Blank Canvas, 'McKee Vineyard' Grüner Veltliner

Alcohol percentage: 13.5%

Area:
Marlborough is of course the home to the phenomenon that is NZ Sauvignon Blanc. The cool but sunny climate is ideal for that variety but (if producers can afford to choose) it’s also a great location for other styles too.
The vines for this wine are from Malcolm Adams’s Berekah Estate, in the Rapaura subregion.

Grape variety:
100% Grüner Veltliner, a third vinified in steel, the majority spending 10 months in 600l French oak barrels (but no new wood).

Producer:
“Blank Canvas represents my story as a winemaker. It is an endeavour that is entirely my own expression of winemaking, is from my own funding, and is exclusively my risk.” Matt Thomson, along with partner Sophie Parker-Thomson.

The Bottle Shop rating:
Sophie and Matt presented a range of their wines to us and our customers at The Old Bridge in September 2019. The Grüner is a rare, successful example of the variety outside Austria – retaining the subtle, under-stated varietal style despite the exuberance present in all New Zealand whites.