Nettles, bell pepper and grapefruit all vie for attention to create a beautifully aromatic and classically styled Sauvignon Blanc. It is vibrant, pure and detailed and impresses for its concentration and purity.

The Holdaway family have been farming land in Dillons Point, Marlborough for generations. They were among the first settlers in Nelson, arriving from England on a treacherous journey by sea in 1842. Today, Alan Holdaway and his sons, Richard and Robert, grow some of the best grapes Marlborough has to offer.

The Holdaways own eight vineyards (totalling 182 hectares) in the Lower Wairau and Dillons Point subregions of Marlborough. They are vanguards of regenerative viticulture and are highly respected growers in the region. Among their many accolades is their impressive commitment to soil health. Decision-making for the Holdaways always centres on putting the ecosystem first. “If we get that thriving, the rest will follow”, says Robert, who has a PhD in Forest Ecology from Cambridge University. They sow cover crops and allow grass to grow between the vines, resulting in over 50 species of herbs and flowers which help promote insect life. As well as trialling a 100% biological programme, negating the need for any form of fungicide, they have also embarked on a rewilding project at a 2,300-hectare property in the Upper Wairau. Here, they enable the regeneration of native forests, which sequesters carbon and provides habitat for threatened native species. The result is that Holdaway Estate is substantially carbon-negative.

Sauvignon Blanc (100%)

Marlborough