
Marlborough is a wine producing region in New Zealand that has a rich history in winemaking. This famous region produces quality Sauvignon Blanc wines that give fruity tones that are characteristic of wines crafted in the region. Wine enthusiasts and experts say that wines crafted in the Marlborough region is considered high quality and have sparked the attention of the global wine industry. The region currently boasts of over 23,000 hectares of vines that are filled with beautiful lush grapes perfectly for winemaking. In the early 1960’s the region saw its very first export of wine, which was a decade before grapes were planted. Today, Malborough is the country’s largest producer of mines, totaling to 80 percent of the wines created in New Zealand. The area’s climate is the driest and the area that gets the most sun in New Zealand because it is situated in the east. The weather is slightly cool but it gives grapes the ability to ripe through a slow process. The climate gives the grapes the ability to stay fresh and cool, which benefits the taste and aromas of the wines created from the region. Marlborough typically has shallow soils that drain quickly, which gives the grapes a nice fruity aroma. These soils give wines crafted in the region a signature vitality.
Lexicon Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Lexicon varietal wines are carefully selected by Fran Kysela to show the essence of each variety, along with its terroir of origin, both of which are essential elements of a good wine.
Sauvignon Blanc, historically known for the great white wines of Bordeaux and Sancerre, is gaining popularity in New Zealand. Lexicon Sauvignon Blanc was produced from grapes grown in the renowned Marlborough region, on the northern end of the island. Marlborough is recognized for growing outstanding Sauvignon Blanc with mouthwatering fresh acidity, balanced by intense tropical fruit notes.
Tropical, zesty & citrusy. Hints of guava, passion fruit & gooseberries.
Rubus Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
The Rubus Project was created by Fran Kysela as a way to source & sell incredible wines at value prices. All wines in this international project are hand-selected by Fran Kysela. Rubus wines are fruit driven, true-to-type values that over deliver - a true representation of quality for the consumer at an excellent price.
Aromas of gooseberry, lemongrass, boxwood, fresh celery and bready notes on the nose. The palate is dry to taste with juicy gooseberry and citrus flavors forming a light, refreshing medium bodied wine with a tart yet soft lingering finish.
Grapes are gently pressed, settled and racked to fermentation. Juice is cool fermented in stainless steel tanks for 21 days and left on the lees for 2 months prior to blending, light fining, filtering and bottling.
The perfect accompaniment to vegetable or light seafood dishes or to enjoy before a meal.
Dark crimson in color, with deep garnet hues. A concentrated array of aromas of mulberry, blackberry and dark plum indicate the richness to come, while savory and complex notes of charcuterie, cedar, sage and five spice tease the senses. Plush and velvety on the palate, the wine has intense fruit concentration with plum, red currant, blackberry and anise flavors, yet an enchantingly elegant and refined structure. Layers of silky tannins reveal the impressive depth of the wine before giving way to an incredibly long finish.
Review:
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028.
-James Suckling 100 Points
Named after Joe Donelan’s mother, the Nancie Chardonnay is our take on cool-climate, timeless Chardonnay. We love the way Nancie captures the classic qualities of Chardonnay while also exhibiting the unique traits of the unusual sites we source from. This Chardonnay is an emphasis on Old Vines, dry farming, and California heritage clones and selections. Every vintage embodies elegance and class, but no vintage is the same. The assemblage changes every year, so Nancie does not have a recipe. This wine lets us sit shotgun while the cool climate and the terroir do all the navigating, and they never steer us wrong. It is truly an inimitable wine made from a blend of incredible fruit we farm throughout Sonoma County, from the Coast to the Sonoma/Napa border.
On the nose, the Nancie Chardonnay opens with nutmeg, ginger snap, and chai spice leading to high-tone fruit like red apple skin, orange blossom, orchard fruit, and green pineapple. Judicious acidity makes this a great candidate for pairing with food. It’s very fresh on the palate, engaging, and invigorating, and it has quite a finish for Chardonnay. This is a stand-out wine among its peers, with one foot in California, and one foot in the old world.
Nutmeg, ginger snap, chai spice, orange blossom, and red apple skin on the nose. Salinity, minerality, and wonderful acidity on the palate.
Review:
"Named after proprietor Joe Donelan’s mother, the Nancie Chardonnay is crafted from a blend of exceptional vineyard sites across Sonoma. Key sources include Farina Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain, the 45-year-old vines at Lazy W Ranch in the Russian River Valley, along with fruit from Allen Family Ranch and Dehlinger–Garbro Ranch. Winemaker David Milner notes that sites offering mineral tension and naturally high acidity are essential to shaping the blend. The wine is aged for 10 months in 24% new oak. In 2023, the aromatics are superb, with a freshness factor that feels almost unparalleled. Citrus notes and hints of underripe pineapple mingle with ginger spice, flinty minerality and a distinct sea-salt character. Medium-bodied and beautifully precise, the palate is driven by crystalline acidity and candied citrus peel fruit dusted with saline nuance. Citrus, orchard and stone fruit notes build toward an incredibly long, lingering finish, touched by subtle toffee spice. Distinctly saline, complex and expressive, this is a Chardonnay of clarity, energy and sheer deliciousness. - Jonathan CRISTALDI"
Decanter, 96 points