Sleek, clean, quintessentially Marlborough wine. It offers everything expected, nothing unwanted in a NZ sauv blanc, with a lemon sherbet element that sets it apart. Consistent, dependable, affordable sipper that should be enjoyed now. Widely available. $13-17
Brent Marris founded the winery in the early 1990s, with a first vintage in 1994. Lion Nathan purchased the enterprise in 2002 for $26 million (equivalent to almost $48 million U.S. dollars today). It was the third-highest price paid for a New Zealand winery at the time. As part of the transaction, Marris stayed on as winemaker for the next five years.
Matt Large is the winemaker at Wither Hills today. He aims at producing flavorful wines with a core of fruit flavors and sharp acidity. He emphasizes sustainability and vineyard health. In the cellar and overall winery operations Large implemented “lean manufacturing” to improve efficiency and consistency while focusing on people development and mentoring younger staff.
Large comes from a four-generation horticultural family. He planted sauvignon blanc in his backyard as a teenager, earned a science degree at Victoria University in Wellington. He worked vintages in France, California, Australia, and South Africa. He was head winemaker at Kim Crawford before joining Wither Hills. Large is considered a site-driven, practical winemaker rather than a manifesto-driven zealot. He says the best wines capture Marlborough’s character, reflecting their origin.
Wither Hills is named after the range of hills immediately behind the winery. Vineyards are sited throughout the Wairau Valley sub-region of Marlborough. The operation is one of Marlborough’s largest producers, having grown from 10,000 cases a year to today’s 200,000 cases. Wither Hills holds Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand certification.
Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2024: Pale straw color; lemon, lime zest, grapefruit, peach, nectarine, guava, lemongrass, gooseberry, some saline minerality on the nose and palate. 13.5% ABV
Dry; no tannin; sharp acidity. Light-plus body. Classic clean, bright, refreshing, easy-drinking Marlborough sauv blanc. This food-friendly, wallet-friendly effort is why New Zealand sauv blancs took the wine world by storm. While it does not earn a hallowed place in your cellar, this is a solid, hot-summer-day sipper, a pairing partner when you just want to pull a bottle and twist a cap without over-thinking this wine thing.
Pairing—Raw oysters, pan-seared snapper, and other white fish; Asian-style seafood dishes (citrus, ginger, herbs, light chili). Shellfish in general. Poultry cooked with herbs. Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes with lime and cilantro. Green salads with goat cheese; simple salads with herbs; vegetable dishes, spring vegetables. Cheese—Goat cheese; chèvre is benchmark classic; salty, crumbly feta; young brie, fontina, havarti (not too ripe); lightly aged cheddar, gouda.
