The Awatere Valley sits about a 40 minute drive south of Blenheim, the wine capital of Marlborough, on the northern tip of the south island. Over the last ten years it has really expanded as a wine-growing area both in terms of planting and reputation. In that time the value of land has jumped nearly fourfold and those growers such as Geoff and Diane Smith of Koura Bay who took a gamble when planting their vineyards in the mid-nineties are now sitting pretty. To a large extent the traditional sheep farming industry has been superseded by viticulture and many new wineries have recently followed the Smiths’ example and set up in the Awatere Valley.

Geoff and Diane have 21 hectares of vines, with the emphasis on Sauvignon Blanc, or Savvy as it’s known locally. As their vineyards have aged so their wines have improved and their 2005 Sauvignon is surely their best wine to date. Decanter magazine seem to have ratified that statement positioning it joint second in a huge tasting of Kiwi. Sauvignon. It shows all the classic New Zealand Sauvignon qualities one expects but with greater zip and extract than most examples. Concentrated, balanced with refreshing limey acidity, this works great as an aperitif or with dishes such as warmed langoustines with chile.