2024 Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc Martinborough

Staff Reviews

RR

Rachael Ryan

Rachael Ryan

K&L Buyer

Review Date: 07/2026

I taste a lot of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, so it's always exciting when I come across a winery that immediately earns a spot among my favorites. The 2024 Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc, made by esteemed Martinborough winery Palliser, delivers everything I want in a young Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand: zesty citrus flavors, racy acidity, underlying minerality and a clean-as-a-whistle finish. Unlike Marlborough to the south, the climate in Martinborough is slightly warmer and the growing season shorter, leading to more restrained aromatics and a more textural mouthfeel. While the Pencarrow is unmistakably New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, it doesn't overwhelm with pungent flavors. Instead, it offers finesse and balance. Freshly cut green herbs like tarragon, Thai basil and lemon verbena mingle with grapefruit and lime peel notes. The finish is clean and crisp but also lingering, making it a wine that's just as enjoyable with food as it is on its own. Add this one to your summer wine list – it would be perfect well-chilled, either poolside or on the patio!

Notes

Pencarrow is the second label at Palliser Estate, a pioneering winery founded in 1984 that helped establish Martinborough as a world-class wine region. While the estate has built its reputation on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it also produces outstanding Sauvignon Blanc in an expression entirely different from the more well-known Marlborough region to the south. The vineyards at Palliser are planted on ancient alluvial river terraces with free-draining gravel soils that naturally limit vine vigor and produce concentrated fruit. In recent years, chief winemaker Guy McMaster has led a major sustainability initiative, with the estate transitioning its vineyards to organic farming, reflecting a philosophy that healthier soils produce more expressive wines. Unlike many Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs that lean heavily into explosive passionfruit, grapefruit, and grassy pyrazines, Pencarrow emphasizes elegance and texture. Martinborough's cooler climate and longer growing season allow the grapes to ripen more slowly, preserving bright acidity while developing subtler aromatics.