Astrolabe Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2025

Grapes harvested from coastal vineyards are rich in minerals, leaving an aftertaste reminiscent of rock salt. This Sauvignon Blanc has a crisp citrus acidity and a pleasant floral aroma.

Among NZ wines, this is quite a rare one that **"feels salty like the sea."** As expected, it pairs well with seafood. Enjoy it with shrimp or scallop BBQ.

Salty Flavored Sauvignon

The region where this wine is produced, **"Kekerengu,"** is the southernmost area in Marlborough.

It's a very small region surrounded by sea and mountains, and its extreme maritime climate has a significant influence on this wine.

The aroma has a citrus scent like lime and a pleasant floral scent like jasmine.

And when you taste it, you'll notice a rock-salt-like saltiness. It has a mineral sensation as if you are drinking hard water, which is a significant component of its flavor.

While Marlborough often produces "fruity and juicy Sauvignon Blancs," this wine has a distinct minerality rather than fruitiness.

The finish is very long, and it's a very dry wine.

Recommended Pairings

This wine, with its hint of sea aroma, naturally pairs well with seafood.

You could simply grill shrimp or scallops with salt at a BBQ, prepare them as a carpaccio salad, or even fry them.

Seafood BBQ

Sea Bream Carpaccio

Grilled Salmon

Calamari Rings

About the Region of Marlborough

Marlborough is the heart of NZ's wine region.

With abundant sunshine and large diurnal temperature variations, favorable natural conditions for grape cultivation are all present, and over 80% of NZ's wine is produced in Marlborough.

Among them, Sauvignon Blanc, characterized by its crisp acidity and overflowing fruitiness, boasts overwhelming production volume and is widely loved worldwide as a unique character. For red wines, Pinot Noir, appealing for its rich berry fruit flavors, is popular.

About the Winery "Astrolabe"

Astrolabe is a Marlborough winery established in 1996 by winemaker and owner Simon Waghorn with his wife and friends.

The name "Astrolabe" comes from a French ship that arrived on the Marlborough coast in the early 19th century, meaning "astronomical instrument."

Initially, the winery sold small quantities of unlabeled wine, but its high quality gradually became known, and it began releasing wine under the "Astrolabe" label in 2001. Exports to the UK then began, and its popularity has grown year by year.

A characteristic of Astrolabe, which is rare among NZ wines imported into Japan, is its use of grapes from the small region of **"Kekerengu."** Among them, this Sauvignon Blanc, named after the region, can be said to be a characteristic wine of this winery.

Furthermore, 80% of the wine produced is Sauvignon Blanc, and Bob Campbell MW, a leading New Zealand wine critic, highly praises it, stating that "Astrolabe is undoubtedly at the pinnacle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc producers."

Astrolabe Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2025