Here's something to celebrate. Our 2018 Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc made the Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2019 list! We are thrilled to be included on this list and proudly represent New Zealand and North Canterbury.

90 POINTS
 
2018 Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc

"Offers an appealing core of intense, lush flavors of ripe melon and peach, with details of white pepper, honeysuckle and ruby grapefruit lingering on the finish. Impressive for the intensity and focus. Drink now."
- MaryAnn Worobiec 

About the Top 100:
Each year, Wine Spectator's editors survey the wines reviewed over the previous 12 months and select their Top 100, based on quality, value, availability and excitement. This annual list honors successful wineries, regions and vintages around the world. Our 2018 Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc made the list and is one of two wines featured from New Zealand and the only producer from North Canterbury! View article: https://top100.winespectator.com/lists/

By Michael Cooper, Noted 

Here is Michael Cooper’s pick of full-bodied reds and whites for cool weather drinking. Mt. Beautiful's 2017 Pinot Noir is proud to represent the only red wine producer from North Canterbury on his list! 

"Fresh, light white wines and rosés taste great in summer’s heat, but when the weather cools, full-bodied, richly flavoured styles taste better and better. Weighty, complex white wines, especially chardonnays, but also sturdier styles of pinot gris and oak-aged sauvignon blancs, really hit the spot. Pinot noir is popular year-round, but in summer, more powerful reds can taste too heavy. During the depths of winter, however, when hearty, rich food is in demand, flavour-crammed reds can be the perfect partner.

Michael's review: 
This is a classy young red, worth cellaring. Estate-grown at Cheviot, it is deep ruby, fragrant and full-bodied, with plummy, gently spicy and herbal flavours, concentrated, complex and savoury."

The votes are in! Of 100s of Chardonnays tasted on dish Magazine's tasting panel, our 2017 Mt. Beautiful Chardonnay was selected as one of 12 favorites and was awarded a Silver Medal, 4 Star rating. 

Here's their review: 
“This Cheviot based vineyard is really hitting its chardonnay chops now that the vines are getting a little older. "I love the creamy aromatics and complxity of this wine," noted Yvonne, while Colin was captured by the lemon blossom nose and the elegance and restraint shown on the palate weight."

MaryAnn Worobiec, Senior Editor for Wine Spectator Magazine recently reviewed our 2018 Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc and we love what she has to say about it.

90 Points

2018 Mt. Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc  
“Offers an appealing core of intense, lush flavors of ripe melon and peach, with details of white pepper, honeysuckle and ruby grapefruit lingering on the finish. Impressive for the intensity and focus.

New Wave New Zealand Wine

By Rose Murray Brown MW Published in The Scotsman
13 July 2019

"It’s just 46 years since the first Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc was planted. Since then it has propelled New Zealand to world ranking – with 23,500 hectares out of the country’s 38,000 hectares now devoted to this grape – but it is not the only white grape success story here.
Hawkes Bay region New Zealand wine Wine drinkers often remain unaware of New Zealand’s broad portfolio of white grapes – which show a similar precision, brightness and just as much vivid fruit flavour and pungency as their Sauvignon Blancs. In my opinion by far the most impressive of the white grapes here is Chardonnay, closely followed by the classic aromatic grapes: Pinot Gris (now the 4th most planted grape), Viognier, Riesling and Gewurztraminer.

New Zealand has strict laws about introducing new grapes. It is very expensive to get vines into the country and it usually takes about 10 years for the process, the new plantings then need 3 years before bearing fruit and further time to mature into their new surroundings. So it is early days, but we are starting to see an influx of exciting newcomers like Iberia’s Albarino grape, Italy’s Arneis and Austria’s Gruner Veltliner showing potential in New Zealand’s cool maritime climate.

RIESLING
Planted in New Zealand in 1800’s, but only since the 1980’s has racy aromatic Riesling shown real potential. No surprises that this cool climate grape thrives best in sunny days, cool nights and long dry autumns of South Island – it excels in north Canterbury region.

North Canterbury: MOUNT BEAUTIFUL RIESLING 2016 ***STAR VALUE***
Oddly for a New Zealand estate, Mount Beautiful released Riesling as their first wine. Loved this off-dry, low alcohol example with its floral and lime notes, crisp green apple, honeysuckle and citrus flavours, vivid acidity and gentle sweetness; a perfect match with Thai fishcakes."