The 2021 Brink Sauvignon Semillon from Spoke Wines is a captivating expression of New Zealand’s Marlborough region, offering both precision and personality. Spoke is a collaborative project led by acclaimed winemaker Ben Glover, focusing on site-driven wines that highlight Marlborough’s diverse sub-regions through a thoughtful, minimalist lens.

The Brink vineyard, planted in 1992, sits atop the Renwick terrace in the heart of the mid-Wairau Valley. Organically farmed since its inception, this site features a complex mix of silt, loam, and clay soils, which impart texture and depth to the fruit. A blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon, this wine is as much about structure and mouthfeel as it is about aromatics.

In the glass, the wine opens with lifted aromas of lemongrass, white peach, citrus peel, and subtle lanolin, layered with a delicate note of struck match that hints at its refined winemaking. On the palate, it delivers immediate weight and presence, full-bodied, yet taut and energetic, with vibrant acidity anchoring generous stone fruit and citrus flavours. The interplay between Sauvignon’s linear freshness and Semillon’s waxy richness results in a wine that is both texturally fascinating and structurally refined.