Salmon Run Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017

The 'salmon run' usually denotes the perilous annual trip that salmon make to their natal rivers to spawn, as bears, eagles and fishermen gather hungrily at the water's edge. However, the salmon in Marlborough are more savvy and have sprouted legs so they can avoid said dangers.

Whilst they're walking upstream, they often stop by the Giesen winery for a drop of the wine named in their honour. Zesty, strikingly bold, and racy, it is an apt tribute to this most audacious of fish.

Wine has been produced in Marlborough, in the north east corner of New Zealand's South Island, since the 1970s, with the setting up of the Montana winery. The majority of its vineyards lie around the region's capital, Blenheim, Renwick, Cloudy Bay and the Wairau Valley.

The brothers Giesen, Alex, Theo and Marcel, left their native Germany in the early 1980s to set up a winery in New Zealand. In the meantime, they have built up a holding of 283 hectares in Marlborough's highly regarded Wairau Valley, and Giesen has established itself as one of the eminent wineries in New Zealand. They say: 'We set out to create wines which people enjoy drinking and our diverse and outstanding vineyard sites, leading viticultural practices and consistent winemaking have allowed us to deliver a remarkably refreshing, unfailingly consistent, eminently drinkable wine.’

Salmon Run is made under anaerobic conditions and cool fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh vibrant fruit inherent to Sauvignon Blanc. Blended, fined, stabilised then filtered before bottling under screwcap.

Salmon Run’s fruit and aroma spectrum shows a greater depth of tropical notes with a distinct green profile running through as well. This is an aromatic blend displaying aromas of elderflower, kaffir lime leaf, pink grapefruit and dried herb. The palate has a vibrant citrus focus with considerable fruit concentration finishing crisp and bright.