Clifford Bay is a boutique winery founded by Eric and Beverley Bowers, and friends, in 1994 with the aim of producing only top quality wines. Their track record is extremely impressive as they have won gold medals with this wine every single year since it’s first vintage in 1997. Be careful when looking for this wine though – there is a mass produced wine from Villa Maria also called Clifford Bay (after a bay on the Bleinheim coast) so make sure you get the right one!

What’s it like?

Awatere Valley is a sub district of Marlborough which produces wines in a different style to Marlborough’s classic grassy gooseberry. They are far more mineral and flinty in style. This is a great example of this old world style of Sauvignon, clean and crisp with fresh mineral flavours. Lively acidity and good length. Have it with seafood. This vintage took the Trophy at New Zealand’s most prestigious wine show – the Royal Easter Show, as well as the International Wine Challenge Gold Medal and 5 Stars from Winestate magazine.

How much? Where from?

Surprisingly it’s not widely available in the UK, but then there is a glut of low end Marlborough Sauvignon currently flooding the market - although low end Marlborough is still pretty good by many other regions’ standards! However Clifford Bay Awetere Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 is available from www.goodwineonline.co.uk for the great value price of £11.75.