The Ned Sauvignon Blanc

When you hear the name Ned, what springs to mind? Stupid sexy Flanders from The Simpsons? Ned Kelly with a bucket on this head? Sean Bean’s sticky end in Game of Thrones? Mr Boulting from the Tour de France coverage? A Scottish ne’er-do-well maybe? Well, one sip of this Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc and you will only be able to associate the name Ned with one thing and that’s pure, intense and fruity deliciousness. Dangerously easy to drink, extremely limited and not to be repeated, grab this wine now before it’s all gone.

The Ned was named after a mountain next to Brent Marris’ vineyard in the Waihopai Valley. Ancient river shingles in the vineyard add mineral notes to the wine and the views are simply stunning. This was a classic Marlborough vintage providing perfectly balanced grapes. Slightly cooler nights heightened the glorious Sauvignon Blanc characteristics, but also added elegance, finesse and a certain je ne sais quoi.

The wine is made in temperature controlled stainless steel to maintain the freshness and zip. On the nose you’ll find lime, lemon, gooseberry, passionfruit, grass and parsley, while the palate delivers more of the same but cut with some lovely green apple and green pepper notes. It has a softer acidity than some more Kiwi Sauvignons making it very pleasurable to drink, while remaining as refreshing as a cold shower on a hot day.

The Ned is a great partner to all those difficult to match things like eggs, avocado and asparagus, but its fruitiness makes it a perfect match to spicy fish and prawn dishes, curries or fresh herby pasta.