Matt has been awarded the prestigious Best Winemaker title at the inaugural New Zealand Wines of the Year 2026.
Wine Advocate 95 points. Highest rated "classic' sauvignon blanc from NZ.
The 2025 Holdaway Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is from the Holdaway vineyard in Dillon's Point, a growing area right on the coast, at the mouth of the main Wairau Valley. Aromatically, the wine exhibits all the pungency and concentration of the area, yet it shows restraint too, and I like that. Here, there is passion fruit, pineapple husk, white pepper, wet linen, chalk and brine. In the mouth, the wine is textural and chalky, long and restrained—it's very good indeed. A classy offering here, it's true to its place but crafted in a sophisticated manner—or perhaps farmed to achieve this. Either way, it's very good. Erin Larkin April 2026.
Winefolio - Top Ten Sauvignon Blancs 2025 - ''Alongside some signature Marlborough flavours of passionfruit and white currant and pink grapefruit, there is something that has hints of Chablis in the dry minerality and salty acidity as well. "Love the acidity and 'seed' tones through the palate" appear in the tasting notes. Some richness and depth are also a feature, before a finish that carries for some distance - pithy and dry."
Michael Cooper - Five Stars
Ken Gargett (95/100) reviewed the Collection, awarding our 2025 the highest score
across the dozen wines with a spectacular 95 points, and noting that Blank Canvas “...are making some of the most exciting wines for the region and they are very much behind the push to ensure that Marlborough can be seen as a region making great Sauvignon Blanc.”
Bob Campbell MW “Intense, aromatic sauvignon with pronounced passion fruit/tropical fruit flavours together with grapefruit, red capsicum, oyster shell and gooseberry supported by vibrant juicy acidity that helps drive a lengthy finish.” 94 points
Alder Yarrow - ‘The Ambassadors of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc’, scoring our 2025 the highest equal score with an outstanding 9 to 9.5 (out of 10).
Dr. Jamie Goode’s Wine Anorak “it’s an amazing expression of Marlborough Sauvignon.”
