Hunter’s is a small owned estate, situated in the Wairau River Valley, Marlborough. Jane Hunter OBE is a highly trained viticulturist and together with the talents of her winemaker (and nephew) James MacDonald, Hunter’s wines have achieved an enviable reputation for producing some of the world’s finest Sauvignon Blancs.
All the vineyards at Hunter’s are certified sustainable, ensuring the methods being used are the safest possible for the environment, protecting the people that work and live within and around the vineyard and ultimately anyone who enjoys the wine.
The area produces grapes with a complex, developed and intense varietal flavour – a hallmark of the Wairau River Valley. With over 80 gold medals awarded in competitions, both nationally and internationally, the Hunter’s range is of exceptional calibre.
James MacDonald is meticulous in his winemaking approach, creating a unique style based on the intense and very pure fruit characteristics typical of the region’s wines. Hunter’s create quality wines that never cease to inspire.
The grapes are picked at optimum fruit ripeness to obtain delicate fruit flavours and particular attention was placed on a good acid/sugar balance of the fruit. The wine is treated by traditional methods, i.e. no sulphur was added so subtle oxidation occurred (the reverse of methods used for treating our table wines) yet one can still pick out the strong Marlborough fruit characters.
The fruit is then gently pressed with low litres per tonne extraction. The resultant juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks before undergoing full malolactic fermentation. The Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier parcels are kept separate, blending just before tirage. This Non-Vintage Méthode Traditionelle spends 12-18 months on lees.
The nose exhibits light yeasty characters with peach and citrus aromas. An elegant palate showing a blend of peach/citrus chardonnay components followed by the light berry fruits of the pinot noir. The mouth filling mousse completes the palate that is full and persistent.
Try with blinis topped with a touch of Crème fraîche, smoked salmon, sea salt, dill, cheese straws or prawn cocktail crisps
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