Craggy Range : Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc 2025

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the Craggy Range Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc 2025

Tasting

Color

The wine shows a pale lemon-yellow color with faint green highlights, bright and perfectly clear.

Nose

The nose is aromatic and layered, opening on citrus notes of lime, candied lemon, grapefruit and mandarin, followed by ripe stone fruit such as peach and nectarine along with hints of passion fruit. White flowers and fresh herbs add lift, while subtle touches of green tea and white pepper bring a discreet spicy nuance to the aromatic profile.

Palate

The palate is lively and precise, driven by racy acidity that carries the citrus and stone fruit flavors with energy. Lees aging brings a slightly chalky, textured mid-palate that softens the attack without dulling its freshness. The finish is long, saline and refreshing, echoing the wine's coastal, mineral character.

Food and wine pairings

This sauvignon blanc pairs naturally with raw or lightly cooked seafood such as tartare, ceviche or oysters, as well as with sushi and sashimi. It also complements fresh green salads and works well alongside goat cheese or feta, whose saltiness resonates with the wine's own saline edge.

Serving and cellaring

The Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc 2025 is best served chilled, between 8°C and 12°C, to preserve its aromatic freshness and tension. It can be enjoyed upon release and cellared for up to five years, ideally until around 2030.

Other characteristics

This is a dry white wine made from 100% sauvignon blanc, with a moderate alcohol level typical of the cuvée, generally around 12.5% to 13%.

A Site-Specific Sauvignon Blanc from Craggy Range's Te Muna Terraces in Martinborough

The Estate

Craggy Range was officially established in 1998 by Terry and Mary Peabody, who set up a 1,000-year family trust that legally prevents the estate from ever being sold. Based in Hawke's Bay and Martinborough, New Zealand, the winery focuses on parcel-driven wines from two distinct terroirs: the Gimblett Gravels for red varieties and Te Muna Road for pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. Still owned and run by the Peabody family, now spanning three generations, Craggy Range was named New World Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2014.

The Vineyard

This sauvignon blanc is grown on the lower terraces of Te Muna Road, about seven kilometers east of Martinborough village, on young gravelly soils interspersed with limestone that rest on some of New Zealand's oldest loess layers, estimated at 350,000 to 400,000 years old. Unlike Marlborough, more commonly associated with this variety in New Zealand, the Te Muna site sits nearly 50 meters higher in altitude, which delays harvest by about ten days compared with lower-lying vineyards. Strong winds and wide diurnal temperature swings further slow ripening, helping preserve natural acidity in the grapes.

Winemaking and aging

The Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc 2025 is made from grapes picked partly by hand along Te Muna Road, with about 85% of the clusters destemmed and the remainder fermented as whole bunches. Fermentation takes place in a combination of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels, using a mix of indigenous and selected yeasts. The wine is then aged on its lees for five months in a blend of older and newer French oak barrels, before fining, filtration and bottling.

Grape Varieties

This wine is produced from 100% sauvignon blanc.