The 2024 Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) Annual Collection has been unveiled, celebrating the pinnacle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Now in its third year, the Collection provides wine enthusiasts an opportunity to explore a diverse array of styles, each shaped by the unique sub-regions and the winemaking expertise of Marlborough.
“AMW’s Annual Collection continues to recognise and celebrate world-class Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc,” says Michael Wentworth, CEO of AMW. “The 2024 Collection highlights our member’s dedication to quality, expression of our region’s unparalleled terroir, and to winemaking craft.”
This year’s collection was judged by an esteemed panel, including Stephen Wong MW, Elaine Chukan Brown (Wine Enthusiast), and Paul Stringer (Moore Wilson), bringing global expertise across education, media, on-trade, and retail sectors. “We are thrilled to have worked with such a distinguished group of judges,” says Mike.
The panel evaluated over 75 current vintage Sauvignon Blancs, selecting a top 12 that reflects the region’s unique vineyard sites and winemaking styles.
Chair of the judging panel, Stephen Wong MW, remarked: “2024 was a solar vintage with very expressive but also beautifully balanced fruit. The wines have breezy ease and effortless drinkability, even this early on. When making the selection, the judges found it hard to ignore the charming 2024 expression even if the standard of many 2023 wines in the ‘alternative’ category were impressive. From what we tasted, producers should be proud of how complex and sensitively handled many wines were.”
THE APPELLATION MARLBOROUGH WINE ANNUAL COLLECTION 2024:
• Ahi K? Blackmore Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Dillons Point, Lower Wairau Valley)
• Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Marlborough)
• Auntsfield Natures Path Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Ben Morven, Southern Valleys)
• Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Southern Valleys, Wairau Valley)
• Georges Michel Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Lower Wairau Valley)
• Huia Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Wairau Valley)
• Isabel Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Wairau Valley)
• Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Marlborough)
• Pretty Paddock Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Lower Wairau Valley)
• ROHE Blind River Sauvignon Blanc 2024 by Rapaura Springs (Blind River)
• Starborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Awatere Valley)
• Whitehaven ‘Block 11’ Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Rapaura, Central Wairau Valley)
Wines from the 2024 AMW Annual Collection are all current releases. Wine enthusiasts are encouraged to contact their preferred retailers or the wineries directly for availability.
ABOUT APPELLATION MARLBOROUGH WINE (AMW):
Appellation Marlborough Wine™ (AMW) was founded in 2018 to protect the integrity and reputation of Marlborough wines by ensuring they meet the highest standards of quality, provenance, and sustainability. Only wines that meet AMW’s stringent certification process carry the AMW mark, guaranteeing 100% Marlborough origin, certified sustainable vineyards, and exclusive bottling in New Zealand.
AMW certification assures consumers of the following:
• Origin: Wines are made exclusively from grapes grown in Marlborough’s defined viticultural areas.
• Authenticity: Wines are bottled only in New Zealand, preserving their pure Marlborough expression.
• Integrity: Wines meet rigorous quality standards and pass independent blind tastings to ensure they reflect Marlborough’s unique terroir and winemaking excellence.
• Sustainability: All vineyards are certified by recognized sustainable viticulture programs, supporting the long-term health of Marlborough’s environment and communities.
With over 55 members, including some of Marlborough’s most iconic producers, AMW represents a commitment to protecting and enhancing the region’s global reputation for producing world-class wines. Look for the AMW mark as a guarantee of authenticity and excellence.