Reviews for our current release wines are continuing to flow, and we are happy to share some recent excellent coverage from Erin Larkin for Wine Advocate.

Particular highlights were our 2023 ‘Tano’ Chardonnay receiving an exceptional 95 points whilst being described as “triumphant”, while our 2024 Holdaway Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc was awarded one of the highest scores for classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at 94 points. Erin emphasised that she “love[d] the draw and linger of flavor through the finish.” 

It was fulfilling to hear Erin’s thoughts on a wine from the library, a special 2012 Gruner Veltliner which was one of the first we ever produced. 13 years on from its harvest Erin described this as a “gorgeous wine, one that is complex and textural, complete and exciting. It's super.” (94 points).

A full overview of the reviews can be found below:

2023 Blank Canvas Tano Chardonnay

95 POINTS - ‘The 2023 Tano Chardonnay is the fortunate recipient of a very large barrel. The fruit from Anandale Farm in Blind River was handpicked and whole-bunch pressed, with full solids going into the large cuve/botte, and it spent 15 months on the lees. The fruit for the 2025 Tano is being picked tomorrow morning as I write this, and Sophie Thomson-Parker is telling me that they expect the fruit to be at around 22° Brix, and 10–12 grams of total acidity. The wine in front of me is very fine, tightly coiled and floral, with musky notes of hazelnuts and ocean brine, dried coriander and wet stone. This gorgeous wine is triumphant. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’

2023 Blank Canvas Abstract Sauvignon Blanc

94 POINTS - ‘The 2023 Abstract Sauvignon Blanc is from three rows in the Holdaway vineyard, and this three-row section is, and always has been, unirrigated. The wine is creamy, nutty and detailed, with a chalky texture, a floral nuance within and layers of mustard seed, fennel, cassis and lavender. This is a beautiful, thoughtful wine. The fruit is handpicked and whole-bunch pressed, and the free-run juice is sent straight to puncheons without being settled first. The fermentation initiates and goes through with indigenous yeast, then the wine is settled and not stirred and goes to bottle unfiltered. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’

2024 Blank Canvas Holdaway Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 

94 POINTS - ‘The 2024 Holdaway Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc hails from Dillons Point in the Lower Wairau, on the shores of the Cook Strait. The wine is chalky and mineral and more than a little bit salty, with fresh coriander, crushed oyster shell, lemon oil, verbena and wet stone. The fruit is fleshy, but the wine retains a core of tension and freshness. I love the draw and linger of flavor through the finish. While the aim of the game here is to minimize the impact of bittering phenolics, the wine is in possession of tremendous texture. It had a cool, long, ferment, and the juice was stirred to keep the lees in suspension; now they are settling to introduce textural interest. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’

2021 Blank Canvas Anthem Pinot Noir

94 POINTS - ‘The 2021 Anthem Pinot Noir is from Gibbston. The wine is floral and perfumed on the nose, and the palate follows in a neat two-step formation. The fruit is capacious and ample, but it is held together by very fine tannins. This lingers and flows and feels both sappy and ductile. It's excellent. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’ 

2012 Blank Canvas Grüner Veltliner

94 POINTS - ‘I'm so glad to taste this wine today. The 2012 Grüner Veltliner is now 13 years from its harvest, and it's both fresh and savory, with mustard seed, orange peel, white pepper, layers of pressed flowers and caper-brine acidity. This is a gorgeous wine, one that is complex and textural, complete and exciting. It's super. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’ 

2024 Blank Canvas Anandale Farm Riesling

93 POINTS - ‘The 2024 Anandale Farm Riesling is from vines planted in the early 2000s and was one of the first vineyards planted in the Blind River area. The land is located south of the Awatere, separated from the valley by a fault-line ridge. It is the coldest, windiest and driest part of Marlborough, with annual rainfall down around 400 millimeters per annum. This 2024 Anandale Farm Riesling is high in natural acidity, at nine grams of total acidity, 30 grams of residual sugar and 9% alcohol. Aromatically, the wine leads with lemongrass and reed. On the palate, the acidity and the sugar are in harmonious concert, while there is a clothy, waxy texture through the finish. The fruit is handpicked, free-run only, and pressings are not employed. There were 550–600 liters per tonne in the press cut. The wine has crystal clarity and finesse, and despite the sweet softness of the residual sugar, the wine has austerity and rockiness à la the vineyard. This is very good! Sealed under screw cap.’

2023 Blank Canvas Grüner Veltliner

93 POINTS - ‘The 2023 Grüner Veltliner was the first wine made at Blank Canvas. The wine is textural and floral, with orange oil, lavender, wet stone and preserved lemon rind. The wine is structured and chalky, with a savory drift of phenolics through the middle palate, which draws out the fruit and exotic spice through the finish. I love the acidity here; it's coiled and floral. This is a lovely wine. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’ 

2020 Blank Canvas Una Volta Pinot Noir

93 POINTS - ‘The vineyard is in Bannockburn, in Central Otago, tended to by Sophie Thomson-Parker's father. The 2020 Una Volta Pinot Noir is fresh and fine, with spicy red fruit, graphite, pencil-lead oak, star anise and hints of pomegranate molasses. The tannins are chalky and lithe and good. The wine is silky and creamy, and I love the powdery tannins through the finish. The whole bunches (40%) are used to reduce the need for extraction and contribute to the texture. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’ 

2020 Blank Canvas Element Vineyard Syrah

91 POINTS - ‘The 2020 Element Vineyard Syrah has a component of co-fermented Grüner Veltliner skins in the ferment—the timing has to work in order for the wine to come together. The wine is made every year, but the addition/inclusion of Grüner depends on the timing of the vintage. The wine includes 60% whole bunches in the ferment, and the wine spends 18 months with 35% new French oak (low toast). This is in possession of the definitive black tannins of the Gravels, which is good because the style of the wine and the Gruner addition/inclusion serves only to add, not disguise. There is black cherry, pomegranate molasses, green peppercorns, bay leaf, fresh grated cinnamon and hung deli meat. It's very smart. The natural acidity through the finish leaves a floral uptick of energy, which I like. It's fresh. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.’ 

The Wine Advocate (TWA) Rating System:

96 -100:
An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.

90 -95:
An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.