STARBOROUGH SONS OF THE SOIL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025

Long-time Marlborough farmers, the Jones family have three vineyards from which they source fruit for their Starborough label, as well as growing fruit for other notable labels. With Two Rivers winemaker Dave Clouston making the wines, they seem to be on a winning formula, having picked up multiple Gold Medals for previous vintages. It's vibrant and intense, full of lush tropical fruits with underlying herbs and a streak of salinity. Starborough could well be the Star Sauvignon of the vintage.

Winery notes (2025 Vintage)
"A refreshing wine bursting with aromas of pungent passionfruit and tropical fruits with fresh herb and lime notes. The bright pristine palate is filled with juicy, powerful passionfruit and tropical fruit flavours. This is a concentrated rich wine finishing long with fresh mouthwatering acidity."

5 Stars & 94/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, August 2025 (2025 Vintage)
"Pristine and splendidly aromatic, the bouquet shows crunchy apple, kiwifruit, lemon peel, and herbaceous characters, followed by a gorgeously flavoursome palate filled with bright fruit intensity, finishing long and delectable. At its best: now to 2028."

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, November 2025 (2025 Vintage)
"Satin smooth with a contrasting squeeze of acidity sending flavours of lemon and lime, white peach and sage throughout the palate. New, vibrant, fruity, balanced and well made with best drinking from 2025 through 2027. As the wine opens out in glass the flavours of citrus and white fleshed orchard fruit get louder, the flavours of green herb and tropical fruits also step forward with their story. A wine ready for drinking alongside fresh food."

5 Stars & 18.5/20 (93) Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, November 2025 (2025 Vintage)
"Bright, even, pale yellow with a light green hue. The nose is full, packed with aromas of guava, blackcurrant, nettle and lime. Medium-bodied, aromas of lime, guava and blackcurrant have a taut core, entwined with nettle and citrus zest. The fruit shows good concentration and depth of flavour, supported by invigorating acidity, and flows effortlessly on a fine, silky palate, lending a lasting finish. Match with steamed mussels and pan-seared sole over the next 3 years. Fruit from Awatere Valley, fermented to 13% alc."