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After the previous season’s small yields, perfect flowering in the spring of 2024 meant potentially above average yields for the 2025 vintage. However, we always reduce our cropping levels to maximise flavours and concentration. Coupled with good summer weather this astute crop reduction meant these grapes ripened perfectly and free of any disease pressure resulting in this high-quality wine.
The grapes for this wine came from specially selected rows on our Jacksons Road vineyard, with a mix of some 35yo vines still on their own roots, some recently replanted younger vines and a third block with classical ripe Rapaura characteristics. They were picked in two batches to ensure optimum ripeness on 30 March and 6 April 2025. The grapes were harvested in the cool of the night, and this wine was mostly fermented and handled in stainless steel with a small portion in aged oak to add complexity. It was retained on lees for a short period to gain even more complexity before being bottled on 27 August 2025.
Delicate pale straw in colour, this wine has a classically varietal nose of fresh cut grass, capsicum and tomato leaf, with floral, orange blossom, herbal, basil and citrus characters. As the nose broadens it reveals ripe tropical flavours of mango, stone-fruits and honey dew melon, with a hint of boxwood. It is rich and concentrated, medium bodied with mouth-filling viscosity and beguiling hints of lemon and mandarin citrus, feijoa and nectarine. This is a refined wine, attractively dry to the taste with perfectly poised, tingly, crisp acidity and a lovely textural element. It has a long, lingering, elegant and satisfying finish. It will continue to develop and gain even greater complexity and should offer pleasure for several years.
Technical notes
Alcohol: 13.10%, Acidity: 5.8, PH: 3.28, Residual Sugar: 1.4 g/l.
Reviews
It's fabulously expressed on the nose, showing notes of kiwifruit, green rockmelon, lime peel, and jasmine, leading to a robust palate that's succulent and lingering. Wonderfully structured by bright acidity, making it refreshing and highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2028. ***** 94/100
Sam Kim. Wine Orbit September 2025
Priced right, the 2025 vintage (****) is a single-vineyard wine, grown at Rapaura, in the Wairau Valley. Light lemon/green, it is full-bodied and lively, with very good depth of fresh, ripe passionfruit, melon and green capsicum flavours, and a finely balanced, dry, lingering finish. ****
Michael Cooper. November 2025
Bright, fresh nose, all the gooseberry, cut grass and nettle, you could ask for, fragant, hinting at exotic fruits (perhaps rock melon). Lovely texture, fine, mouthfilling, the palate echoing the nose, a little touch of fruit jelly reminding you of the ripe fruits, closing with citrussy lift keeping this fresh to the end. Very nice carry and length. Lots to enjoy. Excellent.
Mark Henderson. ODT. January 2026
What a vivacious and likeable Sauvignon this is, with only 1.4g/l of residual sugar. The nose is brimming with mango and nectarine, grapefruit and passion fruit, just a well-judged herbaceous stripe adding cut. Juicy, fruity and so well balanced in the mouth, this has masses of verve and lip-smacking appeal thanks to the ripe fruit and luminous acidity. 91/100
Tom Cannavan. Wine-pages.com July 2026