For many years, Sauvignon Blanc has been New Zealand’s flagship varietal. A typically crisp and aromatic white wine, the Sauvignon Blancs produced in the island country have been in competition with those produced in Bordeaux or Loire Valley. While the whites are sweet, their production in one of the wineries in the country has led to the sweetest victory at the 2021 London Wine Competition. 

The Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc triumphed over wines from 36 other countries to be named Best in Show by Varietal. It was also the Best Wine to come from New Zealand, taking home three honours at the fourth edition of the annual event that took place on March 17, 2021. While the outing was extremely successful for Yealands Wines, their journey shows exactly why they deserve their wins at the competition. 

A Marlborough lad’s dream

Marlborough is among the most revered wine regions of New Zealand and also the world. It was perhaps destiny that Mr Peter Yealands, founder and owner of Yealands Wines, decided to take up winemaking as a way of life. It was his unswerving passion that led to the winery producing elegant wines but it was his irrepressible determination that led them to produce the wines the way they do today. 

Yealands Wines, Source Website

Seaview Vineyard, the home of Yealands Wines, was once thought to be a land too windy and undulating for growing grapes. However, Peter, with his hunger for a new challenge saw the potential the sensational coastal location had to offer. The North-Eastern tip of the South Island thus became home to one of the most sustainable wineries of the world in 2008. 

While Peter Yealands retired in 2018, leaving behind a legacy that will be recounted in the Marlborough wine folklore, his winery added a new feather to their cap with their win at the 2021 London Wine Competition

The best Sauvignon Blanc in the world

Drawing inspiration from the coast that surrounds the winery’s estate, Yealands Wines wanted to create a wine that proudly represented all things characterized by the land the winery sits on. A premium wine that showcases the best of both, the varietal and the region, the major wine-producing region of the country, the Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc brings together the finest fruits from select sites of their vineyards. 

Made during the year the world saw a global pandemic, the 2020 vintage of Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc carries a lot more importance than usual. It is a statement of the unwavering human determination that has led us back to some normality, one that can be celebrated with this very wine. The bouquet of this 93 points scoring wine consists of lifted notes of green apple, lime cordial, passionfruit, and blackcurrant. There are also underpinned notes of citrus and green herbal notes. 

The pure, concentrated fruit flavours make the palate very inviting. The finish is deliciously long and crisp with a bit of minerality. The wine can be enjoyed right away or can be cellared for up to two years. The Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is a delight to be paired and enjoyed with barbecued prawns or ceviche. It also goes well with light summer salads or an asparagus quiche with goat's cheese. Winemaker Natalie Christensen has worked her magic with this unmissable Sauvignon Blanc. 

Visiting Yealands Wines

Open four days of the week, Yealands Wines’ charm doesn’t just come across in their wines but their estate as well. A 40-minute self-guided tour along The White Road begins at the winery’s cellar door and takes the visitors through the vineyards right to the Lookout Point from where you can see the North Island. You can walk, cycle or drive through this tour, and with plenty of scenic picnic spots to enjoy along the way, you will be in for a wonderful time. 

Once the winery tour and the picnics are done with, the cellar door tasting can give you a bigger look at Yealands Wines' top-quality wines including the Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. 

Yealands Estate Winery, Source Facebook

While producing award-winning wines has been a constant feature of Yealands Wines, it is how they do it that has been equally as important. Their vision was always to develop a sustainable winery that helped the environment as much as it could. With their innovative ways and an aim to push boundaries, Yealands Wines has produced one of the most exceptional and sustainable wines around today. 

It became the first winery in the world to be certified Toitū carbonzero from inception. They have put in place a lot of impactful initiatives right from using solar power, generating energy through their vine purings to harnessing the coastal winds through on-site turbines. Their purpose-built compost facility also produces up to 6000 tonnes annually. Sustainability is at the core of Yealands Winery and their dedication towards the planet is unmatched. 

Shop for the Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and all of their amazing wines from their online cellar. You can also find them online on Just Wines and Enotria&Coe.