This elegant wine, Saint Clair 'Origin' Viognier, features notes of white peach, nectarine, and almond blossom with hints of clove and nutmeg spice. Its rich and creamy texture leads to a fresh and spicy finish. Ideal with many dishes, especially chargrilled chicken or risottos, especially pumpkin.

About the Producer

Neal and Judy Ibbotson were pioneers in the Marlborough wine industry, first planting vineyards in the valley in 1978 and then establishing Saint Clair Family Estate in 1994. They own 160 hectares of vineyard in 10 different Marlborough locations chosen specifically for the attributes of their individual "terroir" and ability to produce top quality grapes. Neal Ibbotson combines his extensive expertise in viticulture with the talent of one of New Zealand's leading winemaking teams. The vines are sustainably cultivated and the estate holds the Sustainable Wines of New Zealand certification. Since 1994, when wines from the first vintage all won medals including gold, the name Saint Clair has been synonymous with quality and its award-winning record continues today. This is a sentiment shared by Bob Campbell MW, who says “Saint Clair now makes the country’s and perhaps the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc”.

Vineyard and Winery

The grapes for this wine are grown in Saint Clair's vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels
region of Hawkes Bay. The 10-year-old vines are planted on the stoniest part of the
vineyard. These stony soils are vigour moderating free-draining soils, ideal for growing
Viognier. The vines are trained using the VSP Guyot system there is reasonably high
exposure as a result, reflected in the ripeness of the wine. The grapes are harvested in
the cool of the night, preserving the varietal characteristics.

The grapes were harvested at optimal ripeness, pressed and the must settled.
Fermentation took place in stainless tanks with carefully selected yeast to enhance the
varietal characters. The wine was left on the yeast lees imparting texture and
complexity to the resulting wine.