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Why Sauvignon Blanc and Autumn pair perfectly…

October 5, 2017 by Sarah

Autumn has most definitely arrived in the UK. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your beloved Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for winter reds… Indeed not, at Fairbourne, we believe that your favourite varietal transcends all seasons, and tastes just as perfect while sipped by the fireside, as it does quaffed by the poolside!

Here are three ways to enjoy Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc even though the temperatures outside may have cooled:

A super soup – A warming bowl of soup makes the perfect lunchtime treat. But a seafood chowder is wholesome enough for a main meal supper time too! A great chowder doesn’t need to be complex, simply pick up some fish pie mix from the seafood counter at your favourite supermarket and a packet of cooked, mixed seafood from the freezer department, and everything else you need is probably in the fridge or the store cupboard. We love this recipe from the BBC Good Food website. It’s simple and fast to prepare.

A smashing salad – Just because the cooler climes are here you don’t have to give up on your salad, simply warm things up a little bit. This Trio of Warm Seafood Salad, uses mussels, halibut and scallops; and would pair beautifully with Fairbourne Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

A Sunday Roast – It’s no secret that seafood is a natural accompaniment for Fairbourne Sauvignon Blanc, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be reserved exclusively for the fish course. Its versatility and easy drinking nature also ensures it is very much at home with white meats, and what could make a warmer welcome for Autumn than a juicy roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings? Delight your Sunday lunch guests with a bottle of Fairbourne Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for social sipping. Head to your local Majestic Wines store in the UK to find yours.

How to simplify your supper party… Pour Fairbourne Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc!

September 4, 2017 by admin

With September comes the first whiff of autumn in the U.K. All too soon barbecue season is on the way out, and it’s time to get social with a kitchen supper party. If you’re anything like us the best at home dos, are those that are perfectly simple. The less time spent preparing, the better, it leaves more time for good food, great wine, and gratifying conversation.

One thing you can do to simplify your evening is choose just one delicious wine to serve throughout the evening. A particular delight of Sauvignon Blanc as a varietal is its versatility, and Fairbourne Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is no exception, it can honour plain, simple seafood, fresh oysters, and steamed mussels, as well as salmon. But it also pairs with white meats like chicken and pork, even if these are served with herb sauces or rubs the Sauvignon Blanc holds it own. The wine’s vibrant flavors also complement spicy and ethnic cuisines.

With that in mind, we thought we’d share some recipes that pair perfectly with Fairbourne Sauvignon Blanc, taking you from canapes to the cheese board!

On Arrival:
Smoked Salmon Blinis – This recipe is our go-to crowd greeter. Simple is the only way to describe these tasty morsels, you can whip a platter up in just a few minutes, and the recipe requires just four ingredients. Find the recipe HERE.

A Soupy Starter:
Soup is such a great appetiser; it can be prepared ahead of time and reheated just before your guests sit down so you can enjoy the mingling and appear like a domestic god/goddess! This blog post has two soup recipes, both pair perfectly with Fairbourne Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

The Main Event:
A delicious fish pie is the perfect simple supper recipe. A real crowd pleaser, serve with a big bowl of buttery peas and pan fried courgettes. You can use a mix of whatever fish you’ve caught, bought or stored in the freezer. Add some seafood, like scallops or prawns for a luxury version. If you’d rather follow a recipe a good place to start is with Annabel Langbein’s Lemon Fish Pie, find the recipe HERE.
Extra Tip: If you don’t have time to make or roll pastry, keep some ready rolled sheets of Filo Pastry in your fridge. Scrunch these up, place on top of your pie mix and drizzle with olive oil. If you can’t be bothered to give your arms a workout mashing spuds, finely sliced baby potatoes will also serve as a topping!

Still Hungry?
Ditch dessert and set up a stellar cheese board instead. A delicious Chevre and Sauvignon Blanc is a match made in heaven. If you haven’t acquired a taste for goat cheese, and many people don’t like it, choose a good salty feta. The delicious dryness of both the goat cheese and the feta teams well with the fresh fruity flavours of Sauvignon Blanc.

Head to your local Majestic Wines store in the UK to find Fairbourne Sauvignon Blanc.

How to choose a stand out Sauvignon Blanc

August 8, 2017 by admin

There’s no doubt about it; New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has certainly tantalised the taste buds of the world. A flagship varietal that represents New Zealand in many overseas markets its popularity knows no bounds. Two years ago in the U.K., a survey of 400,000 people found the grape comes top in every British town, city and county – except (for some reason) Berkshire. Its fast rise up the hit parade in the U.S. show it to be a very serious contender to the housewife’s favourite, Chardonnay.

The popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can be attributed to many things, it has a versatility with food that makes it easy to pair with dinner party favourites, and of course it has a tantalising fresh acidity that is quite unique.

But how do you pick a superior Sauvignon Blanc? You pick Fairbourne of course! This is what makes it stand out from the crowd…

Fairbourne Premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, is terroir inspired from a single vineyard. What does that mean? Well, it means it tastes like no other Sauvignon Blanc you will have tried because the ancient clay gravel soils where the vines grow, define its unique style. The grapes are hand-picked for elegant and refined flavours.

Fairbourne Premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, is hand harvested. The difference between hand harvested Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and that harvested by machine is monumental. Flavour and palate texture from hand harvested Sauvignon Blanc is far more expressive and the wine has greater length. Sauvignon Blanc grapes have very “wild / savage” characters. Hand harvesting lessens juice contact with the more aggressive and phenolic characters of crushed skins, bunch stalks and petioles. Therefore, hand harvested grapes can produce a more focussed aroma spectrum and better express the nuances of the vineyard with a clear and powerful varietal expression.

Fairbourne Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc consistently earns 5* reviews. Bob Campbell – Master of Wine, Sam Kim and Raymond Chan have all scored five out of the previous six vintages with five stars. Reviews just in for the 2016 vintage are all 5* reviews.
Bob Campbell says impressive purity.
Raymond Chan describes it as sheer finesse.
Sam Kim extols its seductive savoury nuances.
Michael Cooper reckons it’s one of the best yet!
Read the latest reviews in full HERE.

Head to your local Majestic Wines store in the UK to find Fairbourne Sauvignon Blanc.

How to host the perfect Barbecue…

July 5, 2017 by admin

It’s official the U.K. summer has arrived, with a wee heatwave last month, it could be the start of something good, and it’s even been dry for Wimbledon so far!

As things officially start to heat up, it’s time to roll out the Barbecue. As Antipodeans we’re used to cooking, eating and entertaining outside, so we thought we’d share our top tips on how to host the perfect barbecue.

Start with the guest list – Work out how many can you cater for your place? Remember that you can keep things informal at a barbecue, let it run all afternoon or all evening. So you may find guests dip in and out of your soiree at different times, meaning you can invite a few more bodies than your pad could handle at a sit down formal supper.
Plan a stonking menu – Think beyond the humble sausage and burger. Choose chicken, fish or seafood to pair with Fairbourne premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This website features some awesome recipes… Including these divine Monkfish Kebabs. Don’t forget to check your guests dietary requirements and include some vegetarian options. Remember that whilst the grill is the star of the show it also needs some supporting acts, so don’t skip the side dishes.
Be prepared – The great thing about barbecue food is that much of it can be prepared in advance. Your meats will love marinades and your salads will rest superbly as long as you keep them cool. So do as much as you can the night before. If you learned to be prepared in the Scouts, you may also have learned that lighting a fire (or a grill) is not always the easiest thing to do, especially if a breeze is blowing… So have plenty of charcoal and fire lighters on hand.
Check the weather – Yes it’s been a pretty decent start to summer, but remember the U.K. can be unpredictable. Think about borrowing or hiring a gazebo just in case things take a turn for the worse.
Order your wine – Head to your local Majestic Wines store in the UK to find Fairbourne Sauvignon Blanc.

Aging Sauvignon Blanc

June 22, 2017 by admin

If you thought Sauvignon Blanc was a wine that needed to be quaffed within a month of stashing the bottles in your wine rack, then think again… Because at Fairbourne, our premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, unlike many Sauvignon Blanc wines, will be as good, if not better if you decide to cellar it… Raymond Chan recently re-reviewed our Fairbourne 13, it kept its five-star rating and Raymond said it was… “better with bottle age.”

So why is that?

Our wine is naturally lower in sugar, and less acidic, so the complex layers mature gracefully.

Fairbourne Premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, is terroir inspired from a single vineyard. Which means it tastes like no other Sauvignon Blanc you will have tried because the ancient clay gravel soils where the vines grow, define its unique style.

The grapes used to make Fairbourne Sauvignon Blanc are hand-picked for elegant and refined flavours. Most new world Sauvignon Blanc, including Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, is machine harvested. The difference between hand harvested Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and that harvested by machine is monumental. Flavour and palate texture from hand harvested Sauvignon Blanc is far more expressive and the wine has greater length.

And then of course there is the magic that Sarah works… Sarah has a reputation for making wines described as stunning and elegant with great finesse… And that means they age well!

You can cellar a Fairbourne Premium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for up to ten years. A great way to discover how a really good Sauvignon Blanc matures is to sample our Vertical Tasting Case, buy yours HERE.

Special Offer!

We have limited edition cellared library stock from 2008 onwards that we are now ready to release for your drinking pleasure! We can put together a mixed case to your specification and of any combination of vintages, you would like, please contact us to find out more.