(2024) Riverby's Grüner is fast becoming a favourite in their range. As in previous vintages it displays a fragrant peach and ripe pear opulence and juiciness that combines with a sheer, mineral acidity for a wine that is luscious with a definite fruity sweetness and ripeness, but has such a focused, clear line to the finish. A cracking example.

(2024) This is another of Riverby's wines that just seems to get better each vintage, and this one is an absolute gem. From vines planted in 2006, and with just a touch of residual sugar to add weight rather than sweetness, it has a succulent stone fruit nose, a delicate biscuit or pastry warmth and yet real freshness too, floral and citrus adding vivid highlights. The palate is absolutely delicious I must say. Fleshy nectarine sweetness has loads of depth, star anise hints, even a touch of ginger or clove, and the thrusting core of lime acidity is so precise without being too sharp. Beguiling stuff.

(2024) Exclusively planted with the Mendoza Clone, Riverby's Chardonnay vineyard was first planted in 1999. What a delight this is aromatically, creamy and almondy, with a ripe aand rounded but zippy stone fruit and lime character. Gorgeous texture, something like passion fruit adds extra succulence, but what a lovely texture and satisfyingly rounded mouthfeel. The acid is perfectly ripe and perfectly balanced. Reminds me of Pouilly Fuisse perhaps - but a very, very good one.

(2024) From an excellent vintage, this immediately impresses with its intensity: the nose is a pungent explosion of guava and mango, with elderflower streaking through the aromatic exoticism. In the mouth that tropical fruit juiciness opens the show, but almost instantly a phalanx of lime acidity drives a wedge through the centre, propelling the wine to a lip-smacking, dry finish. There's more than enough fruity extract to coat the palate and withstand the onslaught of the wine's freshness so there is no fruit/acid imbalance. A concentrated, decisive example of Marlborough Sauvignon at its best. Watch the video for more information.

(2023) Quite quiet and reserved in this vintage but obvious intensity. The fruity aromas are gently ripe and hinting at creaminess of peach and mango, fennel-like, herbal nuances. Lovely palate, the lemon and peach combination gives lusciousness and decisive punch. Good length, very harmonious and promising. Bottled in September 2021 after a year in barrel and five months in bottle. pH 3.16, acidity 6.3 g/l.

(2022) A new vintage of Cloudy Bay's iconic Sauvignon Blanc is always eagerly awaited, and luckily for fans, this 2002 nicely reflects the quality of the vintage. The nose opens with a surge of exotic fruit: mango, guava and lychee, fused with elderflower and a little herbaceous green bean, but all integrated and harmonious. The palate has a full texture and plenty of weighty fruit concentration, a mouth-watering pink grapefruit core of keen acidity balancing nicely. You cannot deny the quality here.

(2022) If a mad New Zealand scientist crossed a grapefruit, a lime, and a peach, the result might well be this Grüner from Riverby. There is a hint of mineral salts and white pepper on the nose, but it's the sheer, mouth-watering and citrus-fresh decisiveness of the palate that is an absolute delight. Standby for the punch and verve of this firecracker wine, a banker for shellfish and seafood.

(2022) The Riverby name does not appear on the label here, because Riverby Estate releases wines purely made with fruit from it's own vineyards, whereas the Gewürztraminer for this wine is purchased. I alway enjoy this wine, and the 2022 does not disappoint. It's a very classic expression of Gewurz aromatically, showing lychee and a just a glimpse of old rose perfume, but the Marlborough sunshine adds an extra brightness and zip to the aromatics. On the palate it is medium-bodied but has a rolling texture, a hint of sweetness, and a bit of dried fruit character, the mango and lychee sweetness subsumed in good levels of acidity. Concentrated and intense on the finish.

(2022) Well, this is the best vintage yet for this wine in my opinion. Despite the 14% alcohol suggesting full ripeness, there's a flinty, stony minerality on the nose, but creamy oatmeal and succulent, ripe pear and citrus too. The palate echoes all of that; sharp, zesty and mineral, but a burgeoning sense of nectarine ripeness smoothed by oatmeal. Orange and grapefruit add so much zest through the finish. A great effort. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2022) From the cooler Awatere Valley, this is barrel fermented, around half the barrels wild fermented, and it spends 11 months in barrel on lees. Mint humbug notes, beauitfully ripe fruit, with juiciness and a peachy character, lots of zest too, a racing orange and grapefruit character. Sparky in the finish, a beautifully defined wine where the cooler Awatare conditions helps that fresh and saline finish. pH: 3.2, Acidity 6.7, RS: 0.5g/l.