2024 Clark Estate “Riverside Terrace” Sauvignon Blanc

Gold Medal – 2025 The Marlborough Wine Show

Bronze Medal – 2025 New Zealand International Wine Show

Bronze Medal – 2025 National Wine Awards of Aotearoa NZ

Bronze Medal – 2025 Australia and New Zealand Boutique Wine Awards

 

91 points / 4.5 stars            Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

It’s splendidly expressed on the nose, showing grapefruit, nectarine, green apple, and lime peel aromas. The palate displays excellent fruit intensity and vibrancy, beautifully supported by bright acidity, finishing crisp-dry and lingering. At its best: now to 2027. March 2026

 

91 points            James Suckling

Classic aromas of gooseberries, grapefruit and fresh-cut grass. The palate is crisp and energetic, with taut fruit, vibrant acidity and a focused, lingering finish. Drink now. Feb 2025

 

92 points / 4 stars            Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review

Juicy aromas of yuzu, sweet pear and passion flower opens the way for a concentrated, flavour-packed yet elegantly light-footed palate with fine details, pithy phenolics and a long, dry, perfumed finish. Excellent depth of flavour with just enough restraint to hint at more development to come. A classic style of sauvignon with an added dimension of depth and intensity. Drink 2026 – 2028. 28 April 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Viticulture

 

Our main terrace is home to our Sauvignon Blanc vines, divided into blocks based on the unique soils beneath them. Block 6, planted in 2006 and the source of these wines, features very stony soils with minimal loam. This results in lower crop yields, allowing the vines to develop ripe flavours earlier than sugar levels accumulate.

 

Naturally, these wines have lower alcohol while showcasing the full spectrum of intense, vibrant flavours that only the Upper Awatere can deliver.

 

Winemaking

 

Harvested in the cool of the evening, the grapes were gently pressed and the juice was fermented under very cool conditions to retain the intensity of the flavours. Once dry, the wine was left on yeast lees to develop even more complex flavours.

 

Wine Analysis

 

pH        3.11

TA        7.0 g/L

Alc       12.0%

RS       1.83 g/L

 

The Upper Awatere valley is famed for its rugged soils, harsh climate and the intricate network of river terraces winding through the landscape. Nestled in the foothills of the Blackbirch Range, our river terraces produce vines that stand apart from others in the valley.

 

Our Clark Estate Riverside Terrace Sauvignon Blanc captures the pure essence of this unique terroir. By avoiding the influence of higher alcohol, we allow the pristine flavours of the Upper Awatere to shine, crafting wines with a distinct sense of place and authenticity.