Subregion: Central Wairau
Region: Marlborough 
Vintage: 2023
Soil Type: Complex alluvial gravels over clay 
Viticulture: Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Certified (SWNZ)  

Appellation Marlborough Wine Certified.

Winemaker's Notes: 

Full-bodied richness, brilliant orange citrus, white pepper aromatics and a savoury, textural palate exemplify this our Marlborough Gruner Veltliner. With the variety originally hailing from Austria, we feel our rendition takes on the best of European structure and New Zealand fruit opulence. The fruit was hand-picked from two vineyards in the Central Wairau subregion, gently pressed and fermented in both stainless steel and 500L French oak puncheons. It spent 10 months maturing on fine lees which has given increased texture and complexity. We like to call it G.V. or Gruner - you can call it anything you like! 

Reviews: 

2017 Vintage: 

17 Points - "Mid greeny gold. This reminds me very much of some of the best, mature Austrian Grüners. There's a rich, broad, spicy oily/cedary aroma, a slight toasty note (of maturity rather than barrel) and still some lime-fruit freshness. On the palate, that same cedary/toasty quality and a rich, almost honeyed fruit depth on the palate, some dried lemon peel, even though it is bone dry. The crisp acidity is masked by all these tertiary notes. Smells, metaphorically, of golden spice. Gently chewy texture, still perfectly balanced as it continues to age gracefully. Long, powerful finish. Really does show the potential for this style of Grüner in New Zealand – but it needs bottle age. (JH)" Julia Harding MW | JancisRobinson.com April 2024

5 STARS ***** - "Currently on sale and drinking superbly, the 2017 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard wine, grown at Blind River. Hand-picked, it was fermented and matured on its yeast lees for 11 months in tanks and seasoned French oak puncheons. Full of personality, it is a bright yellow/green, invitingly aromatic wine, with deep, vigorous, peachy, slightly toasty flavours, bottle-aged complexity, good acid spine and a long, dry finish. Ready; no rush." Michael Cooper, October 2022.

92 Points "This starting to mature 2017 Gruner Veltliner McKee Vineyard is ripe, rich and structured, having ben puncheon and barrel-aged over nine months on lees, rounding out its edges. It has fruit ripeness alongside Gruner’s white pepper/radish-like zest and I could even make mention of celery. It’s starting to drink well now, showing development, but its structural components make it eligible for holding up to a decade. I can see this working well in fine dining with its almost red wine-like grip and savory aspects.” Rebecca Gibb, Vinous, April 2023

93 Points - Excellent "Varietal with a gentle herbaceous quality transitioning into ripe white fleshed fruits of apple and lemon, a touch of pineapple then a light white vegetable quality. Crisp, taut, fruity, refreshing and dry with complexity from bottle development and a whisper of toastiness, there is plenty to admire, but this wine is also young with acidity and energy as well. As the wine becomes more ambient the flavours and textures grow and develop. A thoroughly interesting example, balanced and well  made. Best drinking from today and through 2029." Cameron Douglas MS

93 Points - "Fleshy, full-bodied wine with classic citrus/mandarin, orange blossom and subtle spicy flavours supported by a backbone of gentle acidity that leads to a mellow finish. Single vineyard wine from the coastal Blind River sub-region." 15/9/2022 Bob Campbell MW - The Real Review

92 Points - top equal scoring NZ Gruner Veltliner - "The nose shows just the bit of age with lovely aromas of baked pears, wet stone, beeswax and dried herbs. Medium-bodied with mineral notes playing against the slowly maturing fruit. Silky texture. Fresh acidity keeps things lively. Nicely done. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap." JamesSuckling.com September 2022

Blank Canvas Gruner Veltliner 2015 

95 Points – “Weighty, richly-textured grüner that was fermented in oak puncheons and aged on the lees for 10 months. Mandarin, orange zest, root ginger and nutty lees. One of the best local examples I've tasted." 16/7/2018 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Best Buy Under $30 - 'From a two-hectare vineyard on free-draining alluvial soils in Rapaura. This is one of the best local examples I've tasted to date. It's a weighty, richly textured wine with mandarin, orange zest, root ginger and nutty lees flavours. Fermentation in oak puncheons and maturation on the yeast lees for 10 months has given the wine extra weight and complexity.' Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine | Dec/Jan 2019 

5 STARS ***** “Currently on sale and drinking well, the 2015 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard wine, grown at Rapaura. Hand-picked, it was partly handled in tanks, but 60 per cent of the blend was fermented in French oak puncheons (20 per cent new). Bright, light lemon/green, it is highly fragrant, with substantial body and strong, peachy, slightly spicy, vaguely toasty flavours, complex, dry (2 grams/litre residual sugar), rounded and long.” Michael Cooper, Buyer’s Guide 2019. 

17 Points "Very bright colour. Light nose but correct, bright-fruited palate. Firm, structured palate. Then long. Not much pepper but a nice drink. Not that varietal. Real structure." Jancis Robinson MW, Feb 2023

Best New/Minor Varieties, Top Wine Awards, Taste Magazine, Autumn 2019

17 Points "Pale gold. Ripe, golden aroma of yellow fruit and spicy orange pith. Definitely reminds me on the nose of an aged Wachau wine. Full in the mouth without loss of freshness, complex, developed yellow fruit flavours with a tiny hint of toast and hazelnut. Doesn’t have quite the intensity of the Wachau but this is a very impressive wine and even better than the 2013." Julia Harding MW | JancisRobinson.com 27/01/22

92 Points - "Really lovely bouquet of Gruner with aroma suggestions of pineapple and apple, sweet Meyer lemon and white flowers, a light white spice fragrance emerges as does a gentle dried herb note, all well integrated. On the palate - a medley of flavours and textures, harmonious, balanced and ready. Acidity contrast the fruit as well as keeping the palate light and refreshed, the non-fruit attributes show off the variety with classic white pepper and radish - all leading to a lengthy dry finish. Balanced and well made, ready. Best drinking from today and through 2022." Cameron Douglas MS, 12/12/19

90 Points "This has a rich, developed feel with round peaches and mangoes, delivered in a textural, full-ish style with some grilled-banana notes to close. Drink now. Screw cap." Nick Stock - JamesSuckling.com 16/10/19 

View Tasting Notes - 2023 | 2017 | 2015 | 2013