LATEST NEWS

We’re delighted to receive top star rating’s for our recently released 2011 Ara Single Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Select Blocks Sauvignon Blanc and Select Blocks Pinot Noir.

Look out for these in all fine wine stores and restaurants, proudly marked with the gold Winestate sticker.
 

Ara Single Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011  4 STARS

A classic regional style – fresh and ripely scented, with good intensity.  Mouthfilling wine with tropical fruit flavours of passionfruit and lime, lively acidity, excellent purity and balance, and a tight, dry, lengthy finish. 

Ara Select Blocks Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 4 ½ STARS

Powerful, tightly structured wine, estate-grown in the Waihopai Valley.  Authoritative, with excellent intensity of fresh, tropical fruit flavours, a minerally streak, good drive through the palate and a long, dry finish.  

Ara Select Blocks Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011  4 STARS

Still very youthful, this attractively scented Waihopai Valley red was French oak-aged for 10 months. Mouthfilling and vibrantly fruity, it has excellent depth of ripe cherry/plum flavours, with savoury notes adding complexity, and good tannin support.  A skilfully crafted wine, it should be at its best mid-2013+

Enjoy a glass of Ara’s trophy winning Single Estate Pinot Gris complimentary, matched with Rex Morgan’s famous Karengo Salmon from Akaroa at Boulcott Street Bistro Wellington. Available from April 16th for four weeks whilst dining. See April’s Cuisine Magazine for more details on this very special offer.

www.boulcottstreetbistro.co.nz

Ara’s first release of Single Estate Pinot Gris 2011 has won Champion Pinot Gris at the inaugural Marlborough Wine Show held this month.

Already renown for structured Sauvignon Blanc and expressive Pinot Noir - now the first harvest of Ara’s Single Estate Pinot Gris highlights the unique ancient soils of Ara’s Wairau Valley vineyard are well suited to produce award winning Pinot Gris as well. Small parcels of fruit were selected for their structure and weight as well as their aromatics then hand harvested and gently whole bunch pressed. The result is a highly aromatic wine with a concentration of flavours distinctive of Ara’s Single Estate Wines, balanced with a wonderful minerality and crisp citrus acidity.

Ara’s Single Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2010 has been awarded 4 stars in July’s edition of Winestate magazine. “Weighty, with tropical fruit flavours, reminiscent of passionfruit.  Restrained, ripe style with fresh acidity, very good richness and harmony and a dry, finely balanced finish.”

ARA Pathway Sauvignon Blanc 2010, was awarded Gold Medal at the 2011 San Francisco International Wine Competition.

This follows on from our previous success in 2009 with a Gold and Double Gold.

Stay in touch with the latest monthly update from our vineyard, straight from the viticultural team and winemaker who guide our single estate winemaking. Each month we’ll give you a quick post on what we’ve been doing, and how it all leads to the distinctive expression of Marlborough you can enjoy in every glass of Ara wine.

The Vineyard Post

ARA Pathway Sauvignon Blanc 2010, was awarded Silver in the 18th Edition Selections Mondiales des vins held in Quebec June 2011

"The only one [sauvignon blanc] I really liked was an Ara Pathway 2010. It was funkier, drier and more restrained."

Simon Farrell-Green, Metro June 2011

Rosemary George gives Ara Pathway Sauvignon Blanc 4 Stars

"Ara has made some of the most elegant, mineral, wines of Marlborough .... Fresh, stony nose; firmly mineral, understated palate"

Drink: 2011-2013 Alc: 13%