Producer Spotlight: The Darling Wines
Our buying team are always on the road and in the tasting room, sourcing new additions to add to our ever-growing portfolio. Over the coming months, we will be highlighting some of our new producer partners that we are proud to be working with.
Asparagus season in the UK is coming to an end towards the end of June, and our new New Zealand producer, The Darling Wines from Marlborough, has a selection of stunning Sauvignon Blancs that are the perfect partners to asparagus-based dishes.
Founded in 2007 in Marlborough, The Darling Wines is a small project created by winemaker Chris Darling and viticulturist Bart Arnst. They are certified organic and the winery focuses on minimal intervention and sustainable viticulture. We have brought three of their Sauvignon Blancs into our portfolio: Little Darling, The Darling and The Darling ‘Arnst’.
Starting with the entry to the range, Little Darling Sauvignon Blanc, this wine is made from organically grown grapes from the Wairau Valley in Marlborough. These grapes have a natural resistance, resulting in thicker skins and more flavour. The wine is kept on its lees for as long as possible to add softness and balance the bright fruit flavours. Classic characters of tropical fruit, such as passion fruit and zesty lime, burst through on the nose and continue on the palate with hints of melon and other citrus fruits. Smooth and crisp, it pairs wonderfully with white meats, fresh seafood and salads.
Little Darling Sauvignon Blanc 2025 / DARL001A / £13.00
Next up, The Darling is sourced from three organic vineyards in the Wairau Valley, with 10% of the blend fermented in barrel with wild natural yeast, while the remaining juice is fermented with unique yeast and kept on lees until blended to produce the finished wine. On the nose, you get the classic intensity of tropical fruit with fresh citrus notes, which follow through elegantly on the palate. The time in barrel gives the wine a bit more complexity and body.
The Darling Sauvignon Blanc 2024 / DARL002A / £14.45
Lastly, The Darling ‘Arnst’ is made from grapes sourced from a single organic vineyard in the Wairau Valley of Marlborough, then pressed and fermented in barrel for lovely character and complexity. The juice is kept on the lees for great intensity and a full mouthfeel, and is left unfined and unfiltered when bottled for a wonderful expression of the grape. The wine shows an abundance of fruit on the nose along with subtle oak notes for complexity. It has wonderful weight and texture, with power yet elegance, making it a fine example of Sauvignon Blanc made with well-balanced use of oak. This is a limited production, as they only produce a barrel of wine for special vintages.
The Darling ‘Arnst’ 2019 / DARL003A / £16.60
