the driver is blaring his shotgun left and right to scare off the birds.

The dragon actually spits fire as you approach the driveway, while long medieval flags fly above the vines to pester the birds. Most of Andy’s grapes go to Clayridge wines, a bigger Marlborough label.

Andy made us lunch that day, and offered us a proper long French lunch with wine and good conversation. He encouraged us to explore Blenheim for some warmer clothes and the rest of the valley. We had noticed many a cyclist fly by the Speedy’s that we finally decided to create our own vineyard circuit. Pam lent us the bikes and helmets and David even gave us a leg up in his truck to the first stop, Villa Maria. We cycled about 5k between each vineyard and found that people gave us an extra warm welcome as we approached, out of breath.

Steph and I reminisced all our travels since we first met as we sped along the country roads. Unfortunately it was an incredibly windy that day - we didn’t realize it was all on our backs - and as we looped back towards Blenheim we were hit head on with blustering gusts. My challenge now was to keep Steph motivated, with strategically timed stops at a few more vineyards before they closed. We both did really well and made it back to town (just) in time to watch the Grand Prix with Andy, with wobbly legs and some seriously sore bums!