There's no place in the world like Marlborough, and no wine in the world that tastes like ours, especially our Sauvignon Blanc. We believe that it is worth protecting.

Because there’s no place in the world like Marlborough.

There’s no place in the world like Marlborough, and no wine in the world that tastes like ours. Our grape country begins with the varied alluvial soils of the Wairau Valley, fed by the mountain waters of the Wairau River. It stretches out to the corrugated Southern Valleys, with their clay loam hillsides, and to the arid Awatere Valley, where golden hills and verdant vines are swept by Pacific winds. 

Warm by day and cool by night, Marlborough’s climate is influenced by the ocean to the east and the mountains to the west, and by the valleys and ridgelines rippling its topography. Grapes ripen and develop flavours during big, blue-skied days, then pause at night, protecting acid levels in a lingering approach to harvest. That extraordinary synergy between climate, landscapes and soil means Marlborough wines, when grown with care, are both sophisticated and exciting. They have distinctive aromas, unique fruit characteristics and elegantly balanced acidity, with a purity and flavour intensity that has earned us a global reputation as a phenomenal wine region.

To wear the Appellation Marlborough Wine badge, wines must be made from grapes that are sourced exclusively from recognised sub-regions within Marlborough. Its our promise that these wines are an authentic expression of Marlborough.

Because it takes more than good luck to make great wine.

Marlborough is an extraordinary place to grow wine, and we know we are fortunate to be here. But it takes more than good luck to make great wine.

It takes devoted and intelligent vineyard management that recognises the unique attributes of every block and every season, with canopies and crop levels adjusted to balance both vines and wines. It takes viticulturists and winemakers who know their vineyards block-by-block and row-by-row, sensitive to the vagaries of nature and variation of vintages, seeking the best possible fruit from the season.

Such steadfast dedication to quality has helped earn Marlborough wine a formidable reputation on the global stage. Appellation Marlborough Wine was created to safeguard the integrity of that reputation, by including only those wines that meet our standards.

To wear the Appellation Marlborough Wine icon, wines are tasted blind and approved for certification by an independent panel of qualified, experienced local producers. 

The Appellation Marlborough Wine icon provides a guarantee that the wine buying public of the world can see and trust.

Because Marlborough wine should be just that.

Appellation Marlborough Wine was launched in 2018 by a group of passionate producers determined to protect the authenticity and integrity of the region’s wine.

The AMW icon is a promise that the grapes for each wine are 100% Marlborough grown from vineyards that are sustainably certified, and at yield and fruit ripeness that bring balance to the vines and the wines. All the wines are bottled in New Zealand, ensuring absolute authenticity.

There are fifty-three members signed up to Appellation Marlborough Wine, including some of the region’s most prestigious labels. The AMW icon is now being worn by bottles of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc around the world, as a promise of provenance.

Because Marlborough wine is a natural gift, worth protecting.

Marlborough is a naturally extraordinary place that produces naturally extraordinary wine. So kaitiakitanga – a Māori word for the guardianship of our environment – is integral to our success. 

All wines certified by Appellation Marlborough Wine must come from vineyards certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ), BioGro NZ or an equivalent. 

SWNZ pillars include biodiversity, soil, water, air, and energy, requiring certified vineyards to meet globally recognised standards to protect the environment. Many of the Appellation Marlborough Wine members go above and beyond those benchmarks, says Cloudy Bay Estate Director Yang Shen. “Because Marlborough wine is a natural gift, and 100% worth protecting.”