Whites the stand-out for Saint Clair at 2024 Marlborough Wine Show

Whites the stand-out for Saint Clair at 2024 Marlborough Wine Show

Saint Clair Whites were a stand out at the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, where they picked up trophies for both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Their Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2023 was crowned Bragato Research Institute Champion Chardonnay, Current Vintage, while their Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2023 picked up the WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc 2023 & Older trophy.
Following the celebration long-lunch, Senior Winemaker Stewart Maclennan shared a little about the wines and how they strive to achieve excellence in every bottle…

Saint Clair picked up two trophies at the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, and is a consistent performer at these awards. Why is this an important event for Saint Clair and can you tell us about striving for excellence as a region - is this something your team aims for?

The Marlborough Wine Show is always a priority for Saint Clair Family Estate. Supporting our local community is central to our mission, and this competition plays a vital role in promoting both Saint Clair Family Estate and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, aligning perfectly with our goals. The judging panel features numerous credited judges recognised for their expertise in identifying high-quality wines. The consistent recognition we’ve received over the years is a testament to both the competition’s consistent judging process and the region’s commitment to producing standout wines, including Sauvignon Blanc.

What do you think makes the Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2023 a stand-out?

The 2023 Omaka Reserve Chardonnay was produced in a year of outstanding quality for our Chardonnay clones. While the wine is still young, it already displays an array of complex flavours. We used 16% new American oak in this vintage, providing a subtly bolder character compared to other Chardonnays in the Saint Clair portfolio. The winemakers take great care in selecting the finest fruit for our reserve range, using a detailed grading system that starts in the vineyard and continues through to barrel selection and blending.

Sauvignon Blanc was the variety of the show for 2024. Can you tell us what makes this 2023 vintage so special? What does it tell us about the ageability of good Sauvignon Blanc?

We are proud of what the 2023 Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc has achieved this year. Being awarded five gold medals, it is considered one of the most highly awarded Sauvignon Blancs in Marlborough currently. 

Each vintage we focus on achieving excellence and consistency with all our wines. The 2023 vintage reflects the unique Dillons Point terroir, showcasing a balanced blend of tropical and green flavours, along with the crisp minerality and robust ageability that the subregion is renowned for. This ongoing commitment to quality and expression has been recognised through the numerous awards for the Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc since the early 2000s.  46 Trophies and 163 gold medals since 2000 (including 5-star ratings).

Tell us about your Reserve Range - what goes into making these wines of such quality and what do you aim to showcase through the range?

Our goal with the Saint Clair Reserve range is to highlight the unique characteristics of the different subregions within Marlborough. We focus on selecting the finest fruit from specific rows to ensure we’re sourcing the highest quality for our wines. With years of experience, the Saint Clair team is dedicated to growing the right varietals in the right locations—harvesting Pinot Noir from the Southern Valleys, where the soil is compact and clay rich, and Sauvignon Blanc from Dillon’s Point which is free draining and fertile. Over the years, we have learned and adapted through our trials in these subregions, and we embrace the ever-changing challenges they present.

About the sponsors.

Both of these trophy sponsors are key players in the Marlborough wine industry. Get to know them a little better below.

Bragato Research Institute (Champion Chardonnay Current Vintage trophy):

Based here in Marlborough and with a grapevine improvement lab in Canterbury, Bragato Research Institute leads quality research and innovation that enables the New Zealand wine industry to thrive. From blue sky research to the practical application of science in our vineyards and wineries, BRI is a wholly owned subsidiary of New Zealand Winegrowers, the national body for growers and wineries.

WineWorks (Champion Sauvignon Blanc 2023 & older trophy):

WineWorks offers wine bottling and warehousing services to New Zealand wineries. A key part of their strategy is to provide right-sized capacity to the industry, allowing their clients to easily scale up production, and thus to help drive their economies of scale.  With hubs here in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland, they offer wine transport, bottling, packaging, laboratory, warehousing & distribution, online services and certifications.