1. Original Awatere
Wines of extraordinary elegance, perfume, and texture from the first winery in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley.

2. Awatere Valley Pioneer
Founded in 1986, first to plant vines and first winery of the Awatere Valley, Marlborough’s smallest sub region
Distinctive Sauvignon Blancs with an oyster-shell minerality prized in Sancerres
196-acre estate and estate-bottled
Limited production and acclaimed
100% sustainably produced
Marlborough

3. History
The cockerel on the label is the Vavasour’s family crest dating to11th century Norman England
The Vavasours arrived in Marlborough in 1890
In 1986 Peter Vavasour had his pick of the valley when he decided to plant in the windy, distant landscape thought too extreme for wines
Intense layers of flavor in the earliest vintages declared a unique presence that earned international acclaim and continues to set the standard for Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blancs

4. The Awatere Valley
A smaller, cooler pocket of Marlborough pushed up out of the ocean by earthquakes and carved out by ancient glaciers.

5. Vineyards & Terroir
Tapuae-o-Uenuku mountain (elevation 9,465’) looms to the west feeding the relentless Awatere River on its path to the Pacific Ocean
The best parcels and the oldest vines in the Valley reward us with wines of extraordinary elegance, perfume and texture
Vines plunge their roots deep and wide in unforgiving Greywacke and impermeable Papa soils, building flavor, intensity, and minerality
The arid Awatere Valley forces vines to prioritize fruit over foliage, and quality over quantity
Persistent westerly winds mean lower yields and thicker skins, resulting in more structural, concentrated wines

6. Sustainability
All the estate vineyards and all winemaking and bottling facilities are SWNZ (Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand) certified
Integrated pest management: cover crops between rows attract parasitic wasps which attack light brown apple moths (leafroller caterpillar)
Regulated deficit irrigation methods provide vines the minimum required water for each stage of the growing season
Numerous shelter trees have been planted at the winery to help combat the prevailing winds, with two acres dedicated to native species

7. Stu Marfell
Born in the Awatere, Winemaker Stu Marfell grew up next door to the Vavasour vineyards, helping at the winery at nine years of age. Later he planted some of the vines that produce today’s award-winning wines. Chief winemaker since 2007, Stu brings a lifetime of Awatere Valley knowledge to bear in his winemaking approach, and was recognized as the Winemaker of the Show at the 2018 New Zealand International Wine Show.

8. 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Awatere Valley, Marlborough
Vavasour Home Vineyard
100% Sauvignon Blanc, stainless steel fermented
Fruit was harvested at night to preserve flavor and freshness. Careful canopy and yield management ensured great concentration and character. After pressing, the juice was cool-fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain the essence of the fruit.
Our 2018 Sauvignon Blanc offers a motherwatering blend of aromas – passionfruit, guava, elderfruit, black currant, and citrus. The flavor profile brings a concentrated mix of white peach and tropical fruit. Complex, intriguing layers finish with a lingering oystershell minerality.

9. Acclaim Grand Champion
v2017
Grand Champion
2018 Gold, New Zealand International Wine Show 2018 Gold, Marlborough Wine Show Stars, Bob Campbell Platinum Best in Show, 97 Points, Decanter World Wine Awards 92 Points, IWC 2018 Gold, Royal Easter Show 2018 Grand Champion, Oyster Riot
v2017

10. Original Awatere
A VALLEY AND A STYLE APART