Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc is an elegant wine with complexity amongst the classic characters of blackcurrant leaf and fresh cut thyme. There is underlying ripe fruit alongside mineral notes from the grapes grown in the Blind River sub-region of Marlborough. There are energetically tropical notes of passionfruit and melon from the Wairau Valley vineyards.  All in all this is a classy and charmingly rich Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with vibrant aromatics and a fine balance of acidity all leading to a finish that lingers.

Try Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc with fresh vegetable produce such as asparagus spears wrapped in parma ham.  This wine works with seafood dishes and is also just a glorious aperitif or perfect for summer evening al fresco drinking.

About the region and producer

Back in the early 2000s The owners of Tinpot Hut, winemaker Fiona Turner and her viticulturist husband Hamish (both photographed below), began developing their Blind River vineyard, known affectionately as their “Home Block”, in the Awatere Valley sub-region of Marlborough in the North of New Zealand's stunning South Island.  This vineyard now has mature vines of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Riesling, varieties that are the foundation of the Tinpot Hut Collection.

Originally part of a large sheep farming station, Fiona acknowledged the origins of her Home Block by naming her range of wines after the historic 'Tinpot Hut', a Marlborough landmark frequented by local high country musterers.

The climate for the Blind River vineyard is dry and sunny yet cool which brings fresh, vibrant and aromatic intensity to the wines along with a delightful complex minerality.

Sustainable practices are incredibly important throughout New Zealand and Tinpot Hut Wines proudly display the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing logo on all of their bottles.

Visit the Tinpot Hut Website

Marlborough is located on the north east coast of New Zealand's South Island and is, understandably, best known for that distinctive and hugely popular style of wine made from Sauvignon Blanc.  With more than two thirds of New Zealand's total vineyard area, it is certainly the most important region and responsible for the growth of the Country's standing in the world of wine.

Surprisingly the first vines were planted in this beautiful corner of the South Island back in 1873 but it was not until the 1980s and 1990s that Marlborough's vineyard area expanded.  This expansion was down to rising critical acclaim, cheap available land and the ideal climate for certain varieties.

Kei puta te Wairau meaning 'the place with the hole in the cloud' is the Maori name for the region and this seems appropriate given the region gets around 100 days worth (2400 hours) of sunshine annually.  The climate is moderated by the maritime influence with the vines protected from rain by nearby mountain ranges, resulting in a long, dry growing season contributing to the intensity of flavour in the fruit.

Machine harvesting is commonplace partly because it is a large, relatively flat region and this is a cheaper option.  Actually though it is perhaps more because it has been discovered that the flavours and aromas that make Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc so distinct can be 5 to 10 times stronger with machine harvested fruit.  This is due to the grapes being quicker to the winery and therefore fresher.

New Zealand's South Island produces arguably the finest wines made from Pinot Noir outside of its natural home of Burgundy in France.  It only accounts for 10% of plantings in Marlborough but is becoming more popular all the time.  The options available are often fruit forward with cherries and red summer fruit prevalent, they range in body from medium to full in style and tend to be matured in oak.

Discover our Collection of Wines from the New Zealand Region of Marlborough.  Massively famous for some of the World's best Sauvignon Blanc, this region also produces fantastic Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Riesling.

Vineyard and Wine Making

The fruit for this wine was sourced from specially selected vineyards in the Blind River, Dashwood and Lower Wairau subregions. Blind River (photographed above) and Dashwood fruit contributed the acidity, mineral and fresh herbal notes, while the Lower Wairau, as always, contributed the tropical top notes and mid-palate roundness. This blending of flavours gives a balance between herbaceous and tropical. All vineyard parcels are kept separate in the winery prior to blending post fermentation.

The fruit from each vineyard was independently monitored and harvested before being carefully pressed to ensure minimal skin contact preventing juice deterioration. Once settled, the batches were cool fermented in stainless-steel tanks using specific cultured yeasts to add complexity while retaining the fresh fruit characteristics from each of the individual vineyards. Shortly after blending, the wine was prepared for bottling under a screwcap closure.