Enjoy it now or cellar for a few more years. No need to decant before serving.

The Aotea Sauvignon Blanc begins with a blast of zingy fruits - scents of peach, passion fruit, gooseberry and fresh basil leaves intermingle with a site-specific hint of hops. The grapes were sourced from the estate-owned Queen Victoria Vineyard, in Motueka on New Zealand’s South Island. It is a region famous for hops, apple orchards, and kiwi fruits.

Aotea is the Seifried family’s premium quality range, where wines are crafted exclusively from the finest grapes. As we can see from the flavour and location of this wine, the family have a close affinity with apple orchards. Austrian-born Hermann Seifried made the move to New Zealand in the 1970s, in order to take up an apple wine-making job. Before long, he met his wife Agnes, and these days, the winemaking couple and their three children are all directly involved with the winery.

This Sauvignon Blanc is a great representation of a family working in perfect unison - it is pure and focused, with a beautifully intense palate. Flavours of citrus fruits, kiwi, apple, peach, and crushed basil emerge with every sip. It has a backbone of wiry acidity, bringing clarity and structure to the bottle. Consider pairing it with oysters, salads, or any dish served with a squeeze of fresh lemon.