The best

• red wine
• white wine
• champagne
• rosé
• whisky
• spirits
• beer

deals in Australia

Lively organic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from an excellent new producer.

Founded by Steve Planthaber, originally from Adelaide but post school left for the South Island of New Zealand. A move to Marlborough with his partner Kirsty Sutherland cemented his love for all things wine. Hard not to be inspired when meeting the Sutherland’s who were one of the pioneers of viticulture in the region, part of the original success of Cloudy Bay followed by establishing their own estate Dog Point. Steve was keen to find his own path and after 12 years running the production and operations at Cloudy Bay decided to begin his own wine brand, Settlement. Settlement, named after the stunning Amphitheatre single vineyard site in the Omaka Valley, is dedicated entirely to the production of organic, old vine single vineyard expressions of very special sites in Marlborough. Poplars vineyard is further south in the Brancott Valley, just next to the famous Section 94 vineyard. Named after trees surrounding the site the vines were planted in 1992, Mendoza clone (now 28 years old). Alluvium soils over a clay subsoil as opposed to the river rock/silt of the Wairau valley floor. Hand-picked, racked of solids, wild ferment in barrel, then elevage for 12 months, 15% new.

Expressive aromas of feijoa, lemon zest and elderflower fuse beautifully with a palate featuring a mouth-watering fresh acidity and lime and green apple flavours.

The 2022 season was not without challenges with significant rain events leading into harvest. Careful fruit selection was required from two sections of organically grown vines around the winery (90%) and Andalane vineyard further down Conder Bend Road a mere 500m from the estate. Soils here are of the old riverbed type with fist sized stones composed of greywacke (a hard, dark type of sandstone streaked with quartz and feldspar), mixed alluvial gravels and silt. Consequently, vine canopies lack vigour, the fruiting zone is more exposed to the elements and yields are naturally lower. These factors produce an atypical style of Sauvignon Blanc.

Aromatics are reminiscent of mandarin pith, wet stone and bees wax. Vibrant, intense, focused palate with orange, and stone fruit flavours held together by good line of juicy acidity and elegant texture.