Ep 267 – Why Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Tastes Like Nowhere Else: Awatere Valley, Terroir & the Future of New Zealand Wine with Yealands Chief Winemaker, Natalie Christensen

Ep 267 – Why Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Tastes Like Nowhere Else: Awatere Valley, Terroir & the Future of New Zealand Wine with Yealands Chief Winemaker, Natalie Christensen

June 22, 2026 · 50 min · Episode 283

About this episode

Janina Doyle interviews Natalie Christensen about the unique characteristics of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the Awatere Valley's terroir.

In this episode of Eat Sleep Wine Repeat, Janina is joined by Natalie Christensen, Chief Winemaker at Yealands, to explore one of the world's most recognised wine regions: Marlborough in New Zealand. Together they dive into the differences between the Wairau Valley and Awatere Valley, uncovering how climate, soils and geography create remarkably different expressions of Sauvignon Blanc. From aroma compounds and winemaking decisions to sustainability, sub-regionality and the future of New Zealand wine, this episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to learn about wine, deepen their wine education, understand wine grapes and discover why Marlborough deserves to be considered alongside the great wine regions of the world. There is also plenty of inspiration for wine travel, with Natalie sharing what visitors can expect when exploring the stunning Yealands vineyards on New Zealand's South Island. Shownotes 03:12 – Discovering Marlborough — Natalie introduces New Zealand's most famous wine region and explains what makes the Awatere Valley so unique. 04:15 – Vineyard location matters — how close Yealands' vines sit to the dramatic coastal cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean…

People in this episode

Host: Janina Doyle

Guest: Natalie Christensen

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Yealands

Places: Marlborough, Awatere Valley, Wairau Valley, New Zealand, South Island, Pacific Ocean

More episodes of EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT: A Wine Podcast Exploring Wine Regions, Grapes & Education

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT: A Wine Podcast Exploring Wine Regions, Grapes & Education podcast page.