Goldwater has been a household name with Majestic customers for years. So when we heard the grape-growing conditions were excellent for 2022, we couldn’t wait to get it back onto our shelves for you.
But what makes it such an exciting return? Here’s everything you need to know about this ever-popular producer.
Founded in 1978, Goldwater is among the oldest wine producers in New Zealand. For more than four decades, their talented viticultural and winemaking team has worked diligently to create wines that mirror the character and personality of their unique coastal region.
Stu Marfell entered the wine trade when he took part in his first harvest aged only eight years old. Several decades later, he’s now chief winemaker at Goldwater. He’s known as a pioneer across the entire industry, producing wines that uphold Marlborough’s fantastic reputation.
Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc is considered by many as a benchmark Marlborough Sauvignon. Sourced purely from Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, it has the perfect balance of aromatic intensity and freshness that all Marlborough winemakers strive for.
The team goes to extra lengths in order to preserve the grapes’ bright, zesty character. Harvesting is carried out during the cool early morning hours, which helps retain the grapes’ mouthwatering acidity. And in the winery, the juice is fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks, keeping the flavours crisp and vibrant.
The wine also spends five months ageing on its spent yeast cells, known as lees, making it wonderfully textured and complex. It’s these small differences that really makes Goldwater stand apart from the norm.
Marlborough is known globally for its exceptional Sauvignon Blanc wines. And just like many other iconic winemaking spots around the world, it has subregions, with each one varying in climate, soils and terroir. Goldwater’s home is in the Wairau Valley. Sauvignon wines here tend to be intensely aromatic with bold tropical flavours and lively acidity.
Telltale signs of having a Wairau Valley Sauvignon in your glass include notes of pineapple, passionfruit and zesty citrus. The region’s combination of warm days and cool nights has a balancing effect on flourishing grapes, which enhances the expression of these fruity and fresh characteristics.
The good news is that after a long wait, the newest vintage of Goldwater has finally arrived. In the Southern Hemisphere, wineries start their harvest between February and April, so the 2022 vintage is already on our shelves.
Because there wasn’t a vintage produced in 2021, it means that even more care and attention has been put towards this recent bottling – which only adds to the excitement.
2021 was a tricky year for Marlborough, and as a result Goldwater didn’t produce a single bottle of wine that year. But 2022 was a different story altogether for the iconic producer.
A good wine vintage results from a combination of favourable weather conditions during the growing season: the right amount of sunlight, optimum temperatures and rainfall levels all contribute to well-ripened grapes with balanced sugar levels, acidity, and phenolic compounds – and this was exactly what happened in 2022.
Goldwater’s 2022 Sauvignon Blanc has fresh notes of freshly squeezed lemon, grapefruit, guava and a hint of salty sea air. Partner its crisp flavours with fresh white-fish dishes for an unforgettable experience.
Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc 2023/24, Wairau Valley
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