Opened a bottle of the Moncellier Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 for a taste and what a lovely wine – All the fruit for this was sourced from and grown sustainably in the Awatere Valley which is currently producing some of the best Sauvignon Blanc coming out of the Marlborough region.

This wine was bright green-gold in the glass with fresh grassy and tropical notes in the nose – on first taste there was an initial sweetness on the front palate, green pea / asparagus coming in later, then a burst of fresh citrus and mineral elements, leading into a long succulent mouthwatering finish. Glenys and I both thought this a quite an elegant savvy with great balance and perhaps would soften and integrate with a little more aging.
Alcohol: 13% Residual Sugar: 2.3gms – 87.5 /100

The next wine from Moncellier is their 2011 Pinot Gris also from Marlborough but grown meticulously by the Ellin family in the Wairau Valley and delivered to the winery in fantastic condition thus contributing to a very fine wine indeed.

In the glass bright, pale almost onion-skin colour, in the nose there was stone fruit, peaches and a sweet honey note, while on the palate again stone fruit, pears matched with lively acidity – a medium weight, mouth filling wine with ripe fruit, great structure and a very persistent finish.
Alcohol: 13.5% Residual Sugar: 5.1gms – 88/100

Moncellier also produce a Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 which I have yet to taste and review.
To find out more about these wines and about Moncellier visit their website.