Palliser Estate Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough

Description

Palliser Estate Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from the Martinborough wine-growing region at the very south of New Zealand’s North Island.

Palliser Estate is a prominent winery located in Martinborough, Founded in the mid-1980s, the estate has become one of the leading producers in the Martinborough wine region, known for its focus on quality and sustainability.

The first grapes at Palliser Estate were planted in 1984, with the first commercial wines released in 1989 and the first exports following in 1991. Today, the estate covers approximately 92 hectares (around 228 acres) of vineyards, primarily planted with Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, alongside some Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. The vineyards are located on the “Martinborough Terrace,” a small yet unique area of land at the southern end of the North Island. This terrace, framed by the Ruamahanga and Huangarua Rivers, was shaped centuries ago by the rivers. The soil is a stony silt loam overlaying varying depths of ancient, free-draining river gravels. There are seven vineyards in total, all within walking distance of each other: Clouston, Collins, Palliser, Om Sancti, Wharekauhau, East Base, and the Winery Vineyards.

Palliser Estate places great importance on good vineyard practices, more so than many others. They train their vines to achieve low canopy density and well-exposed fruit. This, combined with careful leaf plucking, produces the distinctive fruit flavours in their wines. The grapes are harvested at their optimum maturity and processed to preserve the inherent fruitiness of each varietal. Palliser Estate is deeply committed to sustainability and was the first winery in the world to be awarded ISO 14001-2004 Certification, signifying its adherence to a sustainable environmental management system.

The fruit for Palliser Estate Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Martinborough fruit from the “East Base” vineyard. It is cool fermented in stainless steel and the wine is aged 3 months on lees with stirring.

The new label features a depiction of Mary Jane Bennett who became the Pencarrow Lighthouse Keeper when her husband died in 1855. Not only did she battle the elements to run the lighthouse in all weathers, she also did this whilst raising 5 children!