A zest for the extraordinary.
Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Enticing citrus notes and tropical flavours – youthful, elegant and fresh with a lingering, zesty finish.
The wine that started it all. The first Oyster Bay. Which happened to win the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Its brilliant clarity, extraordinary aromatic flavours and refreshing zest are both thrilling and enthralling. Flavours that are uniquely Marlborough, and undeniably Oyster Bay.
Vineyard Locations
The Marlborough region is famous for its vibrant Sauvignon Blanc; the varietal that introduced elegant cool climate New Zealand wines to the world. We’re proud to be at the heart of the region with two locations in Marlborough where we produce award-winning Sauvignon Blanc as well as other varietals in the Oyster Bay range.
Our Marlborough vineyard locations:
Wairau Valley and Awatere Valley, Marlborough
Click here to find out more about the Marlborough vineyards producing Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc.
Winemaking Techniques
Throughout harvest, fruit is selected from progressively later ripening vineyard blocks, commencing with the stonier free-draining sites. Upon receipt to the winery, the grapes are destemmed and transferred to the tank presses where the free-run juice is separated and the remaining fruit lightly pressed. The juice is then clarified to a clear state, racked into stainless steel fermentation tanks and then inoculated with a select range of yeasts for added complexity and aromaticity. A slow, temperature controlled fermentation is undertaken and after a short period of yeast lees contact, the wine is racked for final blending, then bottled young to ensure that the fresh, crisp and elegant varietal characters are retained.
Sauvignon Blanc Characteristics
Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc takes on the magical flavours of passion fruit, bright citrus and gooseberry, with a zesty finish.
"90 Points - A perfumed white with lots of gooseberry, fresh fennel and passionfruit flavours, as well as come sage and mint undertones. Light bodied and tangy with a crisp acidity and refreshing finish."
James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com, USA, December 2019
2019 Vintage
"This ticks all the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc boxes: cut grass, snow pea, nectarine and citrus, all bundled into a medium-bodied wine that comes across as dry, silky and refreshing.
"
Wine Enthusiast, USA, March 2017
2016 Vintage
"This medium-bodied wine has a pleasant, silky texture, understated graphite and citrus aromas and flavours, and a long, mouthwatering finish."
Wine Enthusiast, USA, March 2016
2015 Vintage
"90 Points - A zesty, mouth-watering New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with classic aromas of gooseberry, nettle and guava, with some herbal notes on the finish. Medium-bodied with terrific acidity for a wide range of dishes, from fresh seafood to spinach quiche."
Natalie MacLean, www.nataliemaclean.com, Canada, March 2015
2014 Vintage
"The latest vintage of one of Canada’s bestselling white wines. Crisp and elegant; a great kiwi buy. Pale, straw green in colour and highly aromatic, with lots of lively fruit characters. Concentrated lemon citrus, passion fruit and tropical fruit flavours, with a vibrant lingering finish. Great sipper, and excellent with oysters and fish."
Nick Lees, Edmonton Journal, Canada, March 2010
2009 Vintage
"A perennial favorite, this pale-straw coloured wine has concentrated aromas of citrus, gooseberry and tropical fruits. Tangy and refreshing, the aromas replay on the palate underlain with soft vegetal and mineral notes. Light-medium bodied, the flavours are very consistent delivering a bright long-lasting finish. It’s a wonderful match with sole, halibut or your favorite goat cheese recipe."
Susan Desjardins, www.winecurrent.com, March 2010
2009 Vintage
"The young New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are more lemon-lime grapefruit than green pepper. This is a particularly vibrant example. It tastes like very ripe grapes, filled with sunshine. Dottie immediately thought of oysters on the half-shell and added “Every seafood restaurant in the world should have this on the wine list."
Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, The Wall Street Journal, USA, December 2009
2009 Vintage
"New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a go-to summer wine, especially to pair with green vegetables. This balanced bottling ‚Äì a midpoint between the grassy, pungent style and a more fruit-driven approach holds it’s own with pricier wines."
Lynne Char Bennett, The San Francisco Chronicle, United States, June 2009
2009 Vintage
"Always a bit racy, with added complexity from tropical nuances. Classic gooseberry, lime juice and lemongrass aromas with a hint of guava. The flavours show citrus peel, with hints of grapefruit, mango and gooseberry. Zesty stuff. Food suggestion: Oysters rockefeller, shellfish."
Gord Stimmell, www.thestar.com, Canada, May 2009
2008 Vintage
"Plenty of grass, gooseberries and passion fruit on the nose and palate. Crisp and refreshing it would make a zesty aperitif or partner to warm king prawn salad."
Jonathan Ray, The Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom, April 2009
2008 Vintage
"There you go. Australia’s most popular white wine stood out in the blind tastings I conducted for this issue thanks to its perfumed, almost viognier-like floral lift and ripe, attractive gooseberry fruit flavours. Easy to see why it’s become such a hit."
Max Allen, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Australia, January 2009
2008 Vintage
"Fresh, fragrant and mixes biting tropical flavour with a grassy softness. It makes your mouth feel alive the moment it hits. It’s part of a NZ charge; sales of their sav blanc jumped a whopping 30 per cent last year. Top up, anyone"
Campbell Mattinson, Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Herald Sun, Australia, November 2008
2008 Vintage
"The legions of fans who have made Oyster Bay one of the leading Kiwi brands on the Australian market will be delighted with the latest release. It’s a genuine crowd-pleaser, a bold expression of Marlborough sauvignon boasting fresh passion fruit and tropical fruit flavours with hints of cut grass and citrus."
Paddy Kendler, Herald Sun, Australia, November 2008
2008 Vintage
"This wine from Marlborough in New Zealand seems obvious in its oyster-mating abilities. In fact, this latest vintage has green vegetal, herbal overtones that remind me of raw peas or even seaweed. Forward in personality, it’s crisp with lots of tangy herbaceous lime flavour. If you’re a timid eater of oysters, this is your salvation as it will blanket but not clash with their taste."
Margaret Swaine, National Post, Canada, March 2008
2007 Vintage
"If you want to taste the prototypical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, visit your local Vintages outlet and pick up a bottle of Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2007. The wine is quite pale in colour, but don’t be fooled by its pallor. It has an intense gooseberry, green leaf and asparagus nose that leaps out of the glass and grabs you by the… nostrils. I had it with blackened scallops and it was delicious or it’ll work well with goat’s cheese."
Tony Aspler, www.tonyaspler.com and 680 Radio News, Canada, January 2008
2007 Vintage
"If you want to buy branded wines, two countries’ products stand out: Chile and New Zealand. From NZ, is 2006 Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc which is a textbook Sauvignon Blanc."
Tim Atkin, The Observer, United Kingdom, August 2007
2006 Vintage
"Top Value from New Zealand. Bright and zingy, with lime, lime peel, green apple and a whiff of herbs as the tart finish sails on and on."
Wine Spectator, USA, November 2005
2005 Vintage
"Here comes another of those zany, zesty Sauv Blancs from the most famous winemaking area in Kiwiland. This attractively-priced Oyster Bay wine is loaded with lots of lively, penetrating fruit characters, a rich concentration of tropical and gooseberry flavors, and an abundant New Zealand bouquet. As these guys say: ‘Sometimes the world really is your oyster,’… and we believe em."
The Wine House, United States, December 2005
2005 Vintage
"91 Points - Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2004 ($19): …This is such a fabulously enjoyable drink. Packed to the gills with passionfruit and lychee flavours with wrings of lemon and lime keeping it tight, it is a drink I could tuck into all summer long. Drink now."
Campbell Mattinson, Winefront Monthly, Australia, July 2004
2004 Vintage
"90 Points - The Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004 from Marlborough, New Zealand (90 points $19) is a harbinger of much more to come from this region and may cause nervousness among Australian sauvignon winemakers who charge rather more for their wines. It has fragrant crystal-clear passionfruit and lemon blossom aromas, delicate but intense fruit flavours and excellent overall balance."
Natalie MacLean, www.nataliemaclean.com, Canada
2004 Vintage
"5 Stars"
A La Carte Magazine, Austria, November 2004
2004 Vintage
"5 Stars - This bright and bouncy young NZ dry white is a delightful expression of its grape variety with vibrant passionfruit, nectarine and lychee characters infused with fresh acidity. For serious dining, one might opt for a complex chardonnay but for casual meals, most Asian cuisines and all manner of seafoods, the Kiwis have the ideal wine: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Enjoy."
Paddy Kendler, Herald Sun, Australia, August 2004
2004 Vintage
"90 Points - The Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004 from Marlborough, New Zealand (90 points $19) is a harbinger of much more to come from this region and may cause nervousness among Australian sauvignon winemakers who charge rather more for their wines. It has fragrant crystal-clear passionfruit and lemon blossom aromas, delicate but intense fruit flavours and excellent overall balance."
James Halliday, The Weekend Australian, Australia, July 2004
2004 Vintage
GOLD
2018 Vintage, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo - Rodeo Uncorked 2019
GOLD
2017 Vintage, SAKURA Japan Women's Wine Awards 2018
GOLD
2017 Vintage, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Wine Competition 2018
GOLD
2017 Vintage, Mundus Vini 2017
90 POINTS – BEST BUY
2016 Vintage, Wine Enthusiast 2017
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL
2015 Vintage, San Francisco International Wine Competition 2016
GOLD MEDAL
2015 Vintage, SAKURA Japan Women's Wine Awards 2016
GOLD MEDAL
2014 Vintage, China Wine and Spirits Awards 2016
90 POINTS – BEST BUY
2015 Vintage, Wine Enthusiast 2015
GOLD MEDAL
2014 Vintage, TexSom International Wine Competition 2015
GOLD MEDAL
2014 Vintage, TexSom International Wine Competition 2015
GOLD MEDAL
2014 Vintage, China Wine Spirit Awards 2014
TOP 110 WINNING WINE
2013 Vintage, Vancouver Magazine International Wine Competition 2014
GOLD MEDAL
2013 Vintage, Cincinnati Wine Festival Competition 2014
CLASS CHAMPION
2013 Vintage, Houston Rodeo Wine Competition 2014
GOLD MEDAL
2013 Vintage, The China Wine & Spirits Awards Best Value 2014
GOLD MEDAL
2012 Vintage, International Wine for Oysters Competition 2012
GOLD MEDAL
2012 Vintage, San Francisco International Wine Competition 2012
GOLD MEDAL (2ND RUNNDER UP TO GRAND CHAMPION)
2006 Vintage, International Wines for Oysters Competition 2006
GOLD MEDAL (BEST OF SHOW WHITE TABLE WINE)
2003 Vintage, Toronto Wine & Cheese Show 2004
GOLD MEDAL
1990 Vintage, Sydney International Winemakers’ Competition 1991
GOLD MEDAL
1990 Vintage, International Wine & Spirit Competition 1991
MARQUIS DE GOULAINE TROPHY
1990 Vintage, International Wine & Spirit Competition 1991
COMPLIMENTARY FLAVOURS
Creamy, salty, cayenne, spice, wasabi, tropical, citrus, coriander, Thai flavours.
SAUVIGNON BLANC FOOD MATCHES
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect food match for summery salads, fresh seafood and a variety of Asian flavours. Try pairing our Sauvignon Blanc with any of these delicious dishes:
Fresh pan fried fish, oysters, salads, canapés, smoked salmon, sashimi, pan seared scallops, spinach and ricotta stuffed cannelloni, pad Thai, oven roasted asparagus with shaved parmesan.
