This year marks the 30th anniversary of our first vintage of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, a landmark celebration for us and for the New Zealand wine industry. In recognition of this milestone, on March 6 2009 we held an anniversary event that saw the New Zealand Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. John Key, unveil a spectacular 5-metre high monument and plant a new Sauvignon Blanc vine at our Montana Brancott Vineyard in Marlborough.

Quoting Frank Yukich, founder of Montana (makers of Brancott wines), the permanent monument proudly bears the words; ‘Wines from here will become world famous’ – a claim likely to have seemed extravagant at the blessing of the original Marlborough vine plantings on 24 August 1973.  The subsequent success of our Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has since justified this lofty vision.

Chief Winemaker, Jeff Clarke, notes that when we began making Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, it was an unheard of variety from a little-known country – how things have changed. “It has been extraordinary to see how Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has evolved, from the earliest vintage, to what has arguably become the legendary New Zealand wine style.” Jeff Clarke, Chief Winemaker.