Perfect pairings

A SPECIAL COASTAL VINEYARD SOUTH OF BLENHEIM PRODUCES SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S FINEST SAUVIGNON BLANC AND PINOT NOIR WINES

BLIND RIVER VINEYARD, tucked into a sheltered spot at the foot of rolling hills south of Blenheim, is special sauvignon blanc grapegrowing land.

The vines are planted in a stony clay accessing deep veins of minerals and nutrients and are cooled by the sea breeze off the nearby Pacific Ocean. The 20ha vineyard is predominantly sauvignon blanc vines with just two hectares of pinot noir.

And so special are the grapes that the vineyard is split into five blocks (based on the contours of the land) with each treated separately and the wines made individually ready for later blending. This ensures the resulting wine is the ultimate in Blind River style and quality.

Blind River sauvignon blanc is very much handmade and of limited volume. It is made with 10 percent of the juice fermented using wild yeast from the vineyard, in aged, French-oak barrels. The wine then spends three months on lees for added complexity, flavour and texture.

As a wonderful match for fine food, this sauvignon blanc lends itself to sophisticated seafood dishes as it carries forward subtle yet distinct flavours. Blind River asked leading New Zealand chef Martin Bosley to create the perfect seafood match for this wine.