Classic aromas and flavours of fresh citrus and crunchy apple, fine green herb qualities and a steely uplifting quality. Red apple and white spice, grapefruit and passionfruit, some mango and green papaya fold into the textures of acidity and some fine steely mineral qualities. Refreshing, balanced and well made with best drinking from 2024 through 2027.

92 points - Premium | Cameron Douglas, MS

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Fresh and immediately appealing, the inviting bouquet shows crunchy apple, green rockmelon, lime peel and fig characters, followed by a juicy palate offering fine flow and vibrant fruit intensity. It's mouth-watering and elegantly textured with a long, balanced finish. At its best: now to 2027.

91 points - Excellent | Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

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Marlborough pioneer David Hohnen joins forces with Marlborough Grape Grower's Co-operative for this Sauvignon, a blend of grapes from the Wairau, Waihopai, Omaka and Awatere valleys. Vibrant aromas of lemon and lime citrus with bright grassy notes. There's a mid-weight richness to the punchy palate, layered with juicy lime, green pepper and fresh lemon, focused with crisp acidity.

90 points | Julie Sheppard, Decanter

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This is called “Heartland” because of the part played in its creation by Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative – an 80-strong group of grower families from right across the region.

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The wine itself blends grapes from four different valleys in Marlborough to provide the traditional and original taste of that region’s sauvignon blanc.

What I like is its unambiguously citrus foundation in a restrained wrapper that brings us such appealing grapefruit, green apple flavours – and yet fresh pineapple constituents too.

 

Grassiness, lively lemon acidity and Loire-like mineral hints complete the picture to deliver exactly what, I guess, its architects intended.

Brian Elliott, Mid Week Wines

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Marlborough Heartland is the brainchild of David Hohnen, a wine industry legend and the visionary behind the renowned Cloudy Bay. This extraordinary Sauvignon Blanc pays homage to the pioneering days of winemaking in Marlborough, where farming families and winemakers collaborated to craft beautifully vibrant wines from the region’s distinctive soils. The result is a wine that captures the essence of Marlborough’s rich winemaking history while offering a contemporary twist that’s perfect for modern palates.

 

Pour a glass of Marlborough Heartland and you’ll be greeted by a symphony of ripe citrus and green tropical fruit notes. The wine’s aroma leaps from the glass with enticing hints of passionfruit and ripe papaya. On the palate, it’s refreshingly crisp, offering a delightful balance of flavours that linger in a long, inviting finish. Each sip is a journey, inviting you to experience the full range of its complex character.

Bounce

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100% Sauvignon Blanc and an Appellation Marlborough wine from New Zealand. A past favourite of mine. It’s dry and intense with the classic gooseberry and lime flavours, but with a twist, a slightly lingering finish that leans towards, unusually, apricot.

Simon Judge, Wine Drinker