River Farm, New Zealand
Created by Nature. Perfected by Nurture.
In 1864, Ploughman William Jones came to New Zealand, full of hope, in search of gold. Riches eluded him and he returned to his farming craft where he eventually purchased virgin land in Marlborough. Four generations of sons of the soil later and it’s clear that William did in fact strike gold after all; his Marlborough soil is producing liquid gold.
The Awatere Valley is the most geographically distinct, wine-producing sub-region of Marlborough. Renowned for Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, the valley benefits from an extended growing season and cool nights. These conditions are ideal for maintaining grape acidity and enhancing aromatic properties. Additionally, the strong maritime winds and low yields play a vital role in shaping the grapes, contributing to the complex flavor profiles of the wines.
River Farm Pinot Gris
WINEMAKING: The fruit was crushed and following settling the clear juice was racked to stainless steel and fermented using selected years at cool temperatures. A 10% portion of the juice was fermented in seasoned French oak barrels adding weight, texture and complexity to the finished wine. Fermentation was stopped at 5.0 g/l residual sugar. Before blending, the individual components were left on light yeast lees for three months to build additional texture and creaminess to the palate.
VITICULTURE: The two cane VSP (vertical shoot position) trained vines were shoot and bunch thinning to produce low yielding intensely concentrated fruit. Additional color thinning was done post veraison to further enhance bunch uniformity. The two vineyards were carefully monitored during ripening and hand-picked in cool, early morning conditions at peak maturity and avor development.
FERMENTATION: Stainless Steel
COLOR: Pale Lemon
TASTING NOTES: Concentrated white peach, nashi pear and quince with oral notes, a touch of spice and chalky minerality on the nose. An elegant, textural palate with apricot and ripe pear and nectarine with a hint of mandarin peel and balanced refreshing acidity producing a long finish
River Farm, Sauvignon Blanc
WINEMAKING: The fruit was pressed quickly minimizing skin contact and juice deterioration following harvesting. Once settling was completed, the juice was placed into stainless steel and fermented using selected yeast at carefully controlled, cool temperatures retaining fruit flavor and freshness. Several separate parcels from each of the vineyard sites were left on light lees and kept separate until May, when the blend was assembled from the most desirable parcels.
VITICULTURE: Two and three cane VSP (vertical shoot position) trained vines had their yields closely monitored through the growing season. Optimum canopy growth and yield control was produced via targeted shoot thinning. Each block was carefully monitored during ripening and machine harvested in cool early morning conditions at peak maturity and avor development.
FERMENTATION: Stainless Steel
COLOR: Pale, light yellow
TASTING NOTES: An excellent vintage showing quintessential Marlborough Sauvignon aromas of elder ower, gooseberry, passionfruit, lime and nettles. The concentrated, complex palate is bursting with more intense tropical passionfruit, green mango, citrus, herbaceous, grassy notes, and briney minerality. The finish is long with refreshing acidity and more mineral notes.
River Farm Pinot Noir,
WINEMAKING: The whole clusters were gently de-stemmed before undergoing fermentation by naturally occurring ‘wild’ vineyard yeast. The resulting wine was aged in both new 20% and seasoned oak barrels for 11 months with intermittent stirring of the malolactic lees for increased palate weight and mouth feel.
VITICULTURE: The yield on the two vineyards was carefully monitored throughout the growing season. Targeted shoot and bunch thinning was performed to produce low yielding, intensely concentrated fruit. Post-veraison, on color development, additional fruit thinning was done to further enhance bunch uniformity. The low yielding vines of clone 115, 667 & 777 were carefully monitored during ripening, while the addition in 2022 for the first time of the Abel clone from the Starborough Terrace vineyards has added great structure and a sophisticated, savory element to the resultant wine. All the separate parcels were hand picked at peak maturity and flavor development.
COLOR: Ruby Red
TASTING NOTES: Stylish and elegant with red cherry, raspberry and plum fruit, a subtle hint of cloves, roasted chestnuts and some dried herbs. The succulent palate has more intense red fruit with Black Doris plum, dried cranberry and thyme. This is a well-structured wine with fine grained tannins and pleasing mid palate weight, supported by a long, lingering finish with savory, toasty oak.