It's not a proper New Zealand summer without sauvignon. The white, pleasant and uncomplicated wine remains a firm favourite locally and our calling card internationally.
It's not just New Zealand sauvignon blanc that's in demand around the world but specifically that from Marlborough.
Many superb sauvignons are not always the result of Marlborough's grapes, but for people in faraway places, Marlborough resonates with what they perceive to be the real thing.
Fortunately, despite a prospect of a shortage, there's a lot of it still to go round.
Into the fray comes the reborn O:Tu, shorthand for where the vineyards are situated on the coastal south-eastern corner of the Awatere Valley, where the Otuwhero river and coastal breezes create a long, cool growing season, ideal for growing bold, punchy wines.
Jan Kux is the winemaker and general manager of O:Tu. Born in Libya, he's an American citizen now based in Switzerland but spends six months of each year "steering the ship".
"As a winemaker, you never have a second chance. I don't want a product that's just a beverage ... I want to work on key aspects of the fruit."
