Sacred Hill Managing Director, David Mason says the new HALO packaging, which debuts on the 2014 HALO Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, is designed to help consumers more easily identify HALO as part of the Sacred Hill family of wines.

"We are very pleased with the new packaging for the HALO range which strengthens the ties with the rest of the portfolio and is the perfect reflection of the top-quality wine inside the bottle."

Tony Bish, Senior Winemaker says that while the packaging has had a makeover, the contents in the bottle reflect the excellent 2014 Marlborough vintage along with the richness and depth people have come to expect from HALO wines.

"For us the HALO range has always been about handcrafting premium wines at a price point that makes them accessible for everyday enjoyment and that hasn't changed."

The newly released 2014 Sacred Hill Halo Sauvignon Blanc is an intense and complex wine that exhibits tropical fruit, floral, citrus and mineral characters.

Bish says that for the second year in a row Marlborough vintage conditions played their part. A cool spring and early summer were followed by a warm and dry autumn, creating ideal conditions to produce intensely flavoured wines.

"For this wine we have been meticulous in managing yields to ensure quality over quantity. We harvested in cool conditions and processed the grapes very gently to optimise fruit expression, fermenting at low temperatures to enhance the intense varietal characters so typical of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc."

The HALO range is a selection of premium wines that sits between the popular Orange Label range and the super premium Special Selection.

Sacred Hill 2014 HALO Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - Aromas of tropical fruits including guava, passionfruit and loquat are joined by floral nuances of frangipani, citrus blossom and lemongrass. Hints of fennel and dried hay support the background. The palate delivers weighty entry and mid palate, flowing through to a rich mineral vein of zesty acid and lime flavours.

Food Match - Steamed mussels with light Thai green sauce. Fry ½ a medium onion until opaque, add 1 teaspoon of Thai green curry mix, ½ a can of coconut cream, ½ a cup of water, and ½ a cup of HALO Sauvignon Blanc 2014. Steam mussels until open and portion into bowls. Add sauce contents and sprinkle with a small amount of coriander.

Sacred Hill 2014 HALO Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is available at wine merchants throughout New Zealand and has a recommended retail price of $24.99.

For further information visit www.sacredhill.com.

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