Mud House has won Gold at the 2016 Marlborough Wine Show for its 2015 Mud House Single Vineyard ‘Woolshed’ Sauvignon Blanc.
Currently, in its sixth year, the show showcases the region’s extensive range of wines and demonstrating the significant sub-regional and style diversity of Marlborough and its grape varieties.
With nearly 550 entries for the 2016 show, the competition has grown year on year.
The 2015 Woolshed Sauvignon Blanc stood up strongly against 36 other wines in its class, six of which were entered alongside it in the Southern Valleys sub-class.
The Woolshed Vineyard, named after the vineyard’s sheep farm history, is located to the west of Blenheim in the Upper Wairau Valley, in amongst the shelter of a steep-sided glacial formed triangular hill called the ‘Delta’. The first vines were planted in 2001 with the first harvest in 2003, and this feature of the Delta protects the vineyard from the frosts in spring while the different aspects of the slope produce fruit, which makes for exciting blending options.
The wine boasts characteristics of nettles, tomato leaf, and pert citrus notes, married with the tropical aromas of melon and guava and proved to be a favourite for the judges, including this year’s international judges Ralph Kyte-Powell and Mike DeGaris.
Mud House winemaker Cleighten Cornelius was thrilled with the result, as the 2015 Woolshed Sauvignon Blanc ripened beautifully during this hot sunny season where viticultural techniques were very important.
“This combination created a wine showing elegance, line, and length, built around juicy acid structure and a tell-tale textural minerality. This is a Sauvignon with persistence, succulence, and harmony,” said Cornelius.
