2019 Smith & Sheth Cru Sauvignon Blanc Wairau New Zealand 750 ml

You asked, we delivered: The Smith & Sheth CRU Wairau is back, and this 2019 release is one of the most exciting, exuberant, and altogether expressive Sauvignon Blancs we’ve ever been able to offer. It’s truly a benchmark for the region, with a 94-point score tied for the highest Vinous has ever awarded a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Smith & Sheth just keeps raising the bar. Their 2019 release is the winery’s most impressive Sauvignon Blanc yet, scoring better than the stellar 2017 that had Wine Access members begging for more.

Vinous’ review called it “an excellent showing,” but if you ask us, that’s an understatement. This is an aromatic and textural tour de force from Master of Wine and New Zealand legend Steve Smith, surpassing even the extraordinary white wines he crafted at Craggy Range. It's a bottle redrawing the lines on what New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can do.

The lucky few who are quick enough on the buy button will get to experience this wine’s elegant magnetism and complexity. Aromas bound from the glass, fresh-cut guava and passionfruit decorated with lemon zest and white flowers. The palate shines with luminous citrus and chamomile, carrying lively acidity through a lingering finish. It doesn’t rely on heavy fruitiness, but displays an impressive nuance and depth that Vinous likened to Loire Valley whites.

When we last offered Smith & Sheth’s CRU Wairau, Wine Access members couldn’t get enough. They said: “I ordered more!” and “I loved this crisp, well bodied Sauvignon Blanc... I just wish I had more. I hope, hope, hope that Wine Access will somehow find a new supply!”

Today, you’ve got a shot at the 2019, which outshines the 2017 with a higher score and lower price. 

The CRU Wairau’s exquisite balance and texture come in large part from expert winemaking. Master of Wine Steve Smith is one of New Zealand’s most influential winemakers. He founded the celebrated Craggy Range, which Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has called “one of New Zealand’s premier wine producers.” In partnering with Texas-born investor Brian Sheth for this Wairau Valley project, he’s continued to show how New Zealand can produce wines, and specifically Sauvignon Blancs, that stand tall against the world’s best.

Smith & Sheth’s gravelly and skeletal soils contain low-yielding vines that average 25 years of age and account for the wine’s tropical and grassy elements. But they’ve balanced their 2019 with grapes from the biodynamic Churton Vineyard, which lies on a ridgeline above the valley floor, adding depth and nuance. Fermentation at cool temperatures helps to preserve the wine’s lifted and vibrant aromatics.

We’ve trekked through Wairau’s mountain vistas, turning up our collars in the ocean breeze. We’ve emerged from Wairau River swimming holes to whitebait fritters and golden valley sunsets. But we still think that this wine contends for the region’s most beautiful experience.